You know when everything is going just great? You are waking up early every morning to workout, you're not spending much money, the house is cleaner than you thought, and you're healthy. You even ate a salad for lunch this week. Twice! The car is full of gas. Your hair has tons of volume today. The birds are singing. You're feeling like freaking Snow White right now. I love those times. *Sigh*
But then there are the other times. The ones where you come home from an amazing week of church camp with a van full of teenagers, on your 5th year anniversary, completely and totally exhausted, and a tree falls on your fence in the backyard. Not a tiny little sapling. No. A giant, been-around-the-block-a-few-times, mother of a tree that totally destroyed our fence. Then a giant spider crawled up my clothes in my closet (as well as many other spiders and camel crickets in the house--thanks a lot Western KY). AND THEN, if that wasn't enough, our air conditioner decided to crap out in the middle of the night. In June. In Kentucky. Yea. Talk about a good week, right?
Why is it that when things go wrong they go really, really wrong? Like, we can't just have one thing go wrong. It has to be 5 things at once or nothing at all. What's that saying? "When it rains, it pours". Well whoever wrote that knew exactly what they were talking about. Now I know that these are just household issues. It's nothing compared to having all this happen while you're fighting a legal battle, or a family member is battling a major illness, or having zero way to fix any of these issues. I'm blessed that we are able to fix them, no matter how much we wish we didn't have to. But some of you are having those problems. You might have a custody hearing tomorrow and no car to get you there. You might be trying to take care of your kids while simultaneously taking care of your mother with no extra help. Life is just tough sometimes. So what do you do? What do you do when everything is going wrong?
My dearest, wonderful friend. Let me help you out. If you listen to anything else today, please listen to this (or read, actually): You are going to be ok. You will make it. But you cannot do it on your own. We were never meant to go through life alone, because it is just way too hard that way. We were designed for community and connection. And I know, especially in this day and age, that it is all too easy to just do it yourself, not tell anyone, bottle up all our feelings, and internalize everything. But don't you see? That is the thing that is killing you. You may say, "Well, I don't have any friends". Ok. The thing is, if you want people to like you and hang out with you, then you have to 1.) like other people and 2.) be a likable person. GASP. "Mary Kate, you're saying I actually have to talk to someone, be engaged, and care about what they are saying?" Yes. Yes I am. This society is making having face-to-face, authentic and real relationships a very hard thing. But that is exactly what we need, because when we are just going through it, we need people who love us to help us and pull us out of the darkness. But you have to be likable, friend.
Not only that, but I do have to tell you that my God is the most caring and loving Father. With Him, I know that all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). I know that no weapon formed against me will prosper (Isaiah 54:17). I know that saying positive things over myself and my situations is one of my greatest weapons. And even better, I know that saying Scripture out loud defeats the enemy. God is the One who made us for relationships and connection. He built this whole universe around community. And the greatest thing I could ever have in my life is a relationship with Him, because when I do, I get access to peace. He is the life-giver, the love-bringer, the peace-maker, the dream-giver, the chains-breaker, the scrape-me-off-the-floor-and-love-me-on-my-worst-day-er. He has always been faithful! He never leaves us, and He never brings bad things to us. He only brings us good things. If you believe that, then JUST HAVE FAITH. It's something you've heard over and over, but I know someone needed this today. If He has always been faithful to me, why can't I be faithful to Him even when things may not be going my way? We were never promised an easy life. Sin is in the world, dude. That's why things are so messed up.
You may not be able to "feel" God right now. But when has it ever been all about feelings? When I walk into the house, I don't need Jamison to be right there, touching me, and telling me he loves me every single second to know that he does. So why do we expect the same thing from God? He doesn't have to be speaking every second for us to know He is completely in love with us. We just need to have faith that He does, and that He has only good things for us if we allow Him.
So keep the faith, my friend. Worship in the middle of the darkness. Surround yourself with people who love you. TALK to someone about what is going on. I promise, the darkness lifts. The mist clears. There is sunshine on the other side.
Leave a comment and we can talk more, or email me if you're having trouble. I'd love to chat.
XOXO
Mary Kate