Happy July! Wow, this summer is surely passing fast. I pray that you all are having a great time even in this heat. The last few weeks have been busy and well honestly the enemy has been attacking me at every angle. Health, social media, work, and just about everywhere I’ve been attacked. During this time the words surrender and praise have been reoccurring in scripture, devotions, and thoughts. The definition of surrender is to give something up to a person or authority. Praise of course is giving admiration or the expression of admiration to our Lord and Savior. Both actions have been a steady portion of my daily routine especially as of late.
As one of the leaders of Celebrate Recovery, we are all in a step class, this week our lesson was a personal inventory. This one covers the people who caused harm or resentment, the cause that affected me, the effect, which is how it affected my life, and the damage such as what was damaged for me it was personal safety, financial loss, damaged intimacy, etc. The last part is called “my part” for example what part of the broken relationships and issues are my responsibility, and those whom I’ve hurt. Well, needless to say, this is quite the inventory and goes DEEP. And this is where the surrender and praise came in….
As I went through these categories, I remembered that I had done something similar when I first began my healing journey two years ago. I took a piece of paper and wrote down every single thing each person that hurt me and how it made me feel. Then I marked them all with an X in red ink and said I want to forgive you and with God’s help I will. This exercise for me was cleansing just as the personal inventory was. It was the surrender of their behaviors and my feelings that helped me begin to heal, even if it meant surrendering every day to allow the Lord to help me forgive their actions. Sometimes we need to remember the things we’ve done as well been done to us so that we can see how far we’ve come in our healing and most of all how much we’ve grown in our faith because God is at the center of all the healing. No matter what healing journey you may be on, the beauty of growth is becoming a better you every day, learning to love yourself where you are on the journey, and looking forward to what God has in store for your future. And that I can praise my Savior for because He’s in the healing.
As I was driving across town last Thursday night, I was praying and talking to the Lord I saw a rainbow. For me that was God winking telling me He’s got my situations where I’ve been attacked and for me to armor up, pray up, and ride the storm out with Him by my side. That doesn’t mean that these situations and inconveniences will be easy, nor will they be ideal for my mind and body reactions, but I do know that the Lord has never one time let me down or forsaken me. I also know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is something good that will come from every situation. That’s how our Savior works in our lives. There have always been bits and nuggets of goodness that come from all my darkest situations. So, as I walk through the murk, I know God’s goodness and provision will be with me. I will continue to praise Him in all the murky messes and surrender daily if need be. Are you like me sweet friends? Do you surrender only to pick it back up again? This must be our flesh and need to rely on ourselves rather than trusting our Creator. I’m sure He laughs every time I lay something down thinking “Let’s see how long it takes until she picks this back up again”. Bless Him, I’m sure He has to keep his sense of humor with this hot mess.
I’m truly grateful for the trials in my past, and a Savior that has a sense of humor with much mercy and love. Without those trials, I wouldn’t be who I’m supposed to be in Christ or be here writing for you wonderful folks.
So today, I praise the Lord that I can write and hopefully offer some encouragement to you guys and offer this truth that God is always near and will never forsake you no matter what you are facing today. Prayers for you all and blessings until the next time.