Cashing In

I have a choice you know. I have the choice to not just SAY I have joy, freedom and LIFE in Christ but to LIVE as though I posses those things. It will make or break how I feel at the end of the day. Case and point: lately, when my head hits the pillow at night, I feel exhausted, tired, worn out and just plain annoyed at life. How is this possible? My life is SO full. The Lord has given me so much, blessed me with so many things, and yet most of my days I am stressed, befuddled, annoyed and vexed because my blessings are wearing me out. Now that sounds backwards and inside-out doesn't it?

So today, I'm taking a step backwards. I'm surveying my life from a distant view and what I see is this: A mother who is tired, a wife who is worn out, and a daughter of the King who desperately needs to gather strength from the right source. The only source that really will fill her. You see, I keep trying to RUN my stress off,(via my treatmill) or CLEAN my stress off (via my home) or CHAT my stress of (sorry Amy to always subject you to that) or COMPLAIN my stress off (sorry husband). None of those avenues work! They fail time and time again...SO why OH why is it so hard to turn to my Father who loves me best, cares for me best and fills me the most?

He has the best solutions to my problems, the best answers to my questions and the best rest for my aching, tired body and soul.

Don't you think it's time I cashed in on what I already posses? I do.

We are to walk in confidence (as we walk with Christ) Live with joy (as we live with Christ) Minister (with the strength He provides) and Care for our families ( with the means only He can give). If I am doing all of those things, but feel the way I do, then I truly am not doing them in the power of Christ, but in the power of ME and that power fades in a moments time.

My attitude and life are living proof of that!

See, Christ tells me that I'm a new creation in Him...that when I am weary, I am to turn to Him, that He is the only one who gives water that will last (water that will sustain me) and that He bore all my sin and shame once and for all on the cross so I need not walk around with burdens of past sin on my shoulders! All those things are tried and true truths from the word of God.

BUT...am I cashing in on those things or am I still trying to carry my own weight? Pay my own debts and shine my own light to see? I am most days. I want to move away from that and lean into Christ and all the blessings that He has to offer...blessings that are available to anyone who comes to Father, kneels at the foot of the cross and a says, "Not in my strength Lord, but yours..." and then, as we rise, and carry on our business, I can say with confidence that we will be a stronger person, a more peaceful person and a more joy filled person because we took the time to kneel at the cross.

I'm going to be on my knees here today for a while, and if any of you care to join me, it's a great place to start.

OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BY THY NAME...THY KINGDOM COME THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS HEAVEN. GIVE ME THIS DAY, MY DAILY BREAD, AND FORGIVE ME MY DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS. LEAD ME NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELI EVER ME FROM EVIL FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE GLORY, FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.....