Having just traveled a few states to work in the summer heat, it was admirable how upbeat the youth were. Their mission trip involved hard work laboring to repair homes and make helpful upgrades.
They spent a lot of time in one house rebuilding part of a damaged wall. Everything from measuring to cutting to patching to painting was involved.
But when they got there the next morning, the wall was broken through again.
An angry, intoxicated individual had decided to smash it in. Chances were, if they fixed it, he’d do it again.
You can probably imagine how they felt.
Although that example is extreme, we live in cycles bound mutually by futility and purpose every day.
Outwardly We are Wasting Away
You wash your clothes, and then you dirty them. You do an honest day’s work, and then you have to do it again. You make money, then you spend it. You eat food, and then you…you know.
All things material in this life are wasting away. Even the stuff that can be used for eternal purposes, like spiritually rich books. Or the money we save up to give away. Even the bodies we work hard to take care of have an end.
We live a cycle of do, undo, do again. Share on XInwardly We are Being Renewed Day by Day
God tells us that those who trust in Him are lifted up on eagle’s wings and made able to walk and not grow weary. He promises to make us new. Every day, He says, He offers renewal to our souls.
The Holy Spirit- the very Spirit of God that has conquered death- is living inside of us. God intends for His Spirit in us to change us. His preoccupation has always been building into eternity, which means building His people.
Reassessing Our Focus
When you think about it…
It’s a little silly how much of our energy, concern, and prayer is wrapped up in what’s wasting away. Share on XWe ask God all the time to change “things” and fix “stuff” and heal what is going to die someday. It’s not wrong.
But there’s also value in asking God to change hearts and fix perspectives and heal what lasts for eternity.
I know in my heart, changing this focus in prayer lessens the waste of frustration I have with the material, circumstantial, and ultimately temporal.
When our living-cycles have spun round their last, I hope our prayers reflect a rhythm that resonated into the everlasting.
If you're weary of praying for things to change, it may be that the change you're really looking for is more personal. Share on X
This post may also be shared on: #MomentsofHope, #DreamTogetherLinkup, #TestimonyTuesday, #RaRaLinkup, #TeaAndWord, #TellHisStory, #RechargeWednesday, #Thought-Provoking Thursday, #Heart Encouragement, #LiveFreeThursday, #DanceWithJesus, #LLMLinkup, Faith-Filled Friday, Sitting Among Friends, Fresh Market Friday, and #SoulSurvivalLinkup.
Leave a Reply