There is no question that 2011 was a tough year for me. While there were so many blessings (#1 blessing pictured below), it was heavily wrought with loss as well. Earlier today, I was having a very difficult time and found myself turning to all of the loss experienced, as opposed to focusing on all that God has for me to gain right here, right now. I was in the midst of my moment of grief and praying that God would take this cup from me, when He reminded me that this is temporary. I have heard this a lot from God in the past year, and found myself sighing and telling God that YES, I know this is temporary, but it happens to be my temporary REALITY right now and I think it sucks! And then...God broke through and said no THIS is temporary... ALL of this is temporary. Only I am eternal. God told me to stop looking at my circumstances as if THEY were eternal, meaning that when this particular set of 'temporary' circumstances falls away and I find myself back on the mountaintop, the things of this world will STILL be temporary. Then He gave me this verse from the Bible:
2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
I am so thankful to have a God who loves me so much, that He is willing to break through those moments I would rather spend wallowing in self pity, to bring me such a humbling, transforming and ETERNAL truth!
I am thankful to know that when my eyes, once again, become focused on my less than perfect circumstances...I am as close to the truth as closing them and remembering that which is unseen, unchanging and everlasting.
Hebrews 13: 8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Happy New Year from our house to yours!
