As I waited in line yesterday to pick up Matty, I looked over and saw this bare scene. I took this picture because I realized how quick we are to capture the colorful moments of the season, yet these spaces exist too.
When I looked at this bare space it reminded me of a messy day I had recently. My mind was clouded and I was stuck in a negative thought cycle and I had a hard time shifting out of it most of the day. I had not had a day like this in a long time and I forgot how debilitating it can be to be so stuck in one's negative thoughts. Even with so much good around me, I had a very hard time - even after praying - keeping my thoughts in a healthy place.
Isaiah 9:6 is a verse I hold very dear this time of year, but one I truly need to call upon all year through. The verse reads,
“For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
When I think about not only the struggle I had recently with my thoughts, but any struggle we encounter in our lives, it is comforting to know that we have a wonderful counselor available to us night and day. We are never alone. We have a mighty God who is for us, and wants to be invited in to help us fight the visible and invisible battles we experience. We have an everlasting Father who loves us unconditionally whether our lives - and thoughts - are tidy, or a mess. And we have the Prince of Peace who came into our lives so we can have peace in our souls, no matter our circumstances. Knowing this truth doesn't mean our struggles will always go right away, but it gives us a truth to help anchor our souls, and something we can meditate on to help us through. I share this with you in case you too can get messy minded, or are struggling in some way, and need to be reminded of who Jesus is in our lives.
I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.™
As we celebrate Christmas, may we not only see the baby in the manger, may we allow Jesus to be the light in our lives He came to be. May we open our minds, eyes, ears, hearts and hands to Him and receive what He is offering; to be our wonderful counselor, our mighty God, our everlasting Father, our Prince of Peace. May we allow His love for us to transform our hearts, minds and lives. And on those days, when we are feeling bare within, like this picture, may we remember we are never alone. And if God always brings spring after winter in nature, may we wholeheartedly trust He will grow something new and beautiful in our hearts and minds as well.
With love and hope,
Shawn