There's No Turning Back

There’s No Turning Back

Do you ever just want to give up on life? Do you ever think nothing is working right and you are tired of trying to do the right thing-the Christian thing? Well, I have felt that way many times. My thinking is something like: I have had to struggle for so long to just make it in this world that I am weary beyond belief; I never have enough money; I never have the answers I need as a parent; I am not sure what to do to solve the problems I am confronting; I feel stuck, alone, unappreciated, and forgotten by the world…but mostly forgotten by God. :(

Did you notice all of the I’s in the above paragraph? I, I, I….can you see the focus? As I have learned by facing similar situations in the past, the times I want to give up on the world and more critically on God are typically times where the world around me has faded and I am focusing on meeting my basic needs and the basic needs of my family. It is not that I am not facing legitimate struggles, but it is clear that my feelings are overriding the truth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life. It is easy to claim the Lord when I am feeling good and things are going right, but it is much harder to do so when I am confused and the confusion doesn’t seem to end. I take the “right” steps and still things don’t fall my way.

Loving the Lord is not a guarantee of easy, carefree, living. No. Loving the Lord and choosing to follow Him is one of the most important decisions in your life and guess what? You will need to make that decision over and over and over again. Every day there are challenges to living life as a Christian in a non-Christian world. What movies should I watch? What books do I read? How do I parent my child? How do I budget my money? Daily questions often become the very place in life that the Lord will meet you. He will meet you when you are trying to decide to just call in sick or go to work. He will meet you when you are ready to yell at your kids or maybe have already yelled at your kids. He will meet you when you are at work and think He isn’t looking. God is always with us. 

What you really need to understand to the depths of your being is that GOD IS GOOD. He wants only the best for you. He is slow to anger, but He will get angry if you ignore Him or violate His trust. His mercy is new EVERY morning! Joy comes from knowing God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, our triune God. He becomes the source of inner peace and strength as you learn to follow Him.

So there is no turning back. Once you have known the love of God, the friendship of Jesus, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, life is just never the same. I cannot go back to a time I did not know them. I cannot pretend I don’t love Him and that He doesn’t love me-even on those horrible, terrible, no-good days. 

How thankful I am that my God is a personal God whose mercy is everlasting and who will forgive me, love me and hold me tight through my trials. 

THANK YOU GOD FOR YOUR PATIENCE WITH ME, YOUR CHILD.