Monday 28 November 2016

The Struggle to Become

In the heart of winter under the surface of the ground a bulb begins it's struggle to become. A crocus thrives in winter. It starts it's journey in Autumn and under the ground it puts down it's roots and then slowly pushes it's way up through the frozen ground and out towards the light where it's colours flash against the white backdrop. It is one of the first signs that Spring is coming, new life is on it's way but it has to struggle through the hard ground first to flourish. 

We all face the struggle to become. Transformation cannot happen without struggle. I don't know about you but I don't want to stay the same. I want to be transformed. I want to be more like Jesus and I want to get closer to who he has made me.

If you cut a caterpillar out of it's cocoon it will die. We cannot speed up the process. It needs the struggle to become. A baby chick begins to peck it's way of of it's shell because it has run out of oxygen. It's struggle is for air. It cannot remain where it is, it must struggle to become.

God is the air we breathe. With every breath in I am taking Him in and with every breath out I relieve myself of the other stuff! The stuff that tries to suffocate us. He is with me in the struggle. 

“GOD ’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I’m sticking with GOD (I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left.

GOD proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It’s a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from GOD. It’s a good thing when you’re young to stick it out through the hard times.

When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The “worst” is never the worst.” “Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way:”
‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3:22-33‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Whatever the struggle looks like we cannot avoid it or run away from it. We need it to become. 

Credit to my Dad. I totally nicked this idea from him!