Over the holidays, I reflected on 2013 as it drew to a close
like a curtained finale. It was a year of discovery, pain, awakening, heart
ache, joy, chastening, growth, and learning how to rise from the ashes called
“past.”
As difficult and heart-wrenching as some of the events have
been, I wouldn’t trade the life-lessons for all the mundane peace on this
earth. Don’t get me wrong – Peace is great! It’s an oasis. However, it does
little to transform us into the image of Christ.
Pain, self-reflection, and time soaking in His presence
brings pruning that leads to growth. Growth leads to wisdom. Wisdom leads to
transformation. All of these lead to the Peace that passes understanding – the
peace that guards our hearts and minds in Christ. It’s a roundabout way to get
to His Peace; but once there, you notice spiritual muscles that weren’t present
when the journey began.
What did last year change in you? Are you closer to His
presence? Are your spiritual muscles stronger? Or have you stepped away from
your journey willing yourself into the life you think you want?
I am grateful and thankful for all the pain of my past. ALL
of it!
The molestation? Yes!
The betrayals? Yup!
The crushing end to a marriage and the fallout? Sure thing!
Heartache, loss, and walking away from the alter of
sacrifice? Absolutely!
These things brought me face to face with the Creator of the
universe. Tragedies showed me His love, comfort, and care and heart-wrenching
situations showed me the way out from desert wandering. These opportunities provided the ashes
needed for a magnificent sweet-smelling garden and the peaceable fruit of
Righteousness that I would never have found without them.
When we get to know our Beloved in a deeper way, these
occasions are not wasted. They are gifts. We just don’t like the wrapping.
As a curtain opens on this new year, I rise from ashes and walk
out of the desert into new opportunities for growth and deeper digging at His
well.
Will you walk beside me?
