Weaknesses & Bear Hugs

I'm not very good at sharing my weaknesses.  I'm more of a silent sufferer, bargainer, try to help everyone else instead of myself kind of person. The spirit of comparison is my greatest enemy and I never feel like I'm doing enough. I realize these things aren't good and I clearly identify them and try to deal with them but sometimes I can't. It's been a hard week, I hate saying that because in the grand scheme of eternity nothing about my life has been hard this week.  No one died, no one is in the hospital, I'm healthy, I still have  roof over my head and all of that so really it's more like I've been weak. I haven't been able to control my emotions or climb out of this shallow hole of being a little haggard. Have you ever felt this way?

So, I'm in the shower (why is it that the Lord talks to all of us in the shower? check my random thoughts section for more on this...) and my Daddy God says, "Climb up in my lap and tell me all about it. You don't have to be strong, my daughter, in your weakness I am strong.  Let me be your strength today.  Let me hold your hand and tell you how much I love you.  It's OK." As I write this I'm crying because He's still speaking it to me. And I picture myself in His lap and He's rocking me and stroking my hair telling me it's OK to cry.  He's the only one who really understands me, the only one I can tell my deepest, darkest secrets to and He still loves me.  He's still pleased with me, not because of anything I've done but because of who He is and who Jesus is in me.

I'm writing this because I need to hear it again today.  Nothing's perfect and nothing is fixed exactly at this moment but now I can face the day.  Just that image, the time in my Daddy's lap has given me the strength I need to put my feet on the ground and keep walking where He tells me to.

Nehemiah 8:10 (AMP) says, "And do not be worried, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and your stronghold." So, even thought I'm weak today the JOY of the LORD is my STRENGTH and my STRONGHOLD. May the Lord bust down your strongholds today whatever they may be (for me it's comparison and striving) and replace them with His strongholds, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self control. When I think of His strongholds I think of a big bear hug, He's squeezing me and I'm warm, safe, secure and giggling because I'm His delight and He is mine.

May your day be blessed with true Jesus bear hugs!

Encouragement for the Day:
WORSHIP! When the weight of the world is crushing me and I can't seem to stand up I sit at Jesus feet instead and I praise and worship Him (and cry a lot).  Even if I don't feel like it (and I know I don't at the moment). As soon as I take my eyes off of me and put them on Him I feel better, happier, lighter!  He puts a song in my heart (and my stubborn head).  Let Him put a song in your heart today and sing it at the top of your lungs! Here's my song today...I pray you find encouragements in the words of this song like I did!!!

Steady by CITY

Random Thoughts: 

OK, seriously...why is it that God talks so loudly in the shower? My pastor is ALWAYS talking about hearing the Lord in the shower (to the point where it gets a little awkward, but then we just bust out laughing about it - Dave is basically always silly in church).  I hear Him super loud in the shower too.  Do you think it's because we are trapped and there is nothing else to do but wash and think? Are we more vulnerable in the shower because we are naked? Our minds are blank and pliable? I'm not sure but I get some serious revelations in the shower.  I mean I'm already super grateful for showers, they are amazing.  I feel seriously blessed to live this life where a steady stream of steaming hot water shoots out at me, it soothes away things.  Maybe that's it (light bulb), we are relaxed, soothed so God is able to speak louder because we aren't stressing or thinking about unimportant things. 

May the amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you!

Hannah