Celebrating the gift of a new day

Celebrating the gift of a new day

Psalm 118: 24

"This is the day you've made, and I will rejoice and be glad..."

In the past I used to think I could only be happy if and only if every area of my life was in order. So I would fret over one thing, as soon as that was resolved, I would pick up the next thing in line and so on...

My joy is not tied to the events or lack thereof in my life. For some people they would rush in and call this denial and I would respectfully ask them to be calm.

Excerpt from today's devotional reading.

Every Day Is a New Day~~Joyce Meyer (Promises for your everyday life, a daily devotional)

"God wants us to have joy in the midst of our ordinary, everyday life, even on the worst days of our life... I was so wrapped up in worry that I was missing the point: God had created a new day, and He created it so that I could enjoy it."

Something for you to think about:

You have, for all these years, been realistic, acknowledged and mourned over every miserable event, every challenge, every loss and every fear that you have faced. What has it given you? Oh? You are well grounded. Ok.

I get why facing one's fear can be helpful, but inviting it in to live, simply because it exists, no.  Matthew 6:25-34 asks me not to worry. In fact it challenges me.

To worry has become instinctive because it has been touted as a sign of taking responsibility. But has worrying ever payed the bill? No! I still had to clearly think to find a way to make money to pay that bill.

Anyway, I have justified my worry so many times and it honestly made me feel like I was doing something about my situation. I was talking to a friend, she was concerned about her relationship, scared it would go the way of the failed relationships in her past and that she had seen her friends have. I dared her to rest in the promises of God. After all, we all know worrying doesn't a good relationship make.

Every fear that rears its head at me, I look it in the eye, and remind it of these promises. God does keep his word. In that I can rest and not have to carry the load of my fears on my face as a sign of being realistic.

So today, and every day from today, let us wake up every day at peace and celebrating the gift of a new day. Because trust me, at the least you will see a lovely person who will make you smile.

Everyday is a new day.... Boma, Fort Portal, Uganda

Photo Credits: Edith Namuganga

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

I am uncertain. I do not do this well. Now, clear and well-defined, that I can do. I want to know my days are well-planned out. On Sunday night! 

Sadly life is not all that tidy, well, not mine anyway. It is cluttered with things I need to do, in no defined order. Now, I have been accused of having OCD, I can see how somebody would see that. Truly my need to control and arrange was a painful habit that I did not even know I had. Until those around me started to complain.

I truly do not want to control everything, it is tiresome, many times impossible, especially given all the variables which are the people that life has thrown me with. It is tiresome; to want to control and double check and measure the accuracy of everything. It also means you are working and nagging all the time…

One day at a time:

I used to double-check everything; I set out to would make a phone call, dial and cross-check the life out of those digits. Placing a phone call is a truly fearsome event. I would feel my heart rate and blood pressure hike each time I thought to place a call.

Life is not neat and I have to live it. So how do we do this? I have learned to rest at Father’s feet and take everything one day at a time…

Has it got better? Yes, definitely! From cross-checking the phone number digits 5/6 times, it went down to three and now, I look once. I have learned that to dial a wrong number is not a life threatening event.

I only cross-check the door lock once, after I have pushed it… many times less than the what I had to d, including getting out of bed to check all door locks. You could say the compulsion was based in fear and I would agree. Fear of imperfection, fear of getting things wrong, fear of forgetting…

Yes, I truly lived a life of bondage. But you know what, every day I walk away, closer to a messy room, closer to a bed with creases, closer to a house full of things that are not squeaky clean…

You know what; I can breathe better now. So if my life is unordered right now, I have learned that that too is ok. The one who is in charge of it knows where it is going, so I can sit back and let it be. I could dust a few things while I wait, but I have to cling onto the assurance that He has got it. “For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to bring you to an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11

Petrified

Have you ever:

Got what you thought you wanted…

Found you are terrified of it?

Well, I have.

Be it a new friend, lots of money, that dude I thought would complete me, that perfect job…

I get literally, petrified with the fear that;

I just might mess it up. In fact, I am sure I will mess it up.

As I stand still I recall my past responses;

Denial: no, I do not want it. It is ok, in fact, I never wanted it.

Doubt: is this what I really wanted, maybe I just worked myself into lather over nothing.

Unworthy: me? No, they would never have me. Why me?

Disbelief: this is too good to be true.

Let’s back out of this now!

As I go along with life and I have encountered things I clearly do not deserve like salvation and grace…

Well, these other things seem trivial in comparison. If I managed to qualify (through my extreme inability to qualify) for a life in salvation, well then I guess I have a pass to every single thing I thought I did not deserve.

I walk with assurance that my Father, God has got me and He will fix it if I mess it up…

Now I run forward to those things I once held back from:

He qualifies me.

He is my advocate.

He makes me worthy.

He is the lifter of my head.

 

Image from:  www.markramseymedia.com