Thursday, April 23, 2009

My portion. My cup.

My Mom reminded me of this encouragement from Elisabeth Elliot's book "Keep a Quiet Heart" (one of my favorites!)

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (1 Cor 10:13)

Think of that promise and keep a quiet heart! Our enemy delights in disquieting us. Our Savior delights in quieting us. "As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you." is His promise (Is 66:13). The choice is ours. It depends on our willingness to see everything in God, receive all from His hand, accept with gratitude just the portion and the cup He offers. Shall I charge Him with a mistake in His measurements or with misjudging the sphere in which I can best learn to trust Him? Has He misplaced me? Is He ignorant of things or people which, in my view, hinder my doing His will?

God came down and lived in the same world as a man. He showed us how to live in this world, subject to it's vicissitudes and necessities, that we might be changed- not into an angel or a storybook princess, not wafted into another world, but changed into saints in this world. The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.

He whose heart is kind behond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly it's part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling til with peace and rest.
-Lina Sandell
Now just to clarify I don't in any way view Miya as a "trial" she is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received! But the new responsibilities and the dying of my selfishness is the biggest battle, and caring for a newborn has a unique way of bringing out selfish tendencies. Although I must say loving and caring for Miya is surely a delight! I am still a selfish person, and am learning daily to battle it! I have thought things like: "being a Mother will get easier when she is sleeping through the night" or "once she doesn't need to eat as often we will be able to get out a lot more" or "how long until Lew and I can get out together, just the 2 of us?" etc... So often I find myself looking ahead to the promised "comforts" of tomorrow thinking that "then I will find rest". But in looking ahead I am often missing God's provision today, He is providing rest (even in the midst of sleepless nights), rest just comes in different forms right now! Last night it came in the form of a sweet husband and a sleeping baby that allowed a 2 hour nap after dinner. The truth is God is here in the midst of my current circumstances working on my heart and providing rest in the most unexpected ways. My prayer is that I will learn to look for those "rest stops" throughout the day. Which is hard for me because I am very good at relying on my own strength.

Lord thank you that the solution is Christ in me....not me in a different set of circumstances! Help me not to rush past this sweet season you have me in by looking to the next one as "easier" but instead let me see this as "my portion" and my "cup":
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
Psalm 16: 5-6


1 comment:

Brandy said...

Don't feel bad about sleeping whenever she sleeps. It was hard for me to do that (my pride) but the lack of sleep caught up with me and it wasn't good at all. So, rest with your girlie!