Unshackled Moments ~ July 11 ~ Survivng The Swamps Of Sadness

Right now I will be transparent and admit that I am feeling overwhelmed and defeated, attacked and robbed.  I can get that way. The truth is that although much, if not most, is "right" with life and I know that I have been extremely blessed, when it feels like Satan and life are teaming up to kick my butt, rob me of the blessings I believe God wants to give me, make my life harder, stop or punish what is good and generally steal my joy it's all too easy to surrender and let the joy slip away. Even though I know what I feel isn't true and that self pity is dangerous and addictive it can be so hard to shake. Sometimes knowing you're being foolish and are wrong doesn't make it easy to let go and get right. Maybe I'm the only one, but I seriously doubt it.

The thing is that when God has blessed you and wants to do more, when you have found the peace and joy that comes from relationship with your Creator the enemy conspires with your old nature, with circumstances, with emotions, with the wrong wills of others, etc to stall or destroy your spiritual progress. It's not paranoia when they're really out to get you, and the enemy is a roaring lion seeking whom he may destroy.

No sometimes knowing the truth doesn't make everything OK like a magic finger snap. Sometimes we have to walk through the funk. It sucks, but one of the truths that our circumstances can't change is that God's grace is sufficient. Remembering the truth and that what God says is more real than our feelings, regardless of what or how strongly we feel them may not be an instant fix, but it can make the fix possible. The truth may not be instant freedom, but it is what makes us free. The truth is that God is good, even when life feels bad. That God loves us, even when it seems like curses outweigh blessings. That as long as we go toward Daddy when we feel lost and it hurts instead of running and hiding from Him or turning to another solution we can have hope. The trial will end...eventually.

The plans of the enemy will be thwarted and love will conquer fear and doubt and pain. It will happen. I can't promise how quickly it will happen, and I can assure you that there will be times when it takes longer than we would like, but it will happen. Don't give  up. Don't turn away from God before the break through. Don't get stuck in the mire of the funk. It takes a lot of energy to get through the slough, but we have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Don't sit down and sink into the swamps of sadness. Move. Don't die. Even if all you can do is cry out to God you're making a move in the right direction. Keep calling. Keep asking. Hard times are part of life, but they are also temporary.