It's not about me!

Okay! Another goodie before the night is over! I wrote this back in 2009 on my Facebook notes! So good I couldn't help but share....



Yes.. You read the title right… its NOT about me. My life…. This note…. Its not about me. It's not even about you. Everything.. Absolutely everything is all about HIM. 

Okay.. So.. In these past few months I've learned many things. I've learned that change is inevitable. No matter how much you and I don't like it… its true. I've learned that great times come hand in hand with sad ones. I've learned that sometimes you just have to let people go. I've learned that country music isn't quite so bad.hehe. Most importantly I've learned that this life isn't about me. 

My existence on this Earth is nothing more than to Reflect God's Glory… to give honor to HIS name. And that's not just my job, it's the whole human race's job. Paul wrote… "So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." (2Corinthians 3:18). We should be like a mirror. We should behold God so greatly that we can't help but reflect Him. And "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1Corinthians 10:31). Everything we do.. Everything that happens to us.. Absolutely everything is for God. "Let your light shine before men, so they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:17). 

Even our struggles are for the glory of God. 
"These sufferings of ours are for your benefit. And the more of you who are won to Christ, the more there are to thank him for his great kindness, and the more the Lord is glorified." (2corinthians 4:15). 
That was probably the hardest thing for me to grasp to be completely honest. I have been on this emotional rollercoaster these past few months. And that's one roller coaster that I absolutely hate. it's the kind of roller coaster that hurts. That jerks your head so hard that when you get off you have a major headache and feel really dizzy.. Except for me.. It seemed like the ride was never going to end. Until God opened the eyes of my heart. Have you ever thought about your pain having a purpose? All of your problems, struggles, broken hearts, and all the seemingly meaningless hassles do have a purpose.. They are for the Glory of God. 
God says…"Trust me in your times of trouble, I will rescue you, and you will give me glory" (Psalm 50:15). 
Do you think there is any chance…a slight possibility that God has selected YOU to struggle for His glory? 
The bible DOES say…"There's far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There's also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting" (Philippians 1:29). 
When I started thinking of my "pain" in this way.. It completely changed my outlook. I mean.. all of us have 2 options during these bad times.. you can either complain about them and let them control your life.. Making you completely miserable along with everyone around you (which was EXACTLY what I was doing)…OR…You can take the bad things in life and try to see the good God can bring out of them or maybe see what you can do to make the glory of God shine even brighter…use it. Use it for the glory of God. 

And think about it.. A season of suffering seems super duper small and insignificant compared to the reward. 
One of the guys I really really admire in the Bible is Paul. He wrote in 2Corinthians 4:17.. That "this small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble." By the time Paul wrote that… he has already "been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea" He also had been exposed to cold, attacks, hunger, and thirst. And to think he calls all THAT light afflictions to be endured for a moment. Why can't we see our troubles like this. Like a little grain of sand that can't even be compared to the forever dunes that awaits us :) 

A lot of times whenever I have bad days… its because of my completely selfish worries. What is there to worry about? God is in complete control of everything. Worry basically means divided mind. Our thoughts are split between today and tomorrow/ present and future. God knows what you'll need and where you'll be. Trust Him. I know from experience that worry does NOT take away tomorrow's sorrows. All it does it take away our strength that we need to help get us through today. Not only is worry wrong… it is downright unbelief. worrying means we do not believe that God can look after the practical details of our lives. It's disrespectful. 
Right now… we are pretty freakin blind to the good things in our life by the seemingly TERRIBLE things that happen. We feel like we are suffering and we feel like we are incredibly alone… But all the while God is holding us close, smiling down on us, wanting us to experience His blessings and His perfect plan for our lives and hoping we are aware of His love. 

Good ole Webster says that inevitable means impossible to avoid or prevent from happening. Which basically means… no control. None of us have any control on the inevitable. But seriously… do you really think we need control of what happens to us? "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28). God is in complete control… all we need to do is have faith. Great times come hand in hand with sad ones. That goes along with the "inevitable change." Yes its true… we can be on top of the world one week… and then feel like life is crashing down on us the next week. Have faith. Press forward… God will always get you through it… no matter how hard it seems. With inevitable change… comes the fact that we just need to let people go sometimes. 
 How relationships change over time as we are being pulled into sometimes completely opposite directions. I'm sure I'm not the only one that has experienced this… its one of those inevitable changes. But in order to keep living… to keep becoming who you are… you just have to let go… and let God. As time passes… people move on… relationships change… but even though we may have to let go of a person's presence… or nearness… it definitely doesn't mean we have to let go of the precious memories with those people that God blessed us with… or the love you have for those people. God had or still has a reason for me meeting those incredible people… nothing is coincidence… everything is God. Instead of being upset that I don't get to have those people near me anymore… I need to THANK HIM for putting them in our lives in the first place. And I have no doubts that God will continue to put amazing people into my life… as long as a continue to follow him… obey him… put HIM first in my life. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). God gives and he also takes away. But through it all I need to reflect God's glory no matter what… because this life isn't about my happiness. It isn't about whether I have amazing friends around me all the time… or my the love of my life holding my hand… this life isn't about me… it isn't about you… its all about HIM. 

I read this the other day and I found it so interesting… 
"During the Friday of Sufferings… Jesus spoke 13 times. 10 of those remarks were to or about God. Nearly 80% of his comments were to Heaven. Jesus talked or thought about God all day long." 
Okay so…the next time you have a "season of Fridays" ask yourself… "does God consume 80% of my thoughts?" 

Anyone can make it through change by pondering God's permanence… Anyone can survive rejection by meditating on God's acceptance. "Think about the things of Heaven, not the things of Earth" (Colossians 3:2). "For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever" (2 Corinthians 4:18) 
God's solution is a prayer away 
"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." (1 Peter 5:7) 

Gosh, I didn't realize how much I had written until now. It's just that God has been speaking to me this past week oh so much. And this is just what has been on my heart. I have no idea if anyone is even reading this… and quite honestly… I'm not worried about it ;) haha. Anyways… I do know that this was written merely for the glory of God. I still struggle with these issues… and it seems like the more I keep my mind on it… the more I talk about it… the more I tell others about it… the simpler it gets to deal with. For those of you who DID read this… I pray that you got something out of it… and didn't feel it was a waste of time to read.