Still Standing While Wrestling With the DarkNäide

Standing in the Light

It’s hard to find joy when life is not enjoyable.

I heard a pastor once say that change only comes when we get sick and tired of ourselves. When the pain of staying the same is too great to bear. That was where I was at. I had spent a lot of time trying to change someone else. But I can’t control others—I can only control myself, and I was sick of living miserable. So, it was time for a change!

I sought wisdom and reorganized my life. I threw things out and cleaned up my eating. I began focusing on creating space in my life to simply rest. I began listing all the things I was grateful for each day. I changed my habits because change comes when we change our habits.

God was doing a new thing in my life!

As I implemented change, change was happening. So, I kept moving forward with change.

My kids’ father had bad seasonal allergies, so we had always kept the windows closed year-round for him. Now that he was gone, my dad came over and helped me put screens in every window of my home. Then we opened the windows and let the fresh breeze flow through the house. It was fabulous! I could hear the birds chirp, the rain hitting the pavement, and the crickets at night. It was all joyful music to our ears. We left those windows open day and night for weeks and we loved it!

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:19 NIV

God continued to do new things in my life!

I was living loved. I was letting the simple gifts that God gives us each day through his creation be my joy. Life was becoming more enjoyable.

Friend, if something isn’t right in your life, fix it!

Satan wants us to feel trapped and like change will never come. Do not believe his lies. God did this for me, and you have the same God as I do. He will do it for you too if you will daily implement the change that is required for change.

With God’s help we can overcome!