Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
Clearly, I couldn’t focus on the task at hand: doing my quiet time. Even though I try to have a regular quiet time, I don’t always meet that goal. And I certainly have trouble focusing while I do it. So why do I bother? What's the real reason that I have a quiet time?
The announcer didn’t call my name. He didn’t hand me a certificate. He didn’t congratulate me. He just called off other people’s names and written pieces and awards. And I just sat quietly in my chair and wondered why I had lost—again.
I have a friend, Taylor*, who always wants to do the next exciting thing in her life but never seems to be content in the present. When she started high school, she wanted to find a boyfriend. When she found a boyfriend, she wanted to get her driver’s license. When she got her driver’s license, she wanted to get married. I've struggled to understand why Taylor always seems so eager to move onto the next thing—until I realized that I'm a lot like her.
We can blame our bad habit of chronic worrying on our circumstances by claiming that they merit our worry. But to be blunt, all of our worries (including mine) have doubt at their core.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen the first Unbroken movie, but I remember it being dark and depressing. To be honest, Unbroken: Path to Redemption was also pretty dark and depressing. But it had an incredibly joyful ending.
I didn’t just want a charming guy to sweep me off my feet. I wanted a man who could bring me closer to Christ. And that kind of spiritual maturity reveals a heart that is satisfied in God. If I could tell that young man (or any of the young men I’ve been attracted to over the years) what I desire in a future husband, I would say this.
Sometimes, we wander to sinful addictions and habits that ensnare us. Other times, we wander to Satan's lies because they seem more believable than God's Truth. And other times, we wander to self-pity and self-defeat because our situation seems to difficult to handle. But take heart, Wanderer. You don't walk alone.
To be honest, this summer wasn’t easy for me. It was a rollercoaster of anxiety, happiness, fear, discouragement, excitement, frustration, eagerness, and doubt. But I’m still here. I survived the summer of 2018. And I learned a few life-changing lessons along the way.
I was listening to Satan's lie that I'd love my body if I followed his orders—his meal plan, his exercise regime, and his sleep schedule. But when I did, I still didn’t love my body.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 