The Son rise.

You.

Breathing.

Blinking.

Looking.

Searching.

For what?

Waking up today might have been a little more difficult than yesterday. Scrounging your thoughts, you try to recall why you made, or perhaps didn't act on, those decisions. You're weary. You try to open your Bible or other typical convicting, inspiring handy book. But for some reason, you can't focus very well....you can't figure out why and curse yourself for it. As if that makes anything better. You move on to your daily tasks knowing full well that these are your obligations; this is why your here, not for yourself, but for a Greater Purpose. But, sometimes, even in acknowledging the truth, you feel no more alive than that dirty dish rag your're cleaning off that plate with. You might even feel like your fate is left to forever waking up everyday and working at this or that place, with these or those people. You start to talk to God, because you remember that you can 'cast your cares on Him' but as you open your mouth, you can barely decipher from your own mind all your million thoughts going a million miles an hour. You get scared to talk to your Creator, your Savior. You want to say something pretty and true that you actually believe. You want your prayers to be graceful and eloquent, you want others to nod their heads in agreement and murmur an 'amen'.  You wonder if you should pray about your struggles, even though the Lord knows full well what they are and how many times you've asked for God's help and how little you've applied the truth. And you worry if praying for your struggles is selfish, and you feel selfish for worrying about you feeling selfish, and so you curse yourself for that, too.

I don't know what you're going through.

I don't know what obligations you have in regards to your life.

I don't know how you're really feeling if I were to ask you how you are and you slightly nod your head and say, "Good."

I don't know what you hope to get from today. What you hope to achieve from doing this or that.

I don't know your personal theological convictions, and I don't really care.

I don't care how often you read the Bible each day or your weekly attendance at Church.

I don't care if you go to College and have a job or you don't.

I don't care how many verses out of the Bible you can or cannot quote. Or how nice you dress or if you wear jeans all the time or how often you smile.

I know that you are a human being, weak and feeble and imperfect and so hungry in so many ways.

My only concern for you is the Gospel. Do you know it? Are you living it?
Do you connect with this Person, this Jesus, this High Priest and perfect example? Did you know He wants to be your Best Friend? Your Good Shepherd who calls you by name? This wonderful Person with whom you can relate to the most? The One who has come to bring life abundant?

Did you know that there is absolutely NO expectation for you to be perfect?-Just rely on the One Who Is.
God's not here to make you feel good. But He's also not your drill sergeant.
He wants to comfort you when you need it, and He wants to teach you-because you're His.

You will have to do things you don't want to, and give up things you do want to do. And maybe not, too. Your life's work might be to sit at a desk and take phone calls, or stay at home to take care of your children. Or work at some really greasy fast food restaurant. You might have to interact with those who you might otherwise avoid, because Jesus loves them. -And love pours out, the opposite being withholding. Being, you could say, exclusivity. I don't know the the 'type' of person you are and what you are doing in this life you have been given. I just pray that you know Christ. I pray you seek His face in each task, relationship, etc.

I just felt this overwhelming burden by the Holy Spirit to write. To admonish you, dear Brother, dear Sister.

Some lessons I have been learning is to come to terms with what I cannot change, to do the best with what I have in regards to my circumstances, and if I don't understand, to go before the Lord.  If you made a mistake, ask for forgiveness where it needs to be asked. Don't beat yourself down for 'messing up again'. If you learn this time, great. And if you don't....well, you will more than likely fall on your butt again.  I have learned that gratitude is the best  medicine in the world for a heart in any kind of state...and, it just might be bitter to take at first.-It might be like sand paper on your soul. I have learned that it's okay not to 'get it' sometimes.We don't necessarily need an explanation, just Jesus.

By no means are you good enough to ever earn salvation or sanctification, and by no means do you have any authority to do anything to diminish the power of God, which is that, if you have accepted Christ, He sets you free. Christ is the example that God cares for human beings. Christ is the example that He does not give up on us.
There is no shame. In Christ, there is cleansing. There is hope, truth, joy, if only you would take the time to look at Him.

There is no God looking down at you with furrowed brows.


He's your:

Father.

Brother.

Lover of Your Soul.

Friend.

Ambassador.

Teacher.

Comforter.

Shepard.

Guide.

He is:

Sovereign.

Powerful.

Gentle.

Awesome.

Jealous.

Strong.

Good

Love.

Colossians 3: 1-17 
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality,impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised,barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."