I am learning the greatest challenge within a challenge is to keep your eyes fixed on Heaven when everything on earth around you is shaking and begging for your attention. It's one of the most difficult things to do. Because when chaos is on your right and calamity is on your left, looking up becomes terrifying. If you take your eyes OFF the issue, what if it explodes and spins violently out of control??
But then I'm reminded it's not my job to fix the issue, it's my job to follow Jesus.
He fights FOR us; we need only be still. (Exodus 14:14)
When our eyes are stuck on our surroundings, we miss out on the miracles taking place above us. It may not seem like a whole lot to simply look up, but the real struggle comes from shifting our eyes off of what they're so focused on.
I'll say it again. It's not your job to fix yourself or your circumstances.
Do you play a role? Absolutely. Your role is to chase Jesus with everything you have, and ask him for strength to do His will. But your role is not to FIX.
Not even Jesus is about "fixing". He's about transforming.
Whatever you are going through, working through, healing through, walking through, fighting through, hurting through.... Jesus doesn't just want to "fix" it, He wants to transform it. He proves that to us through every tree, every flower, and every season on the beautiful earth.
During Winter, when a tree dies and turns brown and loses all it's brilliant color and its' branches are chipped away by the harshness of the icy cold, does God bring out his divine toolbox, supernatural glue, and bark themed band-aids? Um, NO.
He brings Spring-- the promise of new, beautiful life. Rather than hammering on the lost branches and painting back the green vibrance it once held, He does a complete transformation of the tree-- a new, beautiful set of leaves begin to grow, and brand new branches grow back thicker and stronger.
Fixing something only keeps it working as it always has, but transforming something makes it work differently, better, and stronger. It's the same with our hearts. So that rather than working and perceiving life as they always have, they can now say: "I had no idea I could do this, overcome this, think this way, see life this way, or love this way."
Our heart beats were designed to sustain life, but also to continuously learn new rhythms.
God doesn't want you to stay the same, He wants you to G R O W.
Whatever you are going through is for transformation; to teach your heartbeat a new and beautiful, different rhythm. I promise it's not because you are forgotten, unloved, or hopeless. It's actually because God loves you enough to CHANGE something in you that He knows can be so much better.
But it is HE who transforms... not us. Not even our greatest efforts can compete against His ability to create beauty from dust. It's like duct taping trees branches back on broken trees in the winter and using green spray paint to recreate the color. That's obviously ridiculous. We don't help the trees rebuild and regrow their beautiful splendor, God takes care of that in His perfect timing... better than our duct tape and cheap spray paint ever could.
Let Him transform your heart through your situation. He will do it better than you alone ever could.
Our job is to look up. Because He is always, always working.
When you're hope is running on empty and your heart is hurting, it's tempting to keep your eyes low. But then we miss the beautiful moments splattered above the pain of our situation, the "He is faithful" reminders draped across the sky, the "keep hoping" whispers spoken amidst our trials, and all the blessings he showers down to remind us of His promises.
Where your heart dwells, your perspective follows. Choose to keep your eyes on Heaven.
I have started to pray this over my life and it is what I hold onto in moments I'm most tempted to look down:
"Thank you for transforming me; even when I can't feel it or see it happening. Thank you that you love me enough to teach my heartbeat new rhythms so I can better love people, love You, and find courage. Thank you for fighting FOR me. Thank you for reminding me through everything and everyone that you will never give up on me, stop fighting for me, or stop loving me."
When you look up, you're sure to find that:
He paints it all just to remind you that He loves you,
prove He is fighting FOR you,
and remind you He hasn't forgotten.
-Han
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