How many times have you tried to do something on your own without the help of God? How did that turn out for you? My guess is, like me, you have tried to control your life for a very long time. You praised God for being good but you were still in charge of your own life...Amen? You happily skipped through life doing your own thing. Because after all, it is your life.
You know what is best for you. You know what is best for your children. You want them to be musically, athletically and spiritually well rounded. Because that is what good parents do right? You have them in violin lessons, art camps, soccer, basketball, baseball, youth group and ballet. You drop them off at after school activities and then hurriedly run and try to get supper started. You start homework in the car while eating a snack. By the time bath time comes you are spent. Absolutely a zombie. You just want to be by yourself.
The weekend roles around and its full of soccer games, recitals and of course church on Sunday. You don't have time for anything but Sunday service. But you want your kids to get the concept of goodness. You find yourself dropping your kids off at Sunday school. Meanwhile you and your husband duck out of your class to run to Bo-jangles before the crowd starts. By Sunday night you wonder why you don't feel refreshed. Why your marriage seems stag net.
You have said "yes" to every committee known to man because (1) you want to be acknowledged (2) you don't want to disappoint anyone (3) you honestly believe working yourself to death makes you a good Mama. Can I get a witness? Anyone?
You know what is best for you. You know what is best for your children. You want them to be musically, athletically and spiritually well rounded. Because that is what good parents do right? You have them in violin lessons, art camps, soccer, basketball, baseball, youth group and ballet. You drop them off at after school activities and then hurriedly run and try to get supper started. You start homework in the car while eating a snack. By the time bath time comes you are spent. Absolutely a zombie. You just want to be by yourself.
The weekend roles around and its full of soccer games, recitals and of course church on Sunday. You don't have time for anything but Sunday service. But you want your kids to get the concept of goodness. You find yourself dropping your kids off at Sunday school. Meanwhile you and your husband duck out of your class to run to Bo-jangles before the crowd starts. By Sunday night you wonder why you don't feel refreshed. Why your marriage seems stag net.
You have said "yes" to every committee known to man because (1) you want to be acknowledged (2) you don't want to disappoint anyone (3) you honestly believe working yourself to death makes you a good Mama. Can I get a witness? Anyone?
For most of us we start out with good intentions. Before we know it the circus has turned into crazy town. Our kids schedules are running our lives. Our husband is agitated because we are too tired to give him the intimacy he needs. We end up socializing every weekend. We love our friends but when we get home we realize we really just wanted to be in our "soft clothes" with our husband and kids. Ring a bell?
And then it dawns on us. We want off the bus and we want off NOW! But we don't want to disappoint anyone. Eventually our hearts harden. We begin to just go through the motions. We thought we were living our own lives. In reality we are in bondage to everyone we have committed time too. Some of us loose it. Simply fall apart. Others just live an entire life in bondage. Our hearts becoming harder with each passing day. And some of us realize this isn't working and we need help.
Many of us view giving up control of our lives as "weakness" "failure" "poor parenting". In reality it is not until we surrender to Him that we actually gain strength! When we allow Him to soften our hearts we begin to live again. We are not resentful of commitments. We are not as short tempered with our children. We become perfectly balanced with our husband. The pressures of life are still there. But we are excited with each day. Excited because we know we have been faithful to God. We know we are letting Him guide our path.
Does it make life easier? Not all of the time. But the choke hold around your emotions is removed. You are able to see God's plan for your life. You trust that His way is the right way. You know that He has you in the palm of His hand at all times. You know you can Rest in Him. Time is short. Are you tired? Are you ready to park the bus? Ask Jesus to be Lord of your life today. Then sit back and watch miracles happen.
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I
will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of
flesh"-Ezekiel 36:26
