It’s so easy to glamorize the highlights of life. You know. The milestones. The celebrations. The good times. Take my life for example. I have a really stellar social life. It’s ridiculous really. Every weekend there is something to do and someone to hang with. I’m often overwhelmed with the pull I feel to spread my time amongst family/friends and make sure I get that much needed downtime to recuperate. But trust me, I make sure to get my downtime :-). So my social life is amazing and I can easily plaster my social media sites with the good times. The cute pics. The social outings. The really great outfits I’ve acquired as of late ;-). And sometimes I do. Because that’s part of how I show my gratefulness to the Lord for His restoration in my life. But the truth of the matter is, there are as many lowlights going on as there are highlights. The lowlights of day in day out sitting in a cube for 7 years. The bi-monthly dread I experience when carrying in the multiple bags of groceries up a serious flight of stairs and no one to assist in this endeavor. The dread of taking out the trash myself. Attending a faith gathering for 7 years that is out of my comfort zone. And crying myself to sleep.
There are many nights I have cried myself to sleep.
But hasn’t everyone? The truth of the matter is, life is not one-sided. As much as I wanted it to be. I’ll be honest. I desired the “perfect” life. There is a part of my personality that is a romantic. That is drawn to the picturesque idea of the ideal and wants the highlights ALL THE TIME. But that is just not the case. And I’m finally seeing why.
I’m reading a book called “Breaking the Serpent Code”. It talks about how in the beginning, the fall of mankind distorted humanity’s DNA. So instead of man’s nature and character exhibiting that of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, it took on the essence of the Serpent. And thus, as Adam and Eve reproduced, humanity’s DNA/Serpent’s DNA reproduced as well. Instead of love and selflessness, man’s nature was now rooted in Self. Ego. Pride.
The good news is Christ reversed the curse when He came. The sad news is, very few of His people are awakened to it. So even His body is heavily functioning in Self. Ego. Pride. Yours truly included. That is why the ideal does not exist. That is why we have lowlights as well as highlights.
But there is more good news! The process of sanctification exists and so as we partner with Christ and agree with His path for us, we can once again manifest His nature and character. But not all will do this, simply because this is no easy path. It is narrow and difficult to navigate. It, in fact, causes one to let go of all other dependencies and rely solely on Him.
That is why I cry sometimes. Because there is nothing to hold onto but His Spirit. And it is His Spirit that comforts me when I feel this way. It is His Spirit that holds me tightly, keeping me on this path of life. Leading me forward as I walk by faith, one step at a time.
SHALOM
