How many times have you really had one of those “mountaintop” moments? You know the kind. Where God speaks to you in such a way that you can’t deny it’s him.
Maybe you remember a time from a summer camp or a retreat or even a good ol’ fashioned revival. Those are all good, but what happens after that? What happens after God gets your attention or meets your needs where you are?
I was thinking about the above quote today and I realized the moment we meet God (again) in our deepest need is only part of the story.
Think about history. Battles are hard fought and won, but what do the victors do after that? If they don’t set up a presence in the land they conquered, there is a weak area for the enemy to come back in and start infiltrating. Cities are lost that way, even after major victories.
I think that’s a lot how the Christian walk is.
In the last few months, God met me in the rock bottom and saved me from myself in a way only he could. He used some people to do that even when I thought I didn’t really need a strong group of people because I was “self-sufficient”. He broke me so he could rebuild me. It was good.
But the real work is now. I’ve returned to life. I don’t have 24 hours a day of nothingness stretching before me to fill with truth. I have to be intentional about my search for God in the little niches where I can.
The day to day struggles overwhelm sometimes, and the familiar enemies of busyness and self-doubt start to creep back in. The prayers become less meaningful and more mundane. The disappointments of life become something that’s hard to not grab onto.
So what do you do after these moments? I think it’s important to be aware of the tricks the enemy uses to try to get back in. He knows your disappointments as well. He tries to emphasize them more than they deserve.
Did you hope for something different in your career and it’s taking longer than you thought? They don’t want you and you’re not good enough (lies of the enemy).
Are you still struggling with not feeling 100% and having trouble keeping up with life? You’re not strong enough, and your life will never get easier (more lies).
When things like that happen, it’s easy for the lies to become truths and for us (or me anyway) to grab onto the lies and forget what God has done for me. He cares about every part of me. He cares about my aspirations and my dreams. He cares about my shortcomings and my disappointments.
I think the biggest things we can do is remember to keep God at the center. To remind our hearts that God wants to be in every part of our lives. To give it all to Him and do the best we can every day.
Do we fail? Of course. You’re human, friend. The only one without faults is God. Maybe today wasn’t a day where people could see Jesus in you. Realign your thoughts and try again tomorrow, with His help.
Don’t lose sight of the mountaintop experience, but you have to come off the mountain and start living for God in the valleys too. It’s the work we do now that matters. It’s making sure to place God at the forefront.
It’s knowing who is in control. Y’all that’s hard. Coming from this control freak, I feel you. Not knowing what the future holds can be unnerving. (I mean I have been known to google what is going to happen in movies and tv shows so I know if I want to waste my time. I read the last chapter of books first. But then there’s no suspense.)
But embrace the surprises, even when it’s hard. Know that God is the God of yesterday and today but of tomorrow too. Know He’s been there. He know what comes next. He’s got your best interest at heart.
The best you can do at this point is embrace the life you’re living. Continue to put God at the forefront and do your best everyday to remember the One that won the battle for your heart (maybe several times). He’ll keep fighting for you if He has too, but won’t it be more fulfilling to just walk in Him. Just live for Him everyday and stop making Him chase you so much.
Embrace the beautiful life that He intended for you to live, flaws and disappointments and all.
This Season.... 