It's Not Easy

8-17-16

Psalms 43:1-5(ERV)
defend me, God. Argue my case against those who don't know you. Protect me from those evil liars. God, you are my place of safety. Why have you turned me away? Why must I suffer this sadness that my enemies have brought me? Send your light and your truth to guide me, to lead me to you holy mountain, to your home. I want to go to God's altar, to the God who makes me so very happy. God, my God I want to play my harp and sing praises to you! Why am i so sad? Why am i so upset? I tell myself, "wait for God's help! You will again have a chance to praise Him, your God, the one who will save you."

No one said following God was easy. Jesus himself, when he first sent out his disciples(Matthew 10:16+), that it would not be easy. But, it also said not to for God is with you. Some days are easy, some days you may feel like you have been battered either by others or even yourself, causing a feeling of spiritual depression. You ask God to defend you, to keep you safe. He does, sometimes at a certain moment, it seems like he doesn't, but later down the road we do. We feel angry, upset, sometimes abandoned. But God is always with us every step we take and even when we stop to try to catch our breath.

It's hard. Especially if it's a loved one you're having a 'battle' with. Even with strangers, it can be almost as equally challenging. Those who don't know God, or those who say they do but twists God's words or just lie, trying to completely destroy your beliefs and faith. Sometimes you don't have an 'answer' and you're left there feeling defeated. The words they say sting like a fresh wound. You seek God for shelter, to feel safe, to have him help you wipe your tears, comfort you. It hurts and it sucks.

At one point or another, you'll even hurt so much as to wonder if God is there or if he really cares, even though you know he is and he does. Losing friends, loss of a loved one, being shunned by others, being asked 'If God really cares, why doesn't he just stop all these bad things from happening?'. We've heard, seen, even asked about God's character at some point in our lives. Sometimes, for those hard questions, we may not have an adequate answer if one at all. We ask God to defend us, to give us the right words to say, and it seems we get no answer, so we feel as if we were either dismissed or just forgotten.

All we want to do is be in God's presence, happy and safe. Sometimes even we do so, it still hurts to a point where you swear you can hear your own spirit cry out in anguish. Even though you can feel God there, you still feel alone.  You ask why you're so upset, only to be met with silence. You keep 'telling yourself, "wait for God's help! You will again have a chance to praise Him, the one who will save you.'". Sometimes even then, you hear another voice crying out, "why can't I reach them? Am I not good enough? Am I doing something wrong?! Why won't you help me?!" and you feel like you just get buried further.

Eventually, the pain and feelings subside. You look back and you see your answer as you stay in God's presence and pray. Maybe you were putting worldly things before God. Maybe you were being a hypocritical Christian instead of a real one. Maybe you needed another growth spurt in your spiritual life before you could manage the task you wanted to accomplish. Just like we do our own children, God waits for us to stop having our tantrum, to finally be still and quiet enough for Him to actually speak to us and to really listen to what he has to say. At this point, we finally catch our breath and feel God lift us up back on our feet. We praise Him even more and we can feel our spirit joining in with us. You no longer get that abnandoned feeling, you feel closer to God than ever and keep walking with your head high. You keep following God's will and when it's time you'll be given the perfect words to reach others. 

Sower's and Seeds

8-8-16

Today's fun-filled word comes from Mark 4:13-20. I know I've heard this passage once in my 26 years, but apparently, it's a common passage to know or be told. It speaks of farmers sowing seeds, how some fell on the path, some in rocky soil, and some in the soil that the seeds are supposed to actually be anyways. The farmers are like our pastors, and the seeds, everyone else spirit wise. As for the terrain, the path would symbolize the people kept away from or discouraged  from receiving God's word. The soil would symbolize the people who get fired up and all 'yea! good sermon! I'm gonna go help spread the gospel!' then something happens to where they don't among other things. The 'tilled' soil, where the seeds are supposed to be naturally, is the best place for the seeds due to easy growth, being able to flourish properly, and produce good fruit.

It's the 'farmers' job to sow the seeds, much like our pastors who are to 'sow' the word of God into the people. Also, like the farmer, when the seed is sown, they hope and pray the 'seed' takes root and will thrive to where it can produce on its own. After the 'seed' has taken root, it's the 'farmers' job to take care of nurture the plant to the best of his/her ability to promote optimal growth and harvest, but again, both a farmer and pastor can only do so much for their 'seedling' and again hopes and prayers for continued growth. As for the 'seeds' that didn't take root, all that can be done is to try and try again as many times as it takes.

As for the 'seeds' growth, like people, the environment is pretty crucial to the process. Which brings us to terrain 1, the path. The path is always trampled on by others, by animals, seeds are eaten by birds. In spiritual terms, these people are always under attack and even the thought of trying to 'sprout' seems to make everything else worse in their life, or they just don't wanna hear about it at all. In this terrain, it's very difficult, most cases it seems almost impossible, to grow here. Neighbors always strung out, parents drunk or gone from home 99% of the day, you try to pray or you get in a church once and you come home and then next thing you know parents are getting divorced, you're neighbor o.d.'d, taken from your family, it's almost like you're living in hell for some people, and for them, for me at least it seems, it's harder for them to accept anything concerning God.

The next terrain is the rocky soil. Here usually you might grow a plant, but it's mostly just 'weeds'(spiritual trouble you having issues facing but try to hang in there) and 9/10 the weeds will eat away the life force of your plant. But here it's a little easier to flourish than the latter, as long as you keep your weeds in check. But, usually, the people who's 'seeds' are in this terrain(which is probably like 90% of everyone) barely hang in there if at all. These sproutlings are all "yes preacher! go head" then when they get home they're promptly reminded about their bank account, fight over something stupid like a tv show, or who's turn it was to clean what, etc., and the weeds grow and they stop focusing on God. They're more concerned with how to get more money, how to just try to take on the world by themselves that they forget the preachings about how God is always there for you and will always find a way to not only provide, but give you more than you already had. This terrain is also what I consider the twice a year people. Rocky terrain means shallow roots, the only way for anything besides weeds to flourish here is to build strong roots(have a church family) and be diligent in your 'weed pulling'.

The last terrain is like the holy grail of soil(you found your church home). When a 'seed' is placed in the proper environment it grows and flourishes by leaps and bounds. The farmer helps you sort through the 'weeds' of life, helps 'fertilize the soil' with God's word and takes great pride watching his 'crops' grow and 'produce their own fruit(going and ministering to others bringing them to church with them). These people learn to thrive and flourish no matter what scenario is thrown their way, holding their heads high, smiling as often as possible, absorbing God's word, and acting on it.

Most cases, especially after a big move to a new city or even a new country, it's hard sometimes to find good soil again. Some, it's easier for others, some not so much. With that said, I just wanna say no matter the environment, it is always possible, even on a 'path' for plants to grow. Plants can grow in the desert. Grass and other plants can crack through concrete if they're hardy enough. All it takes is a good 'root system'. In a place i use to live, i had rocky soil to garden in in real life. I planted a zucchini plant and that thing wanted to live, it *made* its roots strong and pushed rocks aside to go deeper and anchor in, I was honestly shocked it actually grew, let alone give me anything lol. As long as you have the mindset to stay strong no matter what, keeping your faith, believing God will pull everything together, and have a good system you can fully rely on to help you make strong roots, anyone can flourish anywhere. Keep absorbing, keep growing, keep getting stronger in faith, always believe God has your back.