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!
Happy New Year! I'm so glad that God gave you that verse! Blessings and prayers to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteYour little blessing is just precious. God is good & that is one of my favorite verses...so glad He is unchanging! His love NEVER fails!
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed year Trudy!
Hello Trudy,
ReplyDeleteLovely photos.It was such a joy to see your sweet happy son.
Certainly all our problems are temporary and some imaginary. We like to give a larger than life image to our conceived problems.Take your own case. What ever problems you faced or imagined,you have over come them with the help of God.God doesn't give us problems which we cannot solve one way or the other.So,why worry?Just trust in HIM and march on. Have you ever thought of smiling at your problems? If not, try it.
Shakespeare said our present problems are less fearful than imagined problems. If you look at it, there is no problem at all for us.There are only challenges and opportunities which God gives us to grow and succeed.
Wish you and your lovely son a beautiful,wonderful,fantastic new year.
Joseph
Happy New Year Trudy and Benjamin. Thanks for your visit, much appreciated. Lets hope this year will be better than last, I know tou had problems and I still have problems with my eldest son.......haven't seen him or his three children all last year. Their other grandmother passed away a week before Christmas and I am their only grandparent. I won't fret too much as there are many other good things going on right now.
ReplyDeleteTake care.
Yvonne.
I hope 2012 is a better you for you. Benjamin is growing into such a cute kiddo!
ReplyDeleteWHat a beautiful post! from one Trudy to another!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! I enjoy that in the second photo he looks like he's in time out but having a fabulous time!
ReplyDeleteBlessings and happy new year.
ReplyDeleteIt is human nature to at times focus on the negative looking at life with the glass half full instead of using the blessings to push forth into excellence.
Take care and all the best for this year and beyond.
rhapsody
http://twitter.com/rhapsodyphoenix
Happy New Year! I'm praying that 2012 will be a blessed year for you.
ReplyDeleteNice post thanks for sharing...God bless you...
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