Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
You probably aren’t surprised that this post is about freedom because the 4th of July (i.e., Independence Day) is coming up soon. But my answer to the question “Does true freedom actually exist?” might surprise you. Truth be told, there are lots of things we don’t have freedom from—at least not here and now.
Easter is this Sunday, so you probably think that this post is going to be about Jesus’ death and/or resurrection. In a way, it is. But I also want to take a step back to examine the reason that He died and rose again.
As Christians in a world that's completely chaotic and utterly broken, it’s normal to desire peace, justice, and joy. We long to see redemption in broken places and restoration in weary souls—including our own. Because of Christ's death and resurrection, we will see redemption and restoration.
Surely, this thought has crossed your mind recently. We’re all wondering if (and hoping that) 2021 will be better than 2020. After all, 2021 can’t be any worse. It has to be better, right?
Even though I wrote a post about unfulfilled longings recently, I deleted it because I was scared. I thought that I didn’t have enough Bible verses to back up my main points, and I feared the errancy in my words. Though I made the post disappear, my unsatisfied longings didn’t disappear. The deep-in-my-soul aches persisted. But so did He.
Those scenarios are fictional, but perhaps they feel familiar to you. You may be facing a variety of unexpected situations this Christmas—a breakup, difficult family situation, death of a loved one, financial burden, health issue, church dispute, challenging move, betrayal by a friend, doubts and depression, tension at school, or something else. Christmastime is supposed to be a joyous season, but you don't have any joy right now.
I didn’t care about worshiping God on His throne. I didn’t care about spending every moment with my Savior. I didn’t even care about reveling in the beauty of Heaven’s golden streets and breathtaking splendor. I just wanted to be forever free from my pain and find eternal rest for my heart.
Don’t get so depressed about a bad day that you can’t smile tomorrow. It’s easy just to see a big, black cloud hanging over your life after you’ve had a rough day. But God says He’s not finished yet. You never know what tomorrow will be like. Give God a chance to work and move in your life.
The attention you get from people on this earth is temporary. Trust me. People's interests (including their interest in you) come and go. They're into something one minute and disinterested the next.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 