It’s that busy time of year entering the holidays and actually being in them without having done practically anything. I have eaten so many Christmas cookies from others, but my preps are crumbles in comparison. 

And as for myself? Taking care of myself? Seems both selfish and sanity-necessary. That was the conversation between me and my physical therapist (still stretching this partial hamstring tear) and the lady stretching on the table next to me. Physical therapy, 2 hours twice a week is “me time”… funny but true, and we pay for it too. 

I mentally said that in this season, something has got to give. Probably we all think that level between giving up and going forward. Like transporting the decorations to my office, but they sit in the box. Like needing to work on stuff and take vacation. It’s like giving into anxiety versus redirecting energy. It’s a rut we keep digging deeper into and not building stairs instead. 

We do need to mentally say: this will happen and this won’t. And it does take something like a hamstring tear (or fill-in your issue here) to stop and work on yourself. Physically and mentally. 

Mentally, however, I think (know) what “has to give” IS my STUBBORN head trying to DO this whole life thing ON MY OWN. No, I don’t mean just getting Christmas prep done, I mean mentally I need to RELY ON THE LORD 100%. That’s the rift that’s worse than a minor hamstring pull or losing a whole leg, that’s a rift of our will from HIS WILL, and from His guidance and abilities. God DOES know best, why do we struggle in being blind to it. If I complain about my rift compared to His? Hmmmm….

That’s the something that has to give, my (our) lack of consulting the Lord in advance, in the moment, in the struggle, in the JOY, in the EVERYTHING.  And our “give” has to be giving back in PRAISE first. And then everything will follow. 

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow, including the ones we have not yet realized were from Him.

I have experienced God placing me, pausing me, pushing me. Haven’t you? I have.  I have received and been relieved, so why would I not expect Him to hear my call? I guess, I must know that in giving up my gripes, my mental mouth will quiet and I will hear His voice instead. 

Something Has Got to Give? That would be kicking out my stubbornness, my will, my wants. Something Has Got to Give? Give in? My ears to listen. Give out? My praise for Him. Give? Myself. 

10 years today I wrote a diatribe venting of my faith, and I realized then in part and realize now that it was me in unbelief with a higher distribution than me in faith. I needed to give 200% to God (that really 1100% as 100% of me with 1000% Jesus), remembering that God’s got this even if we don’t know or understand everything. WHY SHOULD WE? God’s ways are above ours. We need to listen to Him, and obey. 

An abundant life is abundance from Him, and abundant listening and obeying from us.

Let us give God the DEVOTION over the “doing this all myself” attitude. 

Thank you Lord.

Amen—

An Invitation to Abundant Life

ISAIAH 55

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.

Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you – The sure mercies of David. Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A leader and commander for the people. Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, And nations who do not know you shall run to you, Because of the Lord your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

“For you shall go out with joy,

And be led out with peace;

The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”