I won't lie and say it has been an easy week, month or even year. I am blessed with so much and yet I still find my heart aching for more out of this short life.
I want to travel, I want to get married, I want to have kids, I want to be able to photograph life as my full time job, I want a home of my own, I want to not have to worry about money.
I want.
I think that has truly been my struggle. Wanting everything I don't have and ignoring all the amazing gift God has already placed in my life.
I find myself continually focusing on the hard parts of life, and not enjoying the little moments that are meant to bring pure joy to my heart.
Honestly, I feel like I was really on a roll with this blog, like I was finally putting into words everything that I was feeling, like I had clarity. I know that I started this blog for a purpose and I think thats why it has already become difficult to articulate my heart into words. Even this post, is a struggle.
But isn't the struggle a huge part of life?
With out struggling through certain aspect of our lives, how could we fully know and enjoying the blessings God gives to us. If everything was peachy keen all the time, what kind of life would that be?
We wouldn't be able to appreciate the good simple things in life, why would we?
When we are having a trial, we commonly simplely overlook the things and people that God has specifically placed in our life to help get us through it.
Let's take a theoredical journey to explore this concept a tad further.
You trained for a full year, you have won every race this season, and this is the final most important race you have yet to compete in. You take your mark, you inhale deeply, your ready. The gunfires, and you spring into motion. You keep your pace steady, propelling your whole being forward, you've reached the final stretch, your in the lead.
Your going to win.
SNAP .
Your on the ground, in absolute agony. All your competitors flying past you.
You have a choice to make.
Forfeit the race or finish.
You start to struggle to your feet, but fall back down. Your unable to finish.
A hand wraps around your back, you feel an arm start to support you as you are pulled to your feet, it's her. The girl that has been your rival all season. The one to beat.
No words need to be said. In an instant your slowly moving forward, inching towards the finish line. As your whole body screams at you in pain to stop, your mind knows that you must complete this. She gave up her win to help you, she turned around, she came back for you. You can only hope that if the tables were turned that you would have made the same decision.
There it is, you have reached the finish line. And only because of the girl that you have battled against for the last few months.
Six weeks later, you are recovering and this person is someone you now consider a very good friend. She s kind, generous, loving, and always supportive.
God place her in your race for a reason. He knew that you couldn't finish that race without help, He knew you would fall.
He places people in our life to support us, and us in others lives to support them.
Sometimes they are the people we least expect. I know in my life, that has been the case over the last year. The person I trust the most, the one I tell almost everything too, the one that means the most to me, is someone I never would have seen coming.
I never expected to have such a bond with this person, and I am eternally grateful they were brought into my life. I have learned from them, laughed with them, cried with them, and shared my heart with them. I never would have thought after our first meeting (which to be honest, was pretty dang awkward) that I would the relationship I do now with them.
What a blessing.
So let's try not to focus on the hardship itself, but the blessings we receive through it.
If you hadn't fallen in the race, you never would have been picked up by such an amazing person.
If I hadn't met my best friend, at a random gathering, and had a awkward first encounter that we both laugh about now, I wouldn't have them in my life. God brought this person to me at exactly the right time, He brought them right when I needed.
I am grateful for that.
So enjoy the struggle, because from that struggle sometimes the biggest, most unexpected blessing are welcomed into our life. Be thankful for the hard moments, so we can appreciate the good ones.
We learn from dark times in our life. It's God allowing us hurt so we can heal and realize we need to rely fully on Him to bring us back into the light.
The photo above is a excerpt from my journal:
"He brought me through all He did for a reason, so stop being afraid and speak of His greatness!"
Be Grateful, Be courageous, Be strong.
Be ready to struggle.
This is your Father, teaching you a valuable lesson so later help you teach someone else that every same lesson.
Start Each Day Ready.
