Sometimes the waves of the past come back and you find yourself running for life. Living daily to embrace the betterment of yourself is anything but easy when you are trapped in the past. One day, my best friend reached out to me and shared with me a book called Forgiving What You Can't Forget by Lysa Terkeurst. This is where my moment of retrospection began. Recalling past occurrences I had buried, shared, and let go was a test of decision. Will I still choose the path of betterment even though some memories are fresh and alive? Will I obey God's word and believe His promises over my feelings? Will I stand in the will to love when I'm triggered by strife and hatred? Will I, decisively, choose to walk in the freedom from condemnation? These are the questions I asked myself when unwanted past memories crashed into my heart. The more I looked into wrongs, the more I withdrew from present betterment. Terkeurst wrote in her book also that, "What we look for is what we will see. What we see determines our perspective. And our perspective becomes our reality."
The waves go back to their place the moment I begin to shift my vision. One time, I forced myself to get up to the cold weather, just like my cold heart, and allowed myself to do the least thing that I wanted to do when I was filled with feelings of gloom and doom- Read my Bible. To my surprise, the sun was still shining. As I was reading, the sunlight touched my face and skin leaving the warmth of the SON. I knew it was God's reminder for me to stay close to the source of hope and light- His Son Jesus, even in the darkness of my despondency. When I looked back on the passage that I was reading, it became visible to me that everything pointed back to Jesus! (Ephesians 3). Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 (v. 14-21) for God's people in Ephesus was for their spirit to be strengthened.
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Sometimes, the waves will come back. But you have to make a decision. A firm one. You have to make a decision to go on the path of betterment. Choose to look for the right perspective. Choose to listen to the voice of God. Choose to obey His words. Choose to act on the will and not the feeling. Most especially, choose to stay close to a stronger force than your waves- Jesus. May you feel His warmth touching the core of your heart, soul, and mind, giving you power through His Spirit to be strong in your inner selves (Eph. 3:16 GNT).
____________________________________
YOU ARE READING
Infinite Reasons To Wake Up
Non-FictionWhat wakes you up every morning? Someone cared. And He still cares. Because He has always cared. And He will forever do. Find out why- ∞ REASONS TO WAKE UP~
