Many people walk around in life with the attitude that life isn't fair. They are upset that they missed out on something in life or that they lost something in life or that life is easier for others than them. They live life jealous, angry, bitter, depressed, and defeated because life isn't the way they feel it should be for them.
Weeelll, I hate to tell you this if you're one of those people but LIFE ISN'T FAIR! God never promised it would be fair. You must just accept that and move on. Acceptance of a situation as fact, as the way it is, is the first step to moving past it and having peace about it. It will not mean the situation has changed or fixed but it will mean that you can have a different attitude. There will always be someone somewhere that will have a life situation that is worse than yours or that makes them feel life is unfair. Move past the jealousy and realize that someone somewhere is jealous of you! For instance, while you may feel it isn't fair that your baby has not slept through the night yet at age one and you are completely sleep deprived; there is another parent somewhere that is jealous you have a typical, healthy baby while they struggle with medical trial after medical trial. Yet another parent is feeling life is unfair because they lost their child. These are extreme examples but for every person feeling life is unfair because they were not blessed with a pretty face (in their opinion) or a great body shape there is someone else wishing they had better hair or height or weight. Yet others are jealous because someone has a better paying job while they struggle to make ends meet.
The point is, instead of getting upset that "life isn't fair" or over the lemons handed you in life --- make some lemonade from those lemons! Make the best of it. You can sit around whining and complaining or you can do what you can in the situation to make it better and push through the rough times and plunge ahead. Try being thankful for what IS RIGHT and what you DO HAVE -- life will be much sweeter that way!
So start making some lemonade or better yet...
Cuz dessert is much more soothing! hee hee
No matter how you slice it, life is ever changing. There are different seasons and with them blessings and trials go hand in hand. Though each season may have different blessings and trials...they still have both.
Remember when you were a child and life was simple and had little responsibility? In this season of life (though some children endure much heartache and grief), in general, kids have most necessities given to them and life consists of having fun and doing some school work with no thought of keeping the electric on, figuring out their next meal or taking care of a home. The trials may consist of trying to make friends and fit in. Trying to figure out who you are and your place in the world is often difficult at a young age. Many adults still struggle.
Another season of life is entering into marriage. Many blessings come with this stage. Beginning sharing a home and all the newness of the union. Learning all about one another -- up close and personal! Of course this can also be one of the trials! lol Learning the art of compromise and caring for someone else. Trials are different for each couple but mostly it is the learning to deal with one another on a daily basis with all the imperfections that you didn't realize were there before you said "I do".
Next season for most couples is parenthood. So many blessings of joy and fun come with that new baby and each new baby following. The trials are the tiredness, the daily ins and outs of raising the child and the concern that never fully goes away even when they grow up and move out.
The next season is empty nest. Believe it or not there are blessings in this season, too! We had kids young so that we could have them out of the house while we were still young enough to enjoy one another. Bob and I are currently in this season. We have been for some time now. Actually, I reckon we are moved into the next season beyond. We don't have to be careful of how we wander around the house because no little eyes are watching. We have more time for one another and having only us two in the home means less money spent on food, less laundry, etc. The trials are that you miss your children and grandchildren terribly. -- especially if you don't live close to them. Sometimes the house is too quiet.
Empty nest season also coincides with getting older. Blessings in this season are that you have hopefully learned what's important in life, the art of patience, how to better manage your money and appreciation for friends and family. Trials are all the aches and pains and the health issues that come from an aging body and mind.
I recently went with the ladies of our church to a retreat and one of the speakers talked about the seasons of our lives (only she referred to them as quarters for her lesson purpose). She is the one who sparked the idea for this post. She recommended a book called Live Lighter Love Better by Cary Schmidt. I ordered it on Ebay and am in the middle of it right now. The retreat and the messages came at an opportune time for me. I have been feeling unsettled, overwhelmed and not at peace lately and wanting to simplify my life. I hope to apply the lessons from the retreat and from the book to become the person I want to be. I'm sure the book will inspire future posts.
One thing that was mentioned at the retreat is to learn to embrace both the blessings and the trials of each season. The trials are God's way of molding, training and strengthening us. Don't fight against them, embrace them and realize that blessings will come from them in the end.
Deborah & Jael
Judges 4 & 5
This is the jest of that passage...
Deborah was a prophetess & judge over Israel. She sat under a palm tree and judged the children of Israel.
God had allowed King Jabin of Canaan to buy the Israelites and rule over them. Jabin had Sisera, the captain over his army, place soldiers at the gates of the city with swords & spears to make life difficult for the Jews. He also did not allow them to trade or grow crops. This went on for 20 years.
God tells Deborah to call Barak and have him gather 10,000 men and go to Tabor so that God can help him to defeat Sisera. Barak is somewhat of a chicken and tells Deborah that he will only go if she goes with him. Deborah agrees to go but tells him that God says that because he is scared and doesn't trust him, then God will deliver Sisera by a woman's hand.
It says in 4:15 that God discomfited Sisera and when the battle begins he runs away on foot. He flees to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite. At the time, Heber & Jabin were friends so Sisera thought he would be safe at Heber's tent. Jael is kind to Sisera and offers him a place to rest and a blanket. When he asks for a drink of water she steps it up and gives him milk. He tells her to guard the door and tell anyone who comes by to say no one is there. Once he is asleep, she goes to him softly and takes a tent stake and drives it through his temple and into the ground, killing him. She sees Barak coming and goes to him and tells him where to find Sisera. So, God delivered Sisera into the hands of the Israelites through the courage of 2 women!
I want to look at some things we can learn from this story.
I. Draw Your Strength From the Lord - James 4:8
-Deborah must have been a godly woman or God would not have given her the authority or wisdom of be a prophetess & judge over Israel
--be someone God can trust
--pray & search the scriptures for knowledge about how to live your life & to know God better
This will give you strength in times of trouble and your daily walk!
II. A Woman's Strength Should be in Spirit - Prov. 11:16
- While exercise is important to be healthy, it's more important to have a spiritual strength
-women should not try to be masculine and be stronger than men physically - Prov. 20:29
--for the sake of a man's ego men need to feel that they are strong
--men want to feel they are needed for their physical strength & abilities
--men (even strong men) need our emotional strength & encouragement - it's one of the main reasons we were created - to help & encourage them
III. Learn When to be Weak & When to be Strong - Col. 3:18
- there are times, especially when our husbands aren't present, that we must be strong & make decisions & take care of ourselves, the kids & the home
-but when our husband is present they need us to need them
-many women in today's society say they don't need a man & these women often go through one relationship after another
--usually because they try to take charge & do everything including all decisions on their own with no input from the man
--most men find this a turn off - they don't feel needed - they feel they are unnecessary
--God created a desire in men to feel needed by us (really all people want to feel needed and relevant in the world!)
**Deborah went with Barak & gave her moral support but it was Barak who led the army!!
IV. When a Woman is Strong in Spirit, She Creates in Her Husband a Need for Her Presence - Prov. 31:10-12
***Deborah did this with Barak & he wasn't her husband, he was the leader of an army!
-when a woman uses her strength in a proper way & at proper times, like encouraging her husband when he's down or worried, or helping him with whatever he needs, he learns to lean on & trust her
--Barak had become so dependent on Deborah's wisdom that he felt he needed her with him at the battle
-when a woman uses her strength in improper ways & times, her husband seeks to be independent of her
ex:
-challenging his authority in front of the kids
-second guessing his decisions in front of others
-second guessing his decisions on a regular basis
-demanding things be her way
---all of these tear down his emotional well being & causes him to feel incompetent, hurt, angry and WILL cause him to want to be away from her
**Prov. 14:1
V. A Strong Woman Asserts Her Strength Without Sacrificing Her Femininity - Prov. 9:13
-Jael did a brave & strong thing when she killed Sisera
--she did it completely using her feminine resources - being sweet, kind & hospitable
-a woman doesn't have to become like a man to do great things for the Lord
--we don't have to dress, walk, or talk like men, especially men who cuss, drink & act mean and hateful
-it is always appalling to me when I hear women in public cussing and shoving men around - WHAT'S FEMININE ABOUT THAT?!
Let's be strong women of spirit for the Lord and for our husband and be an example to our daughters. How you show your strengths and refrain from them will be how our daughters show or refrain from theirs! - Titus 2:3-5
Extra devotional thought provoker:
Strong Woman VS A Woman of Strength
A strong woman works out everyday to keep her body in shape, but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.
A strong woman is not afraid of anything, but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of fear.
A strong woman will not let anyone get the best of her, but a woman of strength gives the best of herself to everyone.
A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face, but a woman of strength wears grace.
A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey, but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.
