The Lousier The Day, The Sweeter The Blessing

Without going into details, let me just say that I have had a rough past week and a half. This new rotation is not going well for me and I feel like I have cried practically everyday on my way home. I tell you this not for you to feel sorry for me, but to share how wonderfully God shows himself when you think He has forgotten about you.

At the end of the day yesterday (Tuesday), I just fell apart at work. I was overwhelmed, frustrated, and for the sake of not speaking of ill of others, I'll just leave it at there are conflicting personalities. I tried to hold in my frustration and anger until I was out of the office and at the very least in my car. But I couldn't. Most of you know that I am an emotional person, but I am pretty good at controlling it until an appropriate time. But yesterday, the flood gates that are my eyes just couldn't hold it anymore and down came the tears.

I made it out of there, into my car, turned the radio on. I start my mornings off listening to KLove on the way to work, so when I got back in my car, it was still tuned to 94.9. The very first thing I heard was this:

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, and when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile." Jeremiah 29:11-14

Well Hello God! :)

In the roughness of the past week and a half, I have cried, I have complained, I have pointed fingers, etc, yet I realized (as this verse was slapping me in the face) that I haven't taken it to The Man! I keep saying things like, "There's a reason God wants me here" and "Maybe God is trying to teach me something" but I have not called out to Him, I have not prayed to Him for this matter. Until I seek Him with everything that I am, how can I expect anything? God loves His children and He really does want the best for them. But I have to keep in mind that my idea of "best" and His idea of "best" may be two totally different things.

Ok so if that wasn't enough of a slap in the face, I get an email. Let me back up a second and preface this. At my first chapter meeting for Phi Mu my freshman year of college, a million lists were being passed around for us to sign up on. Things to get us involved on campus, emails with health tips, daily devotionals, etc. One of the lists I wrote my name on was one to receive daily devotionals from a Rev. Post. I have been receiving these for the past 6 six years or so and they are always a quick reminder of God's love for us and what we are called to be and do and how to act as believers. IMMEDIATELY after I heard that verse on KLove, I get my devotional for the day in my inbox. So I read it on my phone on the way home and this is what it says:

How Are My College Buddies?"

The lousier the day, the sweeter the blessing."

It is fascinating to watch how God deals with His kids. All of us have days that 'run us over' - days in which our patience is shattered, our faith is shaken, our frustration level is off the charts...just a rotten day. I bet you sometimes think that God is disappointed with you on days like this. No, not really, He really isn't. He is the perfect Father to us and He actually hurts when we are struggling.

Because He adores us so much, He loves to do something very special for us on a day that is wearing us out. He sends a 'load lightener', a special blessing to reassure us, to lift us up, to restore our battered faith. This unexpected blessing comes straight from Him, it is a visual aid to you that He still loves you and He is in control. It's like He's saying, "I know you're irritated, I know you're feeling sorry for yourself. Here's a special blessing to let you know I am taking care of you."

Do you need a 'load lightener' today? Hey, all of us do on this side of heaven. If you need one, your Father will certainly send one...watch for it today...I bet He's smiling when He sends it.:

"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things?"Romans 8: 32 (Take some time and think about this verse.)

Last night I drove to Nashville to spend the night so I could attend a student tutorial this morning. One of my best friends, Amber, was wonderful enough to let me crash, considering I had to wake up at the butt-crack of dawn. When I got there, I was distraught, tired, worn out from driving, and the minute I walked in the door Amber greeted me with a huge smile and a hug just as big! Definitely my load lightener! Am, if you are reading this, THANK YOU! Thank you for being such a wonderful, supportive, there-for-you-no-matter-what kind of friend. I need a load-lightener, God knew it, and He gave it to me in the form of a best friend! :)

Sorry for the semi-novel tonight, but I just wanted to share that with yall and hopefully on your lousy days you can recognize the "load-lighteners" God sends your way.

Wex