Your Custom-Made Trials. And Guarding That Heart of Yours.

******

Last week something like a personal torpedo hit me.

No details now, but because I know how my own mind leaps around, guessing, when someone says that--I'll add this: it had nothing to do with Tom, Naomi, my health or anything local.

So breathe, ok?  😉

Then right as I felt God's wonderful healing, the tragic Paradise, CA fire happened and oh dear. I'm very familiar with that northern California area and too, a handful of friends from the 1970's live in Paradise. Even Tom's and my first pastor and wife (as a couple), their son said, escaped with only the shirts on their backs. 

A dear high school friend shared (on Facebook) her in-laws decided to stay and fight for their home with 2 water hoses. Emotionally this upset her and me, as well, though I don't even know them. The next night the concern awoke me so I checked her Facebook status: her in-laws survived.

Even more old friends have relatives, friends with homes in Paradise--they lost everything. The Go Fund Me pages are popping up everywhere (personally, I view Go Fund Me as an awesome invention).

In a Yahoo news article, a fire Marshall said his fire fighters were battling not just the fires, but emotional exhaustion. Here's one definition--

When you are emotionally exhausted, you have probably depleted most of your emotional reserves and you have exceeded your capacity to handle emotional stress. It is almost analogous to physical exhaustion. When you work too hard and exceed your physical strength limits, you experience exhaustion and will need to take a rest in order to replenish those energy reserves. The same applies when you tax your emotional reserves with too much stress – you’ll be no longer capable of managing it.

I'm not even remotely physically near the fires, but emotionally? Today I'm needing rest. An emotional reprieve--and healing. Distance.

Quiet time with God. Books. Comfort food and tv. Coffee. A walk. Time with my husband. Or perhaps a visit with a neighbor. The coffee shop. Cleaning my house. Crafts. A nap. Raking some leaves, packing up my yard toys for winter.

And then, after being restored? I can jump back in and start helping as guided by an all-seeing God who knows exactly what individuals need. Down-time will clear my mind from the emotional swirling so I can think clearly again and then help others from a place of love.

In our 2018 world with a new tragedy every week and strife around many  corners? Oh, we must remember this verse:


"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."   ... Proverbs 4:23


It's vital--and to be done without an ounce of a phony guilt which tries to run us into the grave, early, in the name of I Was Just Trying To Help.

And this: Never let anyone tell you that your recovery time is ridiculous. Nor let them convince you that they have the real trials, but all your decades? You've had it easy.

None of us leave here unscarred and without being pulled to places where God waits to be clung to--if we so choose.

In this world? Our trials arrive custom-made. What is easy for you to handle, may be crazy-hard for me. What's a cinch for me to face, may be knocking you into a ditch. Our trials are meant to stretch us and expand our hearts, so as we come in different sizes, with unique histories and personalities, so do our tragedies.

What matters is that we seek God. That we grab His hand, then walk upon our individual path, beside Him, until He's led us through.

Well, even after then, actually.

And He will not lead us to places where becoming bitter is fine with Him. No, but to Grace and Love and Strength. He so wants this to be our road, our mission--


“God, who comforts us in our time of trouble so we can comfort those in need with the comfort we have received.”  ... 2 Corinthians 1:4

He desires that wonderful comes from bad. That healing comes from the softened places where we've been healed. You know, so we can fling that healing, that amazing grace, to those in our lives who most need it this time.

"Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."   ... Hebrews 13:16

"For He knows our frame: He remembers that we are dust. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."   ... Psalm 103:14, Psalm 147:3

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will [a]ease and relieve and [b]refresh [c]your souls.]"   ... Matthew 11:28

******

The best book I've read about what's going on inside our heads and how to handle it God's way? This --

A remarkable book, really. Oh, the confusion it clears up.

Super-inexpensive copies can be found here. It's also available via Kindle.

******

Even though God gives us awesome Grace to do what's difficult, we still need rest. Sleep. Restoration time.


******