Don’t Know What You’ve Got Until It’s Gone

If you are a child of the 80’s, you might be humming a rock ballad right now.  However, that is not where I am headed.  Many of us make the statement, “Don ‘t know what you’ve got until it’s gone,” when someone divorces, dies or looses a job, etc.

Today, this thought came to me in an entirely different light.  Gratitude has a way of changing how you view things that otherwise would depress you.  I have some of the most profound thoughts when I am driving or when I am in the shower.  That is proof that God has a sense of humor.  (There’s nowhere to write when driving or taking a shower.)

While in the car,  marveling in the beauty of fall leaves, gratitude filled my heart.   Sometimes, God closes doors.  We fight it.  We wrestle with God to keep us somewhere that we think we need or want to be.  All the while, God is shutting door after door; sending message after message.  We get so caught up in what we don’t have, that we forget to be excited about the exact same thing.  Today, I am thankful for what is gone.  Oh my! I am elated over the peace I have because things are gone.  What I had, was stress, dread and anxiety.  Constant nagging of not being good enough riddled my mind.  Dread of time passing, because a deadline was looming, guilt of over-zealous ambition and reminders of past failures have weighed me down for years.  Thank you Lord for shutting the doors.  So often, what is gone is the biggest blessing of them all.

As I reflected on my life today, I saw so many times where God shut doors.  Just in time, God spared me.  Jobs, relationships, life choices….I battled to keep doors open that God shut.  Time after time, I looked back and saw God’s provision through the slamming of doors.  Not only does he shut the door, but he heals us of the hurts of past decisions.  In today’s world, we can so easily be confused by the messages coming at us at the speed of light.  Messages that are sold to us as positivity, sometimes wrapped in a couple of scriptures, cripple our thoughts. The world wants you to be wrapped up in you and what you want.  The scripture teaches that we are to focus on what God wants.

Today, I heard comedian Steve Harvey talk about passion and gifts.  He reminded his audience that passion is not what we should chase, but work with the gifts that God has given us.  Way to go Mr. Harvey!  Thanks for that reminder.  God has gifted us with certain talents and means for us to use them for His glory.

“Self-love” is a common term thrown around in self-help books disguised as Christian. You may also be hearing messages of “you come first” and “your happiness is up to you.”  Stay at home moms are attacked for not jumping on the ambition and dreams bandwagon. Let me tell you, raising your children in a Godly home is the ultimate success. God comes first and  your happiness and joy come from the Lord.  That’s good news.  If it was all up to us, we would fall flat every time.

Today, I am thankful that God has cleared my head of the muddled up mess of lies that I was believing.  Just because scriptures are sprinkled like rose petals in a message, doesn’t mean that the message is from the Lord.  Be diligent to read and know His Word.  Pray for discernment so that you will not be sidetracked by the world’s messages.  “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

Don’t know what you’ve got until it’s GONE.    The lies of the enemy wrapped in pretty paper are GONE!  No longer do I have to feel “less than” because I didn’t go all in on a materialistic goal set by man instead of God. Those distracting thoughts are now replaced with “a peace that passes all understanding.”

If you hear some doors creaking, maybe it’s time to watch in joy as God shuts them.

#proofthatgodcanuseanybody

Beth