This week's been a strange one to say the least.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I feel like I've been lugging around a mountain full of Kryptonite based on my own decisions and commitments.
It became intolerably heavy and I was really struggling with it... but just as I came to cracking point, God enabled someone to understand my position exactly; they know who they are and they have my eternal gratitude for their perception and kindness.
So one minute I'm nosediving and the next, I'm levelling off and have strength for the road ahead once more.
Actually come to think there's a verse in "For All the Saints" (a song which we didn't sing around All Saints Day this year), I've been thinking about it over the past few days:
As I mentioned in my previous post, I feel like I've been lugging around a mountain full of Kryptonite based on my own decisions and commitments.
It became intolerably heavy and I was really struggling with it... but just as I came to cracking point, God enabled someone to understand my position exactly; they know who they are and they have my eternal gratitude for their perception and kindness.
So one minute I'm nosediving and the next, I'm levelling off and have strength for the road ahead once more.
Actually come to think there's a verse in "For All the Saints" (a song which we didn't sing around All Saints Day this year), I've been thinking about it over the past few days:
And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
When you think that this weekend marks the Festival of Remembrance, that takes on extra meaning. How weary must our nation's soldiers feel... bearing the heavy burden of a war they did not ask for and in many ways are not thanked for. How important to them is the need to hear the songs of victory and spiritual homecoming... that we so often take for granted.
On the slim chance that any servicemen reading this, you are not alone... and when we hear the stories of sacrifice that seem to come in so frequently... please know that you are not far from our thoughts and prayers.
Though my blog post is not about that, I felt it would be crass and insensitive not to make that point.
Going back to the hymn verse, I feel that it's something we all need to experience. In my blog post "Listen...", I referenced Elijah's encounter with God at Horeb.
However before that encounter, Elijah had felt despondent and unable to carry on. It took a visit from an angel of the Lord to give him the physical and spiritual nourishment he needed in order to continue on his journey.
God knows that sometimes we let ourselves get run into the ground (even and sometimes especially in his service).
He always provides the strength we need to continue.
The next part of my week that somewhat came out of the blue, was the revelation that a student I went to college with years ago, was and is a Christian (although during our shared time at college, she was going through a rebellious phase).
I'd always been quite open about my beliefs at college and aside from my friendship with Dom (a friend who I'd known since school), I'd always assumed I'd been alone on that front.
How do you react when you learn something like that?
Well, one worldly way of looking at it, would be to turn inwardly... be selfish and feel bitter - "all those times when I was getting knocked for my faith... where were you?"
However that is not the Godly way to look at it. In truth I take no umbrage and am not in the remotest sense or slightest way upset.
I am merely overcome with deep joy, that someone I had known as a colleague for a short time is actually a fellow worker and sister in Christ.
In a topsy turvy week, you can choose how to look at things... on this occasion I think I chose wisely.
Later in the week I lost my keys... and spent a whole 24 hours moping about the fact and a further 24 hours without personal transport.
I searched everywhere around the office and retraced my steps to no avail. I visited the police station to report them missing but held little hope because last time something like this happened, nobody was honest enough to hand them in (I am assured by the people around me that the latter scenario is the norm.... a fact I truly struggle to comprehend).
I set the wheels in motion to get myself a new car key as over a day had passed and I was getting fed up of relying on the inefficiency of regional public transport. I did however have this nagging gut feeling that they keys would show up... and I should have trusted my instinct, because when I got home after the second day... there was a message on the phone advising me of the safe return of my keys.
In a topsy turvy week you can choose how to look at things... on that occasion I think I chose poorly.
All in all a very up and down week. I am just thankful to God and the friends I have, that I have been able to navigate my way through it.
On the slim chance that any servicemen reading this, you are not alone... and when we hear the stories of sacrifice that seem to come in so frequently... please know that you are not far from our thoughts and prayers.
Though my blog post is not about that, I felt it would be crass and insensitive not to make that point.
Going back to the hymn verse, I feel that it's something we all need to experience. In my blog post "Listen...", I referenced Elijah's encounter with God at Horeb.
However before that encounter, Elijah had felt despondent and unable to carry on. It took a visit from an angel of the Lord to give him the physical and spiritual nourishment he needed in order to continue on his journey.
God knows that sometimes we let ourselves get run into the ground (even and sometimes especially in his service).
He always provides the strength we need to continue.
The next part of my week that somewhat came out of the blue, was the revelation that a student I went to college with years ago, was and is a Christian (although during our shared time at college, she was going through a rebellious phase).
I'd always been quite open about my beliefs at college and aside from my friendship with Dom (a friend who I'd known since school), I'd always assumed I'd been alone on that front.
How do you react when you learn something like that?
Well, one worldly way of looking at it, would be to turn inwardly... be selfish and feel bitter - "all those times when I was getting knocked for my faith... where were you?"
However that is not the Godly way to look at it. In truth I take no umbrage and am not in the remotest sense or slightest way upset.
I am merely overcome with deep joy, that someone I had known as a colleague for a short time is actually a fellow worker and sister in Christ.
In a topsy turvy week, you can choose how to look at things... on this occasion I think I chose wisely.
Later in the week I lost my keys... and spent a whole 24 hours moping about the fact and a further 24 hours without personal transport.
I searched everywhere around the office and retraced my steps to no avail. I visited the police station to report them missing but held little hope because last time something like this happened, nobody was honest enough to hand them in (I am assured by the people around me that the latter scenario is the norm.... a fact I truly struggle to comprehend).
I set the wheels in motion to get myself a new car key as over a day had passed and I was getting fed up of relying on the inefficiency of regional public transport. I did however have this nagging gut feeling that they keys would show up... and I should have trusted my instinct, because when I got home after the second day... there was a message on the phone advising me of the safe return of my keys.
In a topsy turvy week you can choose how to look at things... on that occasion I think I chose poorly.
All in all a very up and down week. I am just thankful to God and the friends I have, that I have been able to navigate my way through it.
No comments:
Post a Comment