I feel like I’ve been slung around by my toenails these days. This past year, and especially these past couple of months, has brought forth a plethora of emotions in me. And probably you too.
Anxious, grieved, unhappy, troubled, miserable, nervous, horrified, confused, stressed, doubtful, fearful, worried, desperate, unhappy, uncomfortable, betrayed (BIG one!), frustration, fatigue, withdrawn, offended, annoyed, cheated, vengeful, insulted, revulsion, mad, loathing, infuriated, shocked, disgusted, tearful… and did I mention betrayed?
Of course, at the same time, there have been many good emotions too: thankful, happy, surprised, blessed, and even content.
To put it mildly, it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions. I have tried not to let myself be consumed by my negative emotions and keep everything in perspective and positive. But I admit, a lot of the time, I have failed at that. So, my new year’s resolution is to do my best each day to ignore my negative emotions and focus on the glorious hope that I have. Titus 2:13, one of my fav’s, says, “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
I am thankful beyond words that I do have that hope. Frankly, I don’t know how those who don’t have that hope are able to cope with the chaos and swirling emotions of these last days.
It won’t likely be easy to keep myself in check, though, as I am convinced that we have not seen the worst yet. Not by a long shot.
I don’t know how much more of this wicked world God is going to tolerate. But I cannot help but believe that He is sick and tired of it. I’d have been at the end of my rope a long time ago if I’d been Him. But thankfully, His ways are not my ways. My human desire craves comfort, calm, success, and a smooth ride through this life. But His desire is that NO ONE winds up in hell. It is a testament to His great love – He IS love, as my husband reminded me a few days ago, and He defines Himself as love – and it’s a testament to His great mercy and patience that He delays His coming, waiting on all who will to come to Him before it is too late.
There are no conditions on His love. He loved you and I long before we were born – even knowing that we would be His enemies for part if not most or all of our lives on this earth. (He knows the end from the beginning.) But He made a way for us to go to heaven anyway.
I’ve heard this somewhere before, but imagine someone, someone innocent, taking on the punishment for all your sins, ALL of them. Past, present and future. Then imagine someone taking on the punishment for all the people in your neighborhood’s sins. Then imagine someone taking on the punishment for all the people in your state, your country, and even the whole world. That’s impossible to imagine. But that is what He did, through His Son, Jesus Christ. There is only one way to God, and that is through His Son, Jesus.
John 14:6says, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'”
So I remind all, this world is not our home. None of us. We will all spend eternity in either heaven or hell. No other options. And anyone not making a decision at all, and trying to ride the fence or wait until your death bed or just wait until … later… is, by default, serving Satan.