Entrusting

Life doesn’t always make sense. I don’t have a problem understanding why bad things happen to some people. They make unwise choices and unpleasant consequences follow. But when something tragic happens to someone who has done all the right things? That’s a difficult pill to swallow.

It’s in those times that I find myself struggling and frustrated. I want to understand and can’t. I want to control and can’t. I work harder and harder to understand and control only to find that in doing so I have less peace and joy.

But what would happen if I stop controlling and instead start entrusting?

Entrust:

* to confer a trust on; to deliver something in trust to
* to commit to another with confidence
*assign the responsibility for doing something to (someone).
*put (something) into someone’s care or protection

What would happen if I entrust that which I don’t understand and that which I hold dear to the Maker of the Universe? What if I relinquish my need for control and instead entrust my dreams, desires and my loved ones to the one who created and birthed them all? Do I not believe He is trustworthy? Do I not believe He is capable?

Queen Esther entrusted herself and a nation to God and went before the worldly king to plead for her people. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego entrusted themselves to God and entered the fiery furnace confident that no matter the outcome their lives were in God’s hands.  Jesus Christ entrusted Himself to the Father as He hung on the cross, and brought salvation to the world.

Today may you and I humbly approach the throne and entrust that which we hold so dear to the faithful One. May we entrust our loved ones, our dreams and even our lives to our beautiful Creator. It’s in the entrusting that we find lasting peace and joy.

He is faithful. He is trustworthy. He is able.

Unhindered…live the masterpiece!

 

 

 

 

Intimidation

Fifth grade.  Middle school.  A building full of 5th-8th graders, 10-year-old children to 14-year-old puberty stricken adolescents. Whose bright idea was this?

It wasn’t so bad at first.  I wasn’t the only ‘child’ in the school.   There were other short, skinny, knock kneed, flat chested girls.  The problem was I didn’t know them yet.  My friends were the woman childs and apparently I wasn’t fitting into the image they wanted to present to the rest of the school.

Ignore the child.  That was their first line of attack.  I was a bit naive I guess because that didn’t work.  Stand at the door and when the child enters stare at her and tell her you’re gonna beat her up.  Now that got my attention!  I stayed away.  However, just to make sure I received the message and didn’t wander my skinny behind back onto their path, they met me at the entrance to school many mornings and reminded me.

Intimidation – to force into or deter from action by inducing fear.

Intimidation can take on many forms.  It can be extremely harsh like bullying or sly and subtle like being tongue tied by someone’s status or gifts.  The goal is always the same;  to make us timid and discourage us from action. It is a major weapon in the war against Love and an obstacle to living the fullness of our masterpiece.

Unfortunately our world is full of intimidating forces.  Everyday we see and hear the most devastating consequences of those who do not comply.  Often that alone has the power to silence and suppress our gifts and voice.  It is about survival.  Who in their right mind would choose to suffer such great lose?  Keep quiet, comply and stay under the radar.  But is that how we are created to live?

In fifth grade the intimidation finally stopped.  In reflecting back to the reason, it is clear that I chose to believe I had value and something to offer. That belief was affirmed by a beautiful vocal music teacher. She saw the natural gifts and talent fashioned and birthed in my DNA and she validated and called those gifts forth.

In what ways are you being intimidated today?  Are  you are feeling timid and fearful?  Are you are being intimidated into not expressing the gifts and calling you have been bestowed?

You may never have a music teacher by your side, but you do have Someone more powerful.  He is the Lion of Judah and when you and I choose to live this masterpiece He has created HE roars and all that seeks to suppress and silence, even death itself, will never prevail.

To Him be the glory forever and ever!

Unhindered…live the masterpiece!

“They were stoned,: they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword….The world was not worthy of them.”  Hebrews 11:37-38

How much longer? No really, how much longer?

Have you ever been on an airplane with someone who forgot a nicotine patch?  It isn’t pretty.  One woman I had the pleasure of traveling with literally asked “How much longer?” every 20 minutes during the 7 hour flight!  Twenty minutes was all the time she could handle before needing reassurance once again that we were indeed getting closer to our destination.  How about you? Are you wondering how much longer? Do you need some reassurance today?

You are stronger than you think.  You are smarter than you think.  You are capable of more than you think.  The burden may be incredible at the moment.  What’s in front of you may seem insurmountable.  One obstacle may have been hurdled just to face another and another.  You may have a thousand questions.  You may be just plain tired.

There may be a multitude of voices telling you to quit, that what you are doing is useless.  No one would blame you for quitting or going another way. This path is difficult and sometimes it feels like you are walking through quick sand.

Remember.   You hear the faint whisper in you spirit.  Remember the purpose for what you are doing.  Remember the need is it fulfilling.  Remember who or what is on the other side of your effort.

You can endure and persevere.  You can because of the One who endured and persevered before you.  For the joy set before Him, you, He endured the cross and disregarded its shame.  He arose from the dead and as He ascended to heaven said, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Remember.  You are strong, smart, capable and able to keep going because Jesus, the ascended one, is with you.  Remember!

Unhindered…live the masterpiece!