Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Tug-of-War

Did you like playing tug-of-war as a child? I remember playing at recess or in P.E. class. It was one of my favorite games, I'll admit. I am very competitive by nature and this was the one game that gave me extra help to win the game! The best games, though were those that went back and forth between teams, not really sure who would have the victory, but persevering through the struggle with all the strength one could muster. And, oh the victory at the end of such games!

Sometimes, I feel as if my journey as a Christian is like a tug-of-war match. I've come to the point in my journey that I am ok with the fact that I have questions, that some of my questions will not have answers in my time on this earth, and it's ok to wrestle with my doubts. I've also learned that many other Christians wrestle with doubts as well. I've learned to tackle my doubts and answer my questions with words of Truth, words that have been given to me by the Word of God to use in my times of doubt, so that life may feel like a game of tug-of-war, but I know in the end, Who has won the victory for me.

In a world where there is so much pain and suffering, it's difficult to have all the answers; really, it's impossible. Yet, we want the answers and it becomes so simple to discount God and who He truly is because we can't explain Him in our terms. Why can't we be content with the fact that we may not have all the answers today, but one day, our understanding will be complete? There is so much about our Lord that we in our humanness cannot understand, yet on that glorious day when we are with Him for eternity, will see clearly. So, for now, I will continue to question and yet I will continue to believe, knowing I am not God, only created in His image to be like Him. In times of doubt and questioning, I know that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow because He has told me He is. The world changes and evil continues to plague creation, aiming to cloud our judgment and clarity. Now more than ever is the time to let go of the rope and give Him the lead.

"I don't think the way you think. The way you work isn't the way I work. For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think. Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don't go back until they've watered the earth, doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, so will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do, they'll complete the assignment I gave them." ~Isaiah 55:10-11 (The Message)



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