circumstances

Broken Hearts – Broken Dreams – Broken Trust

Consider the following phrases. Work hard. Laborious effort means success and then doors to dreams will open. Others respond well to success. Hard work will get you where you want to go. Learn to live up to expectations. Hard work helps make the sacrifices of those who love you seem worthwhile. Be strong. Don’t disappoint.

She was not a beauty, and average in just about everything. She didn’t really having a single, outstanding talent, but was willing to spend hours in becoming a stellar student. She maintained a GPA worthy of receiving awards and recognition. In her senior year, an offer of full tuition to a well-known university was awarded. So it seemed, she could excel, with no need to rely upon anyone else but her own relentless drive and hard work.

Back then, she would have proudly told you she could do anything. With enough hard work, she would have the life she dreamed. Dependence on others showed weakness. She was convinced that she was solely responsible for the direction of her life. In fact, it was critical to take pride in yourself and your accomplishments in order to achieve goals. Help was seldom needed. Confidence in one’s self was unquestionably the key.

Confidence that proved she could do it all. Until that one day. Suddenly unable to direct her future. No matter how hard she tried, something she could not fix presented itself. For the first time, hard work and self-assurance, and doing the “right” things, didn’t produce the expected outcome. This was unimaginable. A total failure. It was at that lowest point she was forced to accept she lacked the power to determine the direction of her life. The independence and confidence that had always empowered, suddenly felt empty. Just about everyone around her bailed out. No one liked failure. It didn’t matter who was to blame. What happened?

Human reality. Sin. Self. Actions born out of pride, always looking for something more, something better. People tiring of imagined promises of happiness. Decisions made to end relationships that required more effort than seemed reasonable. Responsibilities seeming overwhelming. Then, after the bomb dropped, before the dust was even settled, came the realization that the source of her identity, fulfillment and hope wasn’t to be found in the person she originally thought was the answer to her future. The “I do’s”, the “I will’s”, the vows, all cast aside. Sin. Man’s sin. It happens. All the time. I am guilty. You are guilty. The affects are strong. Often pointed to those ignorant and unsuspecting. Often to those who have learned to rely on self because they are so engrossed at making things seem right that they don’t see what’s going on around them. Often to those who have fooled themselves into thinking they controlled the direction of their life. Most often to those who look to themselves for happiness and success. Always to those who hold themselves in greater esteem than their Savior.

Broken hearts, broken dreams, broken confidences stem from confused hearts, self-serving dreams, and misplaced trust.

Jeremiah understood his need of God. He desired God’s direction. Instead of being proud, he humbly acknowledged his weakness. Jer 10:23 I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself; nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.

The Bible supports the truth of God being in control of all things. Read these verses from Proverbs.

Pr 16:9 The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

Pr 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, But the counsel of the LORD, it will stand.

No one wants to be dependent upon another. It seems weak. It feels disqualifying and restricting. Yet our relationship with God is built on dependence. Total dependence. We are unable to bring anything to the table of our own accord. We need His grace and mercy in all things. Complete dependence. Absolute reliance upon God.

Because God loves us, His grace is often shown through the consequences He allows in our lives. The horrific consequences of sin. Then, we fall to our knees, prostrate before Him. Crying to Him for help as our life support.

Ps 116:6 The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.

Is this a sign of weakness or wisdom? Both!

Recognizing our weakness bears the mark of wisdom. Understanding our dependence on God frees us from depending upon ourselves and others to make life meaningful.

Click here for continued study…

You know how you suggest to others different Bible verses to help with whatever circumstances they are facing? Usually, those scriptures stick in our mind because they have been instrumental in our own lives.

One of my favorite sections of scripture is familiar to most believers. It begins in Philippians Chapter 4 verse 6. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. To be anxious means to be disquieted, to be worried or nervous or uneasy. We are commanded to not be troubled by anything at all! Easier said than done, right? Instead of being worried we are to earnestly pray, presenting our requests to God. The result promised, when this is done, is peace – the opposite of a disquieted spirit – a quiet, restful, serenity of mind. These two verses go on to say that we cannot even begin to understand how peace can enter into our troubled hearts but, when we obey and act according to God’s word, it does and the result is a heart and mind that is protected in Christ Jesus.

The first time I truly studied this scripture in a pen-to-the-paper practical mode, I was in California and my son and his wife lived across the country. My young daughter-in-law was found to have an extremely large tumor which would require immediate and extensive surgery, followed by a long recovery and the question of whether pregnancy would ever be possible. It’s in those times especially that you feel the distance of miles that separate you from loved ones. I was unable to sleep and was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed by circumstances. It’s so cool how God uses His word to direct us to the place He wants us. I was led to Philippians 4 and when I carefully read verse eight, God showed me clearly there was a very practical exercise that would direct my thoughts to a place of rest. This was the first time I took out my notebook and physically wrote a list according to the categories in Phil 4:8: (I’ve done this several times since.)

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.”

After completing my list of all that was absolute truth, the facts; all that was honest and honorable; all that was just and pure and acceptable; and so forth, in connection with my son and his wife and the challenge they were facing, I had so much to ponder of God’s grace in their lives that my heart was put at rest once again.

There is a saying: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. How about adding to that? When life gives you lemons, make lemonade and dwell on God’s Truth – then you will be refreshed both inside and out! Dwelling on Truth – an incredible, practical remedy for discouragement. Sometimes life can seem overwhelmingly complicated, confusing, unfair and downright depressing.

Have you been in a place where you’ve almost had to physically will yourself to remain hopeful and joyful in the things that were true and honest and good so that the things that were unfair and dishonest and bad were unable to find a dwelling place in your heart? God understands and He offers His Divine direction.

Once again, in Philippians 4:9, God promises his peace with us as we seek to follow Him.

Php 4:9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.

When tears are at the surface, when the words don’t come, when you are tired and feel like giving up, or you don’t know which way to turn, focus heavenward. God’s prescription for healing has already been written.

Tag: circumstances

Broken Hearts

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Make Lemonade

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