“God is the arm that will hold you at your weakest…the eye that will see you at your darkest…and the heart that will love you at your worst.” (Anonymous)
Life is a lot like my backyard: beautiful,
messy, but risky. During the summer my wife has done a wonderful job turning
our backyard into a restful family retreat. Bobbi has added a landscaped pool, fences,
a sitting are on our deck, a small bird sanctuary, flowers, raised vegetable beds
and solar lights, for the nighttime. I love the sunflower solar lights that
actually sparkle like stars. (Be sure to look at the pictures connected to this
post to see what I am talking about.)
Our backyard has become a playground for our
three Chihuahuas. Connected with this is the giant bathroom our canines also
use it for. As much as we try to keep it picked up, unless you watch where you’re
walking it easy to step on and smash to the bottom of your foot (or shoe) their
“doggy doo-doo.”
Sometimes we all get thrown into situations
in life that we aren’t happy about, and absolutely stink. Life is chaotic at
times. Often we don’t learn the lesson God has for us until we are on the other
side of challenge. I know that first time I learn the message my heavenly
Father wants me to get; things go much easier for me.
Psalm 40:17 (MSG) says: And me? I'm a mess. I'm nothing and have nothing: make
something of me. You can do it. You've got what it takes, but God, don't put it
off. I
am deeply flawed. God knows this, and still wants to use me in His service (in the
middle of all my many imperfections). I’m
not sure why, but I know deep in my heart that He will always love me. The song,
“Even at My Worst,” by Blanca explains perfectly my thoughts for all of us to
understand:
If I'm being honest
I didn't think You'd stay with all my problems
I was so afraid that when you saw them
You would turn your back on me and leave
'Cause in the silence
My insecurities are like a siren
Taking over me, and I can't hide them
Even then you see the best in me that I can't see
Even at my worst, you love me
You wrap your arms around and you hold me close
Even at my worst, you give something I don't deserve
You love me even at my worst
When I feel pressured
You reach out, you pull me back together
Who you are to me, nothing can measure
If I have you, I have everything that I need
When I fall down, you pick me up
When I feel small, you're big enough
I'm standing strong and it's because of you
(It's because of you)
Through my trouble and my flaws
Yeah, you see above it all
I'm standing strong and it's because of you
(Even at my worst)
Even at my worst, you love me
You wrap your arms around and you hold me close
Even at my worst, you give something I don't deserve
You love me even at my worst
Even at my worst, you love me
And then you rise, I'm always beautiful
Even at my worst, you give something I don't deserve
You love me even at my worst
When I fall down, you pick me up (pick me up)
When I feel small, Lord, you're big enough (big enough)
Through my trouble and my flaws
Oh God, you see above it all
I'm standing strong and it's because of you
Even at my worst
Even at my worst, you love me
(You love me, love me, love me)
You wrap your arms around and you hold me close
Even at my worst, you give something I don't deserve
You love me even at my worst
Even at my worst, you love me
And in your eyes, I'm always beautiful
Even at my worst, you give something I don't deserve
You love me even at my worst
God wants you to know that he can be trusted
with your life. Press into him during challenging times. Here are seven reasons
to let God help you find meaning in your mess (whatever it is):
A messy situation is one of the
primary ways God awakens our need for him, grows our dependence on him, shapes
our character, and draws us closer to himself-Life consists of messes. They are not
always because you've done something wrong. Sometimes they just happen. Often
he allows it because he wants to show us a new side of himself because it makes
our mess meaningful by bringing us closer to Jesus, our Savior.
James 1:2-4
(TPT) says: My brothers and
sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy,
because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you
patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then
you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need.
God already has the problem solved-Often we are looking
for a certain resolution, before we will consider our problem fixed. God looks
to the details of our intentions in our heart. It's possible the problem still
exists because he's working on something inside you right now, and
then he'll take care of the exterior situation.
God can clear up the mess at any
time he chooses. So wait for his timing and learn all he wants you to learn in
the moment-Romans 8:28-29 (ERV)
says: 28We know that in everything God works for the good of
those who love him. These are the people God chose, because that was his plan. 29 God
knew them before he made the world. And he decided that they would be like his
Son…
Verse 29 tells
us how God works things for good in our lives. God wants us to become
more like his Son through our struggles. So be teachable, and open to what he
wants you to learn. Be moldable. Your heart attitude- might be the one reason
God has not yet fixed the situation.
God is incapable of
misunderstanding, mismanagement, or mistakes-Deuteronomy
32:4 (ERV) says The Lord is the
Rock, and his work is perfect. Yes, all his ways are right. God is true and faithful.
He is good and honest. You and I, on the other hand, are fully capable of making
an even greater mess of things. Quit your meddling and let him work his miracles.
God is more compassionate than you
realize-Psalm 56:8 (CEV)
says: You
have kept record of my days of wandering. You have stored my tears in your bottle
and counted each of them. That means our hurts are more precious to him than you
can imagine. That kind of response from him means he's trustworthy to work my
situation out for my best.
God is much more capable of
managing your life than you are-We often believe we have the best solutions to our
problems for God to use. God’s method and his timing in how he chooses to do
things are so much better than ours. He is God and I am not. And that just
might be what he's trying to show you in your struggle to fix your life. So, give
it to him because he can handle it (and you can’t).
Your situation didn't take God by
surprise-Just
because it caught you off guard, doesn't mean that God was clueless,
too. Psalm 139:3
(CEV) says: You notice
everything I do and everywhere I go. Before there is a word on our tongues, he
knows it completely. Trust what he already knows. Exercise true faith
by being assured and convinced that God is in absolute control.
“We want people to see us at our best, but we need them to
love us at our worst because our worst is just as much a part of ourselves as
our very best.” (Jocelyn
Soriano)[i]
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