If anyone knows me, they know how much I love Christmas photo cards - and if we like something, we really like something. We "like" nothing half-heartedly. Obviously, they are important to me even though we waited until the last possible day to take family pictures. We were rushing before it got dark after my husband got off work and barely made it. If it were any any darker, these wouldn't have turned out. Thankfully there's a thing called editing that helps a lot with color temperature, exposure and brightness. If something doesn't look right, you can change it and retake the shot. If the lighting is off, you can adjust it to an extent. If your child's had is purple due to the cold, you can fix that - with socks and some color correction. If the image is washed out, you can fix it with the exposure. Though I prefer to keep my images as close to the original as possible, there is a world of potential in fixing all the little things. As much as you can appreciate the ability to fix a photograph and quickly change the whiteness of your teeth, or a blemish on someone's face, not everything in life comes with such control. Something that the Lord has worked on me over and over... and over... is the idea of you can't fix everything. I don't think of myself as controlling, but that statement always hits hard. Why? Uhm, because there's a part of life that I have to continually give to Him. Not even daily, often more than that. There's parts of life that will forever be out of my control, no matter how much I wish they weren't, but they are never out of His. It's obvious my "bed-side manner" needs work. I do not express emotions well, but, oh, do I ever feel them so deeply. Empathy is natural and sometimes what drives me to action. If something isn't right, I feel that, and I want to help; I want to fix all the things. Unfortunately, or rather thankfully, I can't just "fix" things. People hurt people. People get angry at people. People don't always respond with grace. People often struggle with communication. People will attack other people. People lie. People gossip. People tear other people down. People need Jesus. People need to get right with the Lord. People need to make godly choices. But I. Can. Not. Fix. It. I can't change these things. I can't make someone get saved. I can't make someone get right with the Lord. I can't make someone make godly choices. I can't make someone have a personal walk with the Lord. I cannot change how people feel about me. I cannot make someone or something change, no matter how much I want to at times. I cannot take grief away. I cannot fix homes or families. I cannot heal broken bodies, hearts, or relationships. I cannot fix someone's loneliness, anxiety, abuse, depression, emptiness, anger... none of it. Obviously, I can do nothing to change any of this, but the desire to is so often there. Drives me crazy sometimes. Like, it's SO OBVIOUS! Why can't they see what they are doing is so wrong?! Why are they blind to their need for Jesus?! But I am limited. I can pour out my heart and give them the truth of His word, but ultimately, only they can make the decision. I can offer my presence, help, or minimal comfort to a hurting heart, but I could never remove the pain. But, that is the best! Why? Because if it were up to me, I would change so many situations, and in doing so, rob hearts and lives of incredible blessings, lessons, and opportunities to display His grace and Gospel. I would have given Abraham and Sarah their baby right away. I would have given a ram well before the walk of sacrifice. I would have pulled Daniel from that den of lions, and the Hebrew children from the fire. I would have changed Moses' family situation, removed Paul from jail, and protected Stephen from being stoned. I would have saved Joseph from pit and tried to fix his home life. I would have done just that. Then their testimonies would not have been shared in Hebrews 11. Nations would have ceased to exist. Faith and comfort for their life, as well as many others, would not have grown. Entire households would not have gotten saved. That's just the beginning. Read the end of chapter 11. Read those words. Read of the sovereignty of God. Read what I would have taken away. I just stop and let that sink in sometimes. Proverbs 3.5, y'all. His plans are far greater. I can't change these things, but I can do what I can do, and I can pray. What has changed since page one? My prayer life. Because how can one stand in front of impossible situations without the strength, comfort and grace of God? How can one peer into a teenager's life and hurt for them helplessly without seeking the help of God? How can one receive texts or conversations that leave you with no response without looking to the One Who holds all the answers? How can one desire so deeply that another would choose to live Godly without petitioning the Lord to convict their heart? How can one grieve the loss of those they love without the comfort of the One Who provides life? Philippians 4.6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. I can't fix it, but He can, and does.
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Lizzy parkerMarriage.
Motherhood. Ministry. Missions. Archives
January 2023
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