Shading the Shine #2

So how do we stop the storms of life from engulfing us?

How do we stop the waves from relentlessly pounding over us?

How do we stop the wintery seasons of our lives from leaving us cold and alone?

How do we prevent the darkness that presses in from overwhelming our mind, heart and spirit?

All these things press in from outside of us.

Circumstances collide with our comfort zone and plunder us of our peace, reaping stress, fear and anxiety… hopelessness, brokenness and pain… disillusionment, emptiness and hollowness… anger, bitterness and resentment.

They come at us with relentless wave after wave... after wave.

They may attack.

Oh, they WILL attack!! There is no doubt about that.

But one of the hardest things when life throws everything it has against us… is to not crumble, to not break, to not be consumed by all that is happening to us.

Fortunately… we have the Son living inside of us.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

He is the great Overcomer. The Light of the world.

The equipper that pushes back against all that comes against us.

But despite His infallible Presence within us… we still have to CHOOSE to engage Him.

The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 4:4 - “…because the one who is in you, is greater than the one who is in the world.”

We MUST learn to walk in that Truth.

But that Truth is not some abracadabra incantation that we speak and God takes care of everything for us.

We have to walk it out.

We have to choose to ACTIVATE that Truth in our lives.

And that is not always easy.

The circling, opposing circumstances that rally relentlessly against us??... they demand our focus and attention. They consume us completely... and when we linger on those circumstances, we feed the beasts of stress, fear and anxiety… instead of feeding the power of Peace, Assurance and Hope.

So... to tip the scales into our advantage, we MUST truly understand 2 things:

- God’s Sovereignty

- God’s Love

We MUST, in our minds and in our hearts, fortify ourselves with the absolute Sovereignty of God.

He IS unmatched!! He IS above all things!!

He IS immeasurable in power and might!!

NOTHING can compare to Him!!

No situation or circumstance is too much for Him!!

He holds the universe in His hands.

Your storms, your opposing darkness, your trials and challenges are a vapour compared to His greatness, like a candle held up to the sun.

He can over come it ALL.

And He is within you!!

And we must understand the immeasurable Love that He has for each and every one of us.

It is a Love that never fails.

100% unconditional.

There is nothing that you have done or gone through, no mistake or regret, nothing about you - who you are, where you've been, what you've done - that can undermine His Love for you.

Nothing.

His Love for you is unmatched... and completely and unconditionally faithful to you.

His Sovereignty and Power can overcome every circumstance.

But His LOVE for you??… is what compels Him to to extend that Power towards you.

When we can write this on our hearts and impress it in our spirits and fortify it in our minds… then nothing, NOTHING, can prosper against us.

Because truly… “the One who is in you, is greater than the one who is the world.”

So...

We can choose to be overwhelmed.

Defeated.

Or we can choose to OVERCOME and live a life victorious in Jesus.

And when we do??...

Hmmm... that's when we can start living out from under the storms.

That's when our soul can stay warm and nourished in the coldest winters.

That's when our soul can shine warmer and brighter that the darkness pressing in against us.

It's the emotional, spiritual and mental foundation by which you can thrive in the midst of whatever life brings against you.

It's how YOU shine in the hardest of circumstances.

Yes, it hurts. Yes, you're broken. Yes, you're crushed. Yes, you're destitute.

Yes. I completely understand.

I've been there.

In the darkest hour, light shines the brightest.

You can be one of those... who's light shines beautifully, wonderfully.

The victory isn't in darkness retreating.

The victory isn't in wintry seasons coming to an end.

The victory isn't in storms dissipating.

Victory... TRUE victory... is shining in the midst of it all.

Come out of the shadows.

I dare you.

Embrace the Love and Sovereignty of the One who created you and breathed life into bones.

Don't let life... shade your shine!!:)