Over and Over, Again and Again

Do you ever find yourself feeling emotional . . . I mean a bit overly emotional . . . not that you want to be, yet somehow ya can't quite squelch those hormones that make the tears flow so easily . . .

Do ya find yourself needing . . . needing that steady hand . . . needing comfort, or spiritual strength . . . needing soul strength . . . needing mind strength just to go through a normal day?

What do you do when you find yourself “weak and watery”?

This morning I was asking myself this question, “What am I to do to bolster and steady this woman up? Talking about myself here.  I am feeling all weak (emotionally) and watery (It’s tempting to just let the tears roll for no apparent reason, clearing the throat here)   . . . What is a body to do?  Take more vitamins, bother my husband at work again, call a friend, have someone pray for me, take a nap, take a walk, read the Bible? . . . All of these things I could do and often do, but the one that I keep coming back to and finding myself doing more and more is the last one I listed here. 

I don’t know how other ladies handle this . . .  All of this emotional package we were given when God planned and created, knitted and molded us . . . I know God made us all different.  I know too that often even ladies differ in this . . . and some of us “blessed” folk have even more than others in this regard.  I think I am is this latter category of blessed folk.

So, whether or not you feel you are in this category with me . . . Here we are . . . Ya wanna talk about it with me?  Can ya open up . . . and connect . . . am I alone?

I have found in my short life that when you don’t know what to do . . . Praise God . . .

I have five ways to do that in this scenario . . . And yes, this is real life at my house today . . . I stopped what I was doing, talked to myself, picked up my Bible and read, picked up my pen and wrote . . . picked up my heart and soul (off the flour) and steadied my heart with the Lord’s help. 

He is THE help.  He is the place to lift my soul’s eyes too.  He is the solace I need.  He is enough.

Though these other things can be helpful as well, I need to focus on this as my STRONG ROCK and REFUGE to run too . . . or fall too . . . and cling to . . . over and over, again and again.

I opened my Bible to the Psalms . . . Chapter 78. “. . . and they remembered that God was their ROCK . . . He remembered that they were but flesh . . . and GUIDED them by the skillfulness of His hands!”

My ROCK – STRONG, STEADY, SOLID, SOUND, SAFE, SECURE, SANTUARY . . . That is my God . . . These . . . these are mine to grasp and hold on to . . . these parts of God that He lets me touch . . . This is part of my inheritance – this strength that I can have . . .

So number one, I PRAISE the Lord for Psalms . . . Often psalms seems softer somehow, Jesus closer . . .  Than when I am reading elsewhere in the Bible . . . Though it can never beat the passage where God tells us (Hebrews 4:15) that Jesus was tempted in ALL points like we are . . . and that we are invited to come BOLDLY to the throne to ask for mercy and HELP in time of need . . .   I am often a “needy woman” . . .  I  NEED His mercy and His help to stay steady, to stay strong, to stay anchored!

Number two, I also PRAISE the Lord for sending me a personal “Comforter” . . . I mean who doesn't want a personal comforter and friend? The Holy Spirit gives guidance, and comfort and ministers to my heart in my need.  John 14:26 The Comforter will teach us all things – this means I can be taught how to be steady. 😊 . . . But I do believe that for this to happen, I will always have to be abiding in Him, dwelling in Him . . . Being one with Him – as in marriage, what’s not to love about that?  I love being with my husband, abiding, dwelling, being one, living in that love bubble that new love cloaked us with . . . So - DWELL in His love and stay connected to the Vine!

That brings me to my third point of praise – Praise the Lord for your husband and his willingness to listen and give gentle advice and guidance . . . This is a GIFT beyond measure! . . . but not everyone has this gift in hand . . . I understand that . . . and my heart aches with you . . .

Number four - Praise the Lord for the wisdom He DOES give . . .  and the grace to keep learning what exactly IS wisdom in so many different senarios . . . This is not for the faint of heart. It takes a tremendous amount of strength:  to keep drinking in a parched land, to keep growing where others have become weary, to keep going and not give up, to keep pressing on and not give in . . . It takes time for putting your roots down deep;  it takes time to drink of that living water.  It takes time to grow strong and it takes time to mature . . . It takes strength and time to produce fruit . . . and it takes strength and time and pruning to produce MUCH fruit. 

Lastly, PRAISE the Lord that ALL things work together for good, to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.  That verse has to be one of my all time favorites, because it reminds me EVERY time that nothing in life is in vain.  My God is too GREAT and BIG for that!  He can turn anything around that Satan intends for evil and use it for good . . . NO OTHER BEING is so great or powerful!

Like I was trying to say before, gaining strength, exercising those spiritual muscles of trust, of faith, is not for the faint of heart.

Yet, here I am talking about feeling weak and watery . . . How can I not feel faint of heart?

I think there is a bit of difference here maybe . . . feeling emotional and weepy . . . But where do I go with those feelings? . . . I may be feeling all emotional about something and may even cry about it, but in the end, I STEADY my heart in the SOLID ROCK.  I stroll down that heavenly aisle so to speak and fall before His throne asking for mercy and help . . .

My Father, knows how to comfort and hold . . . My Father, the One who created me this way after all, DOES know HOW to stabilize and fix me secure.  He KNOWS how to shelter and shield at the right time and how to allow the storms of testing and trials to purify and strengthen my spirit.  My God KNOWS.  “For I KNOW the plans I have for you . . .”

Andrae Crouches says it well in his song, "I’ve had many tears and sorrows, I’ve had questions for tomorrow, there’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong.
But in every situation, God gave me blessed consolation, that my trials come to only make me strong . . . through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God."

God knows all about this making us strong stuff . . . In fact, I am the one who needs to listen up and pay attention to the reality behind everything every day . . . Every single thing is planned, allowed, in place . . . Specially designed for my testing, my growth, and my glorifying Him . . . And I, for one, don't want to miss out/ be blinded to the way things work down here below and up there above.  This life is not about me . . . It's about God . . . And it's about me bringing glory to God's name . . . And how does this subject of teariness fit in?

I am so glad to know that - over and over, again and again when I face the emotional drama some of us ladies tend to have, I have a sure and steady ROCK to lean on.

Always.

And that all of these things are part of His plan . . .

So over and over I thank You, God! . . . Again and again, I PRAISE Your Name!