And This Too Shall Pass...

A man once asked a group of people to describe "life" in as few words as possible. People were giving extravagant answers and one man said, "and this too shall pass." What a wake up call! This too shall pass! All in all... I like life... I like doing things... meeting new people... watching the office...building a bigger family than the day before. But did you ever notice that sometime fear creeps in and tries to smother your love for the day just by stealing your attention. Instead of focusing on Jesus or advancing the kingdom you find yourself dealing with things that will "pass".

Hmm...How does one savor every moment of life from a 5:30am wake up experiment (that was a success might I add), to the smell of flowers, to the beauty in screaming children, to the smell of fresh bread, to a pile of laundry...

I think that we really appreciate the phrase, "and this too shall pass" when it's referring to things we don't like or are excited to get over like illnesses...bad relationships...poor finances...really, any rough patches.

But also...this is a phrase that refers to the good things in life too. They are going to pass too. Relationships with people are one good example. Not bad relationships (although they apply too) but good relationships. People that you grow to love dearly over time whether they are blood by family or blood by the Lord. There are points when these relationships will be so strong and powerful that they can be scary. And we know that when we die the relationships are going to change dramatically into memories... but when we're still here they can change too...whether we find ourselves moving away or into other parts of the world to fulfill the kingdom. I've moved 14 times in the last 7 years. I hate moving but I do it when it's either by necessity or the Lord says so. When you move that often sometimes your relationships shift and sometimes end completely. And sometimes many tears are shed because every time there is a move to a new place (my last 3 moves were from Ohio to Kyrgyzstan...Kyrgyzstan to Ohio...Ohio to Missouri) you have to put yourself on the line and work really hard to build relationships because the people who already live there already have a network of relationships! And for me...I'm a three people know my life...guard your pearls before swine kind of woman! But even in the differences the Lord sends glimpses of light. We are a people who were CREATED FOR RELATIONSHIP...and when we don't have relationships we will find ourselves withering whether we're introverts or extroverts. I'm good at building relationships with people because I understand that it's important to God and I have some bizarre gift for it.... but... I don't enjoy it! I'm still going to do it! But...It drains me...interesting...it also energizes me(after I get past the surface stages)! I would way rather just have a group of 5 people that I experience life with and the rest just have a surface relationship with. Just think if that were every ones perspective...where would each of us be? If someone wouldn't have poured into us...prayed for us...believed in us...where would we be... through good times and bad.

Who are you pouring into...who are you loving (even when you don't want to or are too tired)...
Remember every moment... "this too shall pass" and we won't be able to regain the moment again or "I should have said this" " I should have done that".... at this moment... it may not be too late... make new friends... have people for dinner... love them... love life... play games with children... share Jesus with the person who you think is least likely to accept Him... this moment will pass live it for all it's worth.

I leave you with a simple idea... One day several years ago, I was angry, frustrated at the world and just exhausted by life and I locked my car door and proceeded to walk into work, I crossed a highway on this walk. I never stopped, I never looked both ways and it was an incredibly busy street...I didn't even care, I was just doing what I knew I had to do without analyzing it. When I got to the other side of the street I was approaching the sidewalk when I heard the VOICE of the Lord say,

"When are you going to start living like that for me?"

At that moment I looked back to see cars zooming back and forth and I had walked in a straight line in between them without ever knowing or paying any attention. If we learn and know the right way... who to follow (Jesus, for anyone confused) and we do it without getting distracted by the things that could scare us or slow us down...there is no stopping us.

(P.S. Once upon a time...His statement there...changed the course of my life...again.)

This too shall pass....take advantage of loving God, loving life and loving people into the first two.