I Don’t Have It All Together

I use to think that being a Christian meant you’d have no problems or at the very least any problems would be resolved very quickly.  AND on top of that, I thought Christians were more perfectly put together.  I mean, don’t the people that you attend church with have life figured out? 

If you read Scripture, literally, you’ll see what I mean.

‘What is impossible with men is possible with God.’   (Luke 18:27)
‘I can do everything through him who gives me strength.’  (Philippians 4:13)
‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’   (Hebrews 13:5b)

Get my point? Can you see how I’d think that my life would be easier by accepting Jesus as my personal Savior?  The scripture tells us that we have a God that gives us strength, does the impossible and will never leave us.

What happened to my idealistic thinking? How can someone enter into this relationship with child like faith and spend 18 years in the trenches and still have struggles and moments of hopelessness?

Challenges have come and gone and the results haven’t all turned out like I’d hoped.  Was God sleeping on the job? Didn’t He know that I’d be disappointed in the results?

I don’t know anyone that ‘has it all together’ so I know God doesn’t expect that from me.  Is He punishing me for my past mistakes? As a recovering Catholic, it’s easy for me to go down that road, but no, God isn’t punishing me or you. God sent His son Jesus to the cross to bear our sins. Jesus took our punishment for us. (John 3:16) ‘For God so loved the world…’

Well, if God doesn’t expect us to ‘have it all together’ then what does He expect from us? One of my all time favorite verses explains it. ‘I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 3:14) Our ultimate aspirations are not found on this earth but in heaven because Christ is there.

I still don’t have this thing called ‘walking by faith’ perfected and I’m so thankful that God doesn’t change His mind about me when I fail Him. I still stumble and fall. I use to put all my loved ones, especially the men in my life, up on a pedestal thinking they could do no wrong. But age and many disappointments later, by them and by me, have taught me that I will have disappointments.

In fact God tells us to expect trouble in this life. Don’t be alarmed when our kids make bad choices, when we hold less than desirable jobs, when our spouses are unfaithful or leave us, we find ourselves wondering ‘when do I get a break?’ God says you are right on target if these things are happening in your life. And here is the best news…we can be delivered from the hopelessness of our circumstances by remembering God’s promises.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

While I confess that I do not have it all together, I also confess that in this fallen world, I am learning to give up thinking that my life will be trouble free. Yes, challenges have come and gone and they haven’t all turned out like I’d hoped they would. But I am learning; instead of saying, why not God? I am learning to say, ‘show me how to use this situation for good – how will this benefit me so I can help forward Your Kingdom?’

You’ve heard the expression: Life happens.  Well, life is going to happen whether you and I are part of it or not. I’ve decided to stop misplacing my hope in a pain-free life.  

In fact, this life is not about us. We need to get over ourselves. You’ve surely heard the phrase: We Have Met the Enemy and He is Us (author Walt Kelly from his political comic strip called Pogo). 

So in the midst of adverse circumstances, put your hope in God, not people, things, money or job titles. Even if our circumstances never change; even if we have moments of pity parties; join me in trusting in God to fill us with the peace and strength necessary to make it through. We will be better people for it and those around us will marvel at how we cope with disappointments even when we don’t have it all together!

Until next time~

Blessings, Nancy