I have been overwhelmed with the process of eliminating things from my life. Even though I sold a great deal of my belongings in an estate sale, I still have to get rid of more. I decided to put some of the smaller, easier mailed items on eBay. The painting you see on the left is one of those items (/link).
Bit by bit our lives are changed--from within and without. We process that which does not work in our lives and we eliminate its place in our routine, lifestyle, or mental and emotional well-being. It is almost an act of self-preservation. Sadly, some never learn to eliminate that which is harmful to themselves or becomes extra baggage on their mind and spirit. They do not break destructive habits, they cling to past grievances, they wallow in self-pity, and they refuse to eliminate that which is devouring their joy, happiness, and productivity.
There also comes a time in which we must accept ourselves as we are-- our lot in life, so to speak. We must understand and recognize our limitations. We must yield to the hand of God and accept the garden in which we've been planted and blossom as He allows. Not every preacher is meant to be a great theologian, nor every fireman a celebrated hero. Not every athelete is destined to win the Olympic Gold Medal, nor every writer the Pullitzer Prize. Not every team wins the Super Bowl or player catches the winning touchdown. Not every pitcher pitches a no-hitter but, nevertheless, he continues to pitch regardless of the outcome of his last game or the success of the last batter before him. Not every act we make succeeds. Not every word we say is quotable or notable. Some efforts we make in life are simple and meaningful in ways we will never know this side of eternity.
In life we are given opportunities and have choices to make. We meet several crossroads, and encounter intersections in which we must turn one way or another, or follow the pathway forward (sometimes we must turn back). In my life, the most invaluable scripture has been, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding, but in all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6
Many times in my 63-plus years I have made horrible choices. I trusted my own understanding. I never gave God a thought. In some decisions, I thought of God, but my whole heart skipped a beat or two, and self-centered desires superceded those which honored Him. Oddly, as much as I credit the better steps I took in life, much of who I am today is a result of the bad choices and poor choices of others who affected me emotionally. Abandonment. Neglect. Divorce. Abuse. Criticism. Each of these things played a role in shaping my choices and personal decisions today.
The break-through moment in my life was when I gave Jesus the reins to my life. I wanted Him in control, instead of me. As I yield more and more of myself to His guidance, faith takes me where I never dreamed of going. There comes a time in life when we either allow life's trials and heartache to set our feet in the cement of negativity, or we pull out the chisel and chip away at the concrete that binds us emotionally, mentally and spiritually. The process of elimination. If we do not eliminate the baggage, we lug it around with us and into every relationship we have. We unpack the stinky thing and let it define the relationships we have with others in a very negative way. Then we add to the chunk of cemented bitterness, anger, fear, and distrust as we move onto another relationship, job, or challenge.
Throughout my life I have had to eliminate thoughts of broken relationships which brought me pain. One of the greatest books I ever read on that is "Healing For Damaged Emotions" by David A. Seamands (see give away below). Comment below and I'll put you in a drawing to receive a copy. I only have one left of several I bought to give as gifts. This book was truly a God-send when I lost my son. It helped me process the loss I experienced and the overwhelming grief that consumed my every thought. If you don't win in the drawing, then I strongly recommend you purchase Seamands' little 142-page volume for your library.
Friends, I pray God gives you the desire to let go and begin eliminating the heartache in your life. I pray God opens your eyes to the splendor of living free in His presence. I pray He gives you the peace that only He can give in this world. In Him are the desires of our hearts. We really do not know what our fondest desires are. We think we do. But the more we eliminate the cemented past, the closer we get to the person God intends us to be. There's real solid meaning in the word "repent"--to turn away from the comfort we of clinging to the past and what we think is important and turn into God's path to what is best and vital. May your journey take you higher each day and you find the grace to grow in His presence. selahV
[DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT TO ENTER THE DRAWING FOR "HEALING FOR DAMAGED EMOTIONS"
