Take a Step of Faith
Have you ever played the what if game? What if I had more money? What if I had married someone different? What if my kids actually listened to me? What if I had a different job? What if I wasn't so sick all the time? What if I lived in a different house? What if I drove a different car? What if I had responded differently? What if...what if...what if???
This morning it dawned on me that even though I am pushing forward towards what God has next for me and my family there is one major thing I have yet to do. That is to let go of the past. I’m holding on to the life we had before this hurricane blew through and shook our lives into something unrecognizable. Why? Because it was familiar. It was comfortable. I knew what to expect. There are things about our old life that I do not miss. I’ll save that for another day. But what I do miss I miss so much.
I have learned so many lessons over the course of the last 22 months that I'm starting to lose count. Each one came with it's own set of challenges, tests, emotional highs and lows. At times the tests were so excruciating I wanted to give up. In fact, if I hadn’t been writing a book titled, “Don’t Give Up”, I probably would have chosen to stay in bed and never adult again. God certainly knows what we need when we need it and I’m so incredibly thankful that He does. I definitely learned that when we choose to give Him our worries, fears and doubts He makes the way seem clear...and if not clear at least well lit.
You know those almost silent nights when it’s pitch black and you turn your flashlight on and all you can see is right in front of you - not well and not far - but just enough to keep you from falling over a big stick in the road or falling into a big hole. Yeah...that’s been me and God. I can’t see around me, I can’t see the future, but I can see just far enough to keep moving forward. Trembling and a bit off balance I gradually turn my what if I had done this or what if I had done that into - I trust you God. I don't understand the who, what, when, where or why...but I trust you.
I think I’ve had a hard time letting go because there are so many beautiful things in our family’s past. I haven't been able to shake the what if I had done this differently and we could still be living that life - just a better version, or it seemed like a good path for us and we were happy. However, God showed me this morning that there are many beautiful things in my family’s future too but I will never see them if I keep living in the past and questioning every little thing. - Mind blower...right!
I have to find a way to let go and let Him continue to guide us into this next season of life - His way not mine. I’ve been trying to get a new and improved version of the past to work into our current lives. This simply is not going to happen. Why? Because God wants to do a new thing. He’s given us visions, dreams and the tools we need to accomplish them...and yes at times it can be scary but God didn't promise us we wouldn't ever be afraid but that we can trust Him when we are.
The “what if” questions continue to pop up and honestly they are binding. They keep your mind going in this infinite circle that will make you dizzier than a tilt a whirl at the county fair. The madness has to stop. I decided I was going to create my own what if game. One that would help my mind get off the ride and continue to move forward while simultaneously giving me hope and trusting God to do what only He can do.
I invite you to play this new what if game with me. It has been pretty awesome. Instead of all the regretful what if questions that do absolutely nothing for us I have decided to think of all the great things that could happen instead. What if we succeed and everything falls into perfect harmony? What if things are way better then they ever were before? What if we get healthier and live longer? What if we draw closer to God? What if everything goes right? What if God gives us exceedingly and abundantly far more than we ever thought possible? What if we lead others to Christ? What if our testimony inspires others? What if God gives us beauty for our ashes? You just got a tingle didn't you? I know! This positive thinking is contagious. Those what if questions can lead to some pretty powerful mindsets.
Our family has some pretty precious memories that we will take with us and I will treasure those memories always. However, I now understand that things simply will never be the same. But...they can be better. What if they exceed all of my hopes and dreams and things turn out far better than I ever could imagine them being? Oh yeah! That’s a ride I can stay on for a long time.
The enemy tries to convince us that we’ve peaked, the best days are behind us and it will never be that good again. He's a liar. Don’t fall for his cunning deceit. God sent Jesus to die for us so that we can have an amazing abundant life. Not just a few years of good and happy times...but a whole life of awesomeness!
I pray if you are struggling with letting go of the past that you will find some encouragement here. Try playing the good “what if” game. Seek God continuously and whatever you do...Don’t Give Up. Better days are just around the corner. Turn on your flashlight and take that first step of faith.
This morning it dawned on me that even though I am pushing forward towards what God has next for me and my family there is one major thing I have yet to do. That is to let go of the past. I’m holding on to the life we had before this hurricane blew through and shook our lives into something unrecognizable. Why? Because it was familiar. It was comfortable. I knew what to expect. There are things about our old life that I do not miss. I’ll save that for another day. But what I do miss I miss so much.
I have learned so many lessons over the course of the last 22 months that I'm starting to lose count. Each one came with it's own set of challenges, tests, emotional highs and lows. At times the tests were so excruciating I wanted to give up. In fact, if I hadn’t been writing a book titled, “Don’t Give Up”, I probably would have chosen to stay in bed and never adult again. God certainly knows what we need when we need it and I’m so incredibly thankful that He does. I definitely learned that when we choose to give Him our worries, fears and doubts He makes the way seem clear...and if not clear at least well lit.
You know those almost silent nights when it’s pitch black and you turn your flashlight on and all you can see is right in front of you - not well and not far - but just enough to keep you from falling over a big stick in the road or falling into a big hole. Yeah...that’s been me and God. I can’t see around me, I can’t see the future, but I can see just far enough to keep moving forward. Trembling and a bit off balance I gradually turn my what if I had done this or what if I had done that into - I trust you God. I don't understand the who, what, when, where or why...but I trust you.
I think I’ve had a hard time letting go because there are so many beautiful things in our family’s past. I haven't been able to shake the what if I had done this differently and we could still be living that life - just a better version, or it seemed like a good path for us and we were happy. However, God showed me this morning that there are many beautiful things in my family’s future too but I will never see them if I keep living in the past and questioning every little thing. - Mind blower...right!
I have to find a way to let go and let Him continue to guide us into this next season of life - His way not mine. I’ve been trying to get a new and improved version of the past to work into our current lives. This simply is not going to happen. Why? Because God wants to do a new thing. He’s given us visions, dreams and the tools we need to accomplish them...and yes at times it can be scary but God didn't promise us we wouldn't ever be afraid but that we can trust Him when we are.
The “what if” questions continue to pop up and honestly they are binding. They keep your mind going in this infinite circle that will make you dizzier than a tilt a whirl at the county fair. The madness has to stop. I decided I was going to create my own what if game. One that would help my mind get off the ride and continue to move forward while simultaneously giving me hope and trusting God to do what only He can do.
I invite you to play this new what if game with me. It has been pretty awesome. Instead of all the regretful what if questions that do absolutely nothing for us I have decided to think of all the great things that could happen instead. What if we succeed and everything falls into perfect harmony? What if things are way better then they ever were before? What if we get healthier and live longer? What if we draw closer to God? What if everything goes right? What if God gives us exceedingly and abundantly far more than we ever thought possible? What if we lead others to Christ? What if our testimony inspires others? What if God gives us beauty for our ashes? You just got a tingle didn't you? I know! This positive thinking is contagious. Those what if questions can lead to some pretty powerful mindsets.
Our family has some pretty precious memories that we will take with us and I will treasure those memories always. However, I now understand that things simply will never be the same. But...they can be better. What if they exceed all of my hopes and dreams and things turn out far better than I ever could imagine them being? Oh yeah! That’s a ride I can stay on for a long time.
The enemy tries to convince us that we’ve peaked, the best days are behind us and it will never be that good again. He's a liar. Don’t fall for his cunning deceit. God sent Jesus to die for us so that we can have an amazing abundant life. Not just a few years of good and happy times...but a whole life of awesomeness!
I pray if you are struggling with letting go of the past that you will find some encouragement here. Try playing the good “what if” game. Seek God continuously and whatever you do...Don’t Give Up. Better days are just around the corner. Turn on your flashlight and take that first step of faith.
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