No Going Back...

This past week I have been on a slippery slope. Perhaps you understand. It is as though today I had a wake-up call and realized, "There is no going back!"

No, I am not in trouble.

Yes, my family is fine.

It is when life is good though that I get into the most trouble.

I forget God's blessings. I forget His answers to prayers.

It happens so quickly. So easily.

I am humbled today when reading His Word and reminded of His goodness.

Today, God started reminding me of all the wonderful answers to prayers He has given me. It overwhelmed me. -The beautiful spring weather, my daughter doing well in school after struggling with how to handle her auditory disorder, my husband's asthma doing so much better, my sister-in-law's healing, my freedom from addictive food dependency, my part-time job, my parents still living in heaven, and so much more....

Perhaps you don't understand it. How can someone forget all God's goodness and go back to taking Him for granted?

I am sorry to say, it happens. All too easily.

I can start complaining about the little things again. I can get discouraged and panic easily.

For example...
We backed into our own car the other day. I just repaired the car from backing into a Jaguar of all things! My insurance rates went up. Years of no accidents did not matter. Did I say it was a Jaguar out of my line of sight as I backed into it? Then my husband backed into MY car as we hurried to church.

How did I respond? Not well.

We are gutting our kitchen to replace peeling, worn-out cabinets. Taking out an appliance we find a damaged floor from a leaking dishwasher. The floor now needs replacing.

How did I respond? Not well.

We are painting the guest bathroom. In doing so, we find our toilet is cracked and needs replacing.

How did I respond? Not well.

You get it don't you? All of these seemingly unimportant things are part of life on this earth. You would think after all the blessings and miracles I have seen this past month, I would be able to handle at least these things, right?

God has convicted me today, "There is no going back! I have created in you a new creature!" The problem is that I have not renewed my mind as often with His Word. My Bible reading has fallen off. My quiet time is not so quiet lately. I haven't been listening as often to God.

"No going back!" My natural tendencies are to eat when tired, grumpy, upset. I can feel that trying to come back. My natural tendencies are to become depressed when a series of events go wrong. I can see that happening.

So I shout this morning, "No!" I read Isaiah 51, "Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;...The Lord will make her deserts like Eden, her wasteland like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing...my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail."

Like taking my hand off the chess piece as I move forward to the KINGDOM, I will not go back. My God is with me and will not fail me.

Forgive me, Jesus, for trying to go back to the old ways of this life. Help me be your garden, your planting. Let your joy and gladness be found in me in storms, in sun, in lightning, and in blue sky, in night and day.

For Your glory,
Gretchen