Rewind
I picked up what I thought was a new journal the other day, but it was actually a journal I finished a little over a year ago. I love to journal, ever since I read "Harriet the Spy" when I was little. I've gone through several journal options over the years-everything goes into one journal-sermon notes, study research, personal devotions, recounting of my days so I know where I was three days ago. Every now and then I try something new-one journal for church stuff, one for my devotions, one sort of a diary so I know where I was three days ago. I kind of like each option for different reasons, and it makes me wonder what fellow journalers do. One for everything? One per subject? Stay in a calender year or just write until it fills up?
Re-reading that journal from the last two years was not my favorite perusal of the past. In fact, it bummed me out quite a bit, and has caused me to be spending a lot of time in prayer.
I always encourage people to journal, among other reasons it gives us a great rewind of God's faithfulness in our lives, the work He's done, the prayers He's answered. This week, I'm experiencing some of my theory becoming reality in my life in a new way. You see, as I read this journal I realized, it's not better. Not much of it anyway. My circumstances, my struggles, my day to day isn't really any better. In fact, what I wrote last Monday is almost verbatim to Monday of the same week one year ago. Here's the kicker-both are almost the same entry as Monday the same week TWO years ago. What's up with that?
It's just life. Everybody has one. At some point, we grind, it's hard and there isn't any different for the Christian and the non-Christian in the events we experience. However, it is different in the WAY we experience it. Because God IS always faithful. God IS always working. God IS always in control. If you don't have your faith in that, if your faith is in your own ability to deal with the stuff of life, the grind will inevitably grind you down. I'm not twenty anymore. I'm also not the oldest chick with a blog, but I've seen the marked difference in people long enough to know there are two columns with people walking through the same things, and aside from that, nothing about their respective journeys are the same. Not when it gets hard. Not when the waves get higher. Not when the storm doesn't stop.
So, it's been good for me to do a rewind. I've got some perspective on where I've been, where I'm at, and I'm in it for the long haul-but I'm not in it alone. It's given me a wider perspective, one that includes how the same things I'm experiencing are being experienced by people that are alone, whether they realize it or not. Another thing they haven't realized is this-Jesus is real, and to you He says, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest...." Matthew 11:28. Real rest, rest for your soul, rest that gives you what you need for what's in front of you, as well rest from what's behind you.
What happened to you today? Write it down. What did you read today? Write it down. Rewind is good for us. It reminds us, rejuvenates us and redirects us. We're not in it alone, He's all over every page.
Re-reading that journal from the last two years was not my favorite perusal of the past. In fact, it bummed me out quite a bit, and has caused me to be spending a lot of time in prayer.
I always encourage people to journal, among other reasons it gives us a great rewind of God's faithfulness in our lives, the work He's done, the prayers He's answered. This week, I'm experiencing some of my theory becoming reality in my life in a new way. You see, as I read this journal I realized, it's not better. Not much of it anyway. My circumstances, my struggles, my day to day isn't really any better. In fact, what I wrote last Monday is almost verbatim to Monday of the same week one year ago. Here's the kicker-both are almost the same entry as Monday the same week TWO years ago. What's up with that?
It's just life. Everybody has one. At some point, we grind, it's hard and there isn't any different for the Christian and the non-Christian in the events we experience. However, it is different in the WAY we experience it. Because God IS always faithful. God IS always working. God IS always in control. If you don't have your faith in that, if your faith is in your own ability to deal with the stuff of life, the grind will inevitably grind you down. I'm not twenty anymore. I'm also not the oldest chick with a blog, but I've seen the marked difference in people long enough to know there are two columns with people walking through the same things, and aside from that, nothing about their respective journeys are the same. Not when it gets hard. Not when the waves get higher. Not when the storm doesn't stop.
So, it's been good for me to do a rewind. I've got some perspective on where I've been, where I'm at, and I'm in it for the long haul-but I'm not in it alone. It's given me a wider perspective, one that includes how the same things I'm experiencing are being experienced by people that are alone, whether they realize it or not. Another thing they haven't realized is this-Jesus is real, and to you He says, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest...." Matthew 11:28. Real rest, rest for your soul, rest that gives you what you need for what's in front of you, as well rest from what's behind you.
What happened to you today? Write it down. What did you read today? Write it down. Rewind is good for us. It reminds us, rejuvenates us and redirects us. We're not in it alone, He's all over every page.
Comments
We are stepping heavenward ... and it's an upward journey.
love you