Lessons of Faith

Have you ever felt like you were alone in the big pond of life?

I will admit—there have been many times, even sitting in a room full of people, I’ve felt that “aloneness” that seems to creep up behind me—from out of nowhere.

You look around and seems as if everyone has “someone”.  There are those around you that seem to have found their niche` in life. 

That perfect job landed at their feet with very little effort from them.  The seem to belong to all the right clubs, organizations—and even seem to have the “perfect” friends.

You want to yell—“what’s up with that?”

There was a time, many years ago—I think it was as my girls were becoming more social and needed me less—I too felt that “aloneness”.  But it was also in that time I began to seek God for “more” of Him.

The journey we walked—and I say “we” because His Word assures us that we are never alone, was hard.  I won’t even try to pretend that it wasn’t.  Those years were some of the hardest in my life….but they were also the years I found God to be more real in my every day activities than I ever experienced before.

Why do you think that was?

I will tell you my opinion, then you share yours.

I believe it was in that time of desperation and need of Him—that I sought Him the deepest—and with the most sincerity than I ever had before.  Not that I didn’t seek Him—but I sought with purpose.  I was NOT content to continue in life as I saw everyone else. Satisfied with the norm.

My name is not “norm” and I didn’t want to live like the norm.  I wanted (and want) MORE of God active and working in my life than ever.  But I learned to work “in me and through me” He had to work ON me. Ouch.

I learned that before we learn to fly—we will experience ups and downs of life just as everyone else—but I also know first hand –that we will  experience such tremendous power in His Spirit that we will feel like we could actually “walk on water”!  That happens as we FULLY and TOTALLY give Him access to every part of our lives.

Before long, as we are growing in Christ, we begin to experience a time of “pruning”.  Ouch again.  But if you will notice the trees that are blooming the prettiest—and fullest, experienced a pruning.  A cutting back—cutting away. 

Jesus said this:  “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.”  John 15:1-2 NLT

Go ahead.  Go before Him and ask Him to prune away. 

Prune away all the hindrances, the things that bind us and keep us from growing.  Ask Him to remove the distractions.  There may be things that are not necessarily wrong, but they are a distraction from what HE may be calling YOU into. 

Painful? Yes. 

Beneficial?  To quote my Grandbuddy, “You betcha”.

Before long, you will find that you are ready to soar….to parts unknown.  Wow! The experience of that—will be amazing.  (He’s pruning on me.  Is He you?)

 

 

 

Pictures taken at the “Flanigan Farm”. 

Thank you to our dear friends, Chris and Pam for a tour. 

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