Do you ever have days where you are low?
Very low. And tired.
And feeling like you are alone in that feeling.
And for silly reasons? Nothing life shattering. Nothing health related … but selfish, petty reasons … like your husband working {way too many} long hours for far too many weeks in a row. A crying, teething baby up during the long, dark hours of the night. An exhausted toddler who is not sleeping because of bed situations changing. Homeschooling routines beginning and needing attention. Feeling like you are carrying the family burdens alone. Or that the next few weeks could be just as exhausting.
See what I mean? Nothing huge. Just silly, little things that should not weigh me down. And yet, they do. They weigh my feet, my spirits, my heart down … my tired eyes struggle to see the positive … and my exhausted spirit clings to a small glimmer of hope … a change in work situations that may mean a daddy home more often or at least home enough to get groceries into the cupboards …
And then I sit down to drink my [desperately needed] morning coffee and read my devotions and it’s about raising me up.
Exactly what I need.
Wow.
Yes, raise me up, Lord.
Why do babies cry until we raise them up and place them on our hips or safe in our arms? Why are they not happy until they are up with us, moving, looking at our level, seeing the world from a higher perspective? They cry and cry because they don’t want to be left on the ground … down low … they want to be up … [even during those long, dark hours at 3 a.m.] …
And as I read my devotions, I realized it. I saw the truth. It’s easy to complain and feel helpless and hopeless when you look at at annoying situation from the wrong point of view. The worst point of view. Wretchedly-high problems seems utterly insurmountable. We can’t see over the massive, looming {even ridiculous} mountain.
But then … God shows up.
Or rather, you finally invite God back into your life. He never leaves, you know.
And gently, He lifts you up with those amazing holy hands … and not only does He lift us up, He HOLDS us up.
High.
Above the problem.
He gives us different view.
An eternal perspective.
We can look down, down, way down at our problems, laugh and delight in the Lord and realize we are above it.
We are up. We are raised.
And so I look around my bustling home as I close my book. We are about to dig our heels in and begin homeschooling for 2013. I drink another cup of hot coffee from my favorite mug and I pray. Raise me up, Lord. Let me see from above.
And I do. I see the blessings. The joy in the little things. The amazing faithfulness of God who knows everything, feels everything … and my problems seems tiny in comparison to my blessings, to the grace of God’s love.
the fresh, homemade bread, cooling on the kitchen counter …
the cluster of pink and violet coloured flowers, fading slowly, but still bringing beauty to a living room surrounded by winter …
cuddles on the couch while reading for homeschooling …
…sisters playing patty-cake in the secret of their {birthday} tent …
and I thank God for carrying me …
for raising me up above my human desire to complain and pout … and feel sorry for myself …
And I forget about the low.
And I thank God for this.
This life. This day.
This view.
‘The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way.
Though he fall, he will not be cast down; for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”
Psalm 37:23-24
by Gigi
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