“An ongoing problem is like a tutor who is always by your side. The learning possibilities are limited only by your willingness to be teachable.”  (Sarah Young–Jesus Calling)

It seems as if life of late has had more than its share of ongoing problems.  There was our vacation which was quite problematic. The next disruption came with health problems experienced by my husband for which he is still undergoing tests.  This week has been one of extreme behavior problems involving our son, Ben, who is autistic. Over the past two weeks, I have been battling a mysterious, terribly itchy rash that seems to cover more of my body each day. (Could it be brought on by stress!)

To be quite honest, all this has thrown me into an ongoing battle against depression. In the midst of seeking God in all of this, I have been fighting the urge to make plans and send out invitations to my own “Pity Party.” Why…I don’t know.  Pity Parties never end well and are, of course, really no fun at all.  I, of all people should know this by now!

In the past, I would have shut down on God, thinking surely this was some form of ongoing punishment that I deserved. That kind of thinking is a real relationship breaker, causing me to become angry and hopeless  and distant from God…my choice, not His.

Though Satan often tempts me down that same path, I have learned to counter those temptations by praising God for the awesome blessings He bestows on me each day.  I do my best to be objective in searching for God’s plan for me in the midst of these difficult times. How is He using these events to mature me in my relationship with Him?  Am I holding on as tightly to His hand as He is mine through the storms and trials that come? (Isaiah 41:13) Am I being teachable?

Then there is the sovereignty and supremacy of God in which I must totally put my faith and trust. He has a plan and a purpose for my life.  Though times have been trying, I still want nothing less than all that God wants for me. I relinquish what I think is best for me to what He knows will most prepare me for His purpose now and down the road.

In the process, I fight for joy and I battle Satan with the word of God and every attribute I know to be true of my Heavenly Father, who works all things together for my good. (Romans 8:28) The energy for these efforts come only in God’s mercies that are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23) And because I struggle with old lies and deceptions, I ask God to create a clean heart in me and renew a steadfast spirit in me every morning when I rise.  (Psalm 51:10)

If we are not teachable, willing to be grounded in the word of God and submitting to His sovereignty in our lives, we will continually find ourselves banging our heads against the proverbial wall…angry, doubting, questioning God’s love for us, playing right into Satan’s hands.

There is no time to waste! This world is desperately in need of teachable Christians that God can use in a world that is spiraling out of control, where good has become bad and bad is considered good. Open your eyes to the world around you and determine to part of the solution.  There is no time for pity parties, only time for action to be a light in this world which is being consumed by darkness.

If Jesus were to return today, what would He find you doing for Him and for His Kingdom? Hopefully I won’t be putting up decorations for my Pity Party.  “As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once.” (A. W. Tozer)  Sounds like a plan to me! To God Be the Glory!

(Please forgive all the mistakes that went out with the original post. Log back in for the corrected post. I hit “post” before the proof read!)