Life is a Piece of Cake

Dear Lord, I read some scripture yesterday morning and went back to it again this morning because I just can not seem to let it go.

Col. 1: 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

This is Paul talking to the church and I think it is the church of Laodicea. Anyway, I think there are times I buy into the lie from the "defeated one" that life should be easy, fun, exciting, and blessed as long as we are living for Him. Now to the degree of living "for" Him can and will be different for each person. And I also think there is probably a bit of irony in that distant thing. The closer one thinks they are to Him and living for Him is probably the one that is the farthest from Him. Because I have found and heard from others walking with the Lord, the closer you get to the Lord sometimes the further away you feel because you see how much grace He really does have for you and how lowly we are compared to His greatness and righteousness. ok - that was a tangent. At least YOU know my thoughts!

So I begin to believe the lie of life should be great and then tragedy hits or even there is just simply a bad day. I begin to question it all and wonder what happen to my Rock, my Shelter, my Joy, my good day... Well, just as physical fitness is a struggle and I am moaning and straining and hurting through my new workouts and running, so is the spiritual life. That verse above says that Paul was "struggling with all his energy". The struggling there is translated to mean a competition, a fight to win, to exert much effort , struggle with much intensity and concentration. That is what this Christian life is to be like. We are fighting some dark forces that I really have no idea about, but my God does and I praise Your name for that! Lord, I understand that life will not always be easy even when I believe that I deserve it to be or I expect it to be.

I listened to a friend of mine, Micca Campbell, her taped testimony and she has been through a "struggle" to say the least. At 21 she was a widow and brand new mom. She calls all that she has gone through a "hard" gift. I love that perspective You have given her Lord. She knows that everything she is given is a gift from You and one that we many times will have to struggle through. I know Satan wanted to eat her up and make her turn her face from the Lord. But no! You met her at her deepest pain and swept her up and kept her close. You never let go of Your children even when it feels like the struggle is too much to bear.

But I am remind of the awesome thing at the end of that phrase. "with all his energy". That is Living out the Joy of Jesus. You are going through this life of Christianity, struggling to fight the good fight and yet it is in His power and through His strength "with all his energy". You do not expect us to fight on our own. In fact You want us to give it all over to You and You carry the burden or even the bad day! And when I am able to do that I am just rolling in, basking in, and living in the Joy of Jesus. I have Your peace, I have Your joy, and I have You! So whatever the struggle I am going through - I am to give it over to You and with all your energy - energy that never runs out - keep pressing on to fight the good fight!

Life is not a piece of cake, but You are sweeter than any dessert! Please help me to not buy the lie any longer or expect things to roll my way. I must struggle - in life, in ministry, and in my pursuit to know You more!!! Thank you Jesus! I love you!