Perfect in the Imperfection

This devotional was from my June 1st Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young

I am involved in each moment of your life. I have carefully mapped out every inch of your journey through this day, even though much of it may feel haphazard. Because the world is in a fallen condition, things always seem to be unraveling around the edges. Expect to find trouble in this day. At the same time, trust that My way is perfect, even in the midst of such messy imperfection.

Stay conscious of Me as you go through this day, remembering that I never leave your side. Let the Holy Spirit guide you step by step, protecting you from unnecessary trials and equipping you to get through whatever must be endured. As you trudge through the sludge of this fallen world, keep your mind in heavenly places with Me. Thus the Light of My Presence shines on you, giving you Peace and Joy that circumstances cannot touch.

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

—Psalm 18:30

“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

—Isaiah 41:13

A bad habit of mine is to go throughout the day with my plan, my checklist and my nose to the grind. 

[x] Crossfit

[x] Make lunch

[x] Return emails at work

[x] Schedule a girls night with friends

When I'm going through those actions I don't connect them back to Jesus. I do a devotional in the morning, I rush about my day, and then I end with a prayer at night. But the thing is, God isn't just there at my morning devotional and my prayer time at night: he's here with me now. He's here with me of every second, of every moment of every day. He has orchestrated my days well-before I've even started to create that days to-do list. When I'm working out, He's with me and knows when I'll face my hardest moments and want to turn back. When I'm making a lunch for work, He's already 'prepared' what I'm going to take. When I'm at the office and juggling 30 things at once, He is there helping me get through it all. All of it- He is with me. 

Yet I'm not conscious to it. I don't often enough glorify God in the small moments of life; subconsciously I recognize that He is always with me, but I don't verbalize it often enough. "As you trudge through the sludge of this fallen world (aka our every day lives), keep your mind in heavenly places with Me". If we remember that God is with us, He will never fail or forsake us, than it makes getting through the sludge a little bit less grueling. Not to say that our day-to-day lives will be a scene from a Disney fairytale, but His way is perfect, protecting and profound. In the end, it's comforting to get the gentle reminder that He is always with us, protecting and guiding every one of our steps. 

“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” —Isaiah 41:13

Can't You or Won't You

"I trust you, I don't trust myself" I said through gritted teeth holding on for dear life as I glanced anxiously at my coaches face. 

I've pushed my body to its breaking point and done things I would've been scared to do three months ago. I've put my body through some of the most physically demanding challenges and come out physically exhausted, bruised, calloused, beaten up and to the point of vomiting, yet I keep coming back for more. However, there are still things I can't do, I can't push myself to do it. 

It wasn't until I was lying there horizontally, about 3 feet off the ground and he was telling me to let go of my arms so I would just hang by my feet that I cracked. He kept telling me what to do and all I could say is "I can't". He squatted down and looked at my in the eyes and said "You can't or you won't?" and I didn't know how to answer. I hung there for a moment and tried to release my hands but every ounce in my being was terrified that I'd fall to the cement floor below me and that'd be the end. "Trust me" he said and that's when I realized I trusted him 100%- I believed what he was telling me was true. He could've said anything to me in that moment and I would've believed him and trusted him; I just didn't have faith in myself, my own body and my own mind. 

The Lord says in Isaiah 40:11 "Do not fear, for I am with you" so why do we fear so much? I realize how much fear has held over my life. Fear of the unknown, fear of the known. Fear of failing miserably, fear of succeeding. Fear of the past but also fear of the future. So much fear and so little living.

Within those few seconds I had to chose to trust myself and have faith that I would not plummet to the cement ground. I let go and guess what, I'm still here today and hanging upside down isn't as terrifying as before. I put incredible faith in other people and even after being burned multiple times I continually put faith in others, yet I have the hardest time putting faith in my own self.  "Fear is an idea-crippling, experience-crushing, success-stalling, inhibitor inflicted only by yourself" Sometimes we are the ones standing in our own way. Trust in the Lord, trust in yourself, because He is always with you.

Let your FAITH be bigger than your FEAR.