Pain is Comfort

I tend to want to walk around with the entire world on my shoulders. Whatever storm is raging in my life seems “comfortable”. Instead of passing it off to the One who created it all I just stumble through the day…I’ll just put on my raincoat and sit in the thunderstorm. This is crazy talk I know, but I’m just being honest. So why?... Change is difficult, painful at times. We drive a certain direction to work or have a certain routine to our day, then all of a sudden the carpet is pulled out from under us and that road is being repaved. The whole day is ruined because our daily frappe routine went out the window. Change is difficult. These dudes are trying to navigate a fifteen passenger boat through a massive hurricane and they are freaking out. Water is filling the vessel so they put on their wetsuits and just sat in it. “Hopefully we will make it through this. Who knows, this could be it for us. I guess we just have to endure the storm.” The whole time the answer to the problem is in their midst. These fishermen had dealt with adversity before and seen the answer deliver them many times. They already KNEW the Answer! But…why not deal with it in their own power this time. The way I see the story is that eventually one of them had an epiphany (revelation beyond all revelation...haha). “Let’s ask the One who created this all for help!...I mean, he’s downstairs sleeping in the bottom of the boat.” They woke him up freaking out. Hommie has his pants on as a shirt, his socks are on top of his shoes, he forgot to brush his teeth. Jesus is all calm and collected like He always is. One word from our Creater and the madness in our minds, life, and circumstances are stilled. Jesus spoke to the storm and it stopped. Finally they gave up and let God. Quit telling God how big your problems are and begin speaking to the problems about how BIG your God is!!!! Heaviness in our life destroys the daily fruit of our purpose. So the Bible gives us clear direction of how to step out of the boat of destruction and onto the calm waters of freedom…trade in a spirit of heaviness for a garment of praise! In the middle of the hurricane praise Jesus anyway…”consider it pure joy” (James 1:2). We have to take off the rain jacket and wrap ourselves in the One who created the rain. Just let GO! Ask Him to be our comforter. When the times are toughest we have to praise Him anyways! There is something about worship. Our worship ushers in His Holy Presence and God responds with FREEDOM! So let’s try something new…rip the Band-Aid of comfortable off and let change revolutionize our lives! He wants me to help those in Zion who are filled with sorrow. I will put beautiful crowns on their heads in place of ashes. I will anoint them with oil to give them gladness instead of sorrow. I will give them a spirit of praise in place of a spirit of sadness. They will be like oak trees that are strong and straight. The Lord himself will plant them in the land. That will show how glorious he is. <>< Isaiah 61:3 ><> -Nola-