BUILDING BLOCKS

Sometimes it’s the little things that all pile together; much like wooden blocks that little hands stack. One by one they go up, higher and higher. The pile starts to tilt a little to the left so the next block is put on a tad to the right. Things are shaky but everything is still ok; the blocks still stand. But each block from this point on creates more instability until the last tiny, little block put on sends the tower crashing down. And such is life sometimes.

Doctor appointment and a round of antibiotics. Block.

A teething baby. Block.

Busyness. Block.

Another doctor appointment and another round of antibiotics. Block.

Tiredness. Block.

Anxiousness. Block.

Work stress. Block.

Cranky baby. Block.

Washer and dryer break. Block.

Fighting. Block.

Bad news. Block.

Dog gets mud all over the house. Block.

Can’t catch up on laundry. Block.

More doctor appointments. Block.

House is a mess. Block

More busyness. Block.

Exhaustion. Block.

Crash.

I keep telling myself things will get better, that this too shall pass. And it helps. I take a deep breath and I get through it. I pray for patience and strength. I do what I need to do and try to do it with a smile. But sometimes in life the hits just keep on a coming and my smile turns into a grimace. Fortunately, it’s not huge, catastrophic events that leave me with a lump in my throat and a weight on my chest. It’s all these little, tiny events that just keep adding up. I feel guilt for not being able to hold it all together, for feeling stressed and frazzled. So many people have it worse than me, I should be able to handle these 4 kids and my life right now. I should be able to handle this cranky 1 year old who leaves me feeling exhausted more days than not.

I desire to have it together All. The. Time. Any other “I want to have it together all of the time” people out there? I hate it when I struggle. I hate it when life catches up to me and I feel like I can’t breathe. I hate it when I feel like I should be doing better. I hate it when the tiny, little block sends my tower crashing down.

Have you been here too?

Do you feel guilt because there are other people out there with much more hard things going on in their lives, and right now you feel like you can’t even handle your life? Do you feel like a failure?

Humility.

I can’t handle it all.

My pride deceives me.  It tells me that I can and should be able to handle all of these things and that I’m a failure because I struggle at times.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

This was Paul speaking. At the time he was doing great works for the Lord but he had a thorn in his flesh. The bible never speaks of what the thorn was but it caused him rejection, hardships and sufferings. Paul pleaded for the Lord to take the thorn away, but He never did. Instead He told him he would be given God’s grace to bear it. And Paul rejoiced in his sufferings, in his weaknesses.

My power and strength comes from Him, not by my own fleshly doing.

My “thorns” will not all be removed by Him, nor will yours. Some will, but some wont. Old ones will wither away, but new ones may sprout up. I can pray and hope and wish, but Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33)

This means there will probably be more strep throat diagnoses in my future. More doctor appointments. More busyness. More exhaustion. More thorns in my flesh.

I am weak. I can’t handle it all on my own. But with God, I can get through anything. I will not always react the right way, my emotions will sometimes take over, I will at times be frustrated with my kids, with my circumstances, with my life and I will fail. Many times I’m sure. My blocks will crash down with a deafening boom.

But you know what the great thing about blocks is? You can re-build. Again. And again. And again. In-between your blocks of hardships, reinforce your tower with large blocks of truth.

“I can do all things with Christ.” Block.

“I am a child of God.” Block.

“He is for me, not against me.” Block.

“I am loved.” Block.

“I am precious in His sight.” Block.

“I am strong through Him.” Block.

“His mercies are new every morning.” Block.

“He has overcome the world.” Block.

“He remains faithful forever.” Block.