Carry Me

Why is it so easy to get hurt, but so hard to get over that hurt? That's one of my many questions this week. But the problem with having so many questions is not having the answers to any of them. Or at least, not having the answers to most of them. But you know what's an even more complicated question? Why does God not answer our many questions about life? Does He like how we run around like chickens without heads because the fact amuses Him? That's what I thought at first. But then I realized that if I had so many questions and no answers and didn't trust God to show me the answers in His own way, His own time, what kind of Christian does that make me? What's the point of running around like a chicken without a head if it doesn't help anything. It won't give me answers and it won't solve my problems.

I've learned so much this past month about giving things to God and letting Him deal with it all. You know that song "Dead Man (Carry Me)" by Jars of Clay?

Carry me, I'm just a dead man lying on the carpet, can't find a heartbeat. Make me free, I wanna be a new man, tired of the old one, out with the old plan.

See, the person who's singing this is talking about how they can't make it without God. They can't take anymore steps because of all the things their going through in life. That's what we feel like sometimes, am I right? We can't take anymore steps because we're just so weighed down by everything we go through everyday. Some of you wake up and think, "What am I going to do today? There's nothing worth doing if it doesn't change anything." and some of you think, "I don't care about anything anymore." That's the time when you need to give it up to God and let Him carry you. Only God can help you through your time of need and struggling.

If God brought you to it, He will bring you through it.

Fearless Sheep

Fearless. What does it mean to be fearless? Does it mean tackling the unknown even though you don't know the outcome? Or is it simply standing up for what you believe in? As I sit here and write, I still don't know what the total definition of fearless is.

The definition I've found is "fearless: unafraid: oblivious of dangers or perils or calmly resolute in facing them." But what does it mean to each of us as individuals? To you it might mean trying out for the basketball team and being scared that you won't make it. To me it might mean trying out for a musical when I have stage fright and think I won't make it.

But why do these sorts of things that show our talents makes us fearful? Why do we feel afraid to do what God has given us a talent to do? How would our lives be now if the Apostle Paul had been too afraid, too fearful, to do his calling in life? Or what about Billy Graham, one of the greatest evangelists of all time? Think of what we all have to offer the world with our many talents! Are we benefiting anyone by being fearful? Are we giving what God wants us to give if we're being fearful? No! We're not! We're pretty much hiding under a rock because of fear. Look around you! Do you think that all those people out there got to where they are because they were fearful?

There's different ways of being fearful. Fearful of what people think. Fearful of what's to come. Fearful of what God's plan is for you in life. And last, but certainly not least, fearful of not living before death.

Psalm 23:4 says: "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

See, even though we're full of fear, it's only natural! We're all just a bunch of dumb sheep who don't know any better. I mean that in the nicest possible way.... Well, I don't mean we're sheep in the sort of sense where we walk around eating grass and saying, "Baaaaa..." all the time. I mean we're frightened and need our Shepherds protection no matter what we do. And that's exactly what we've been promised! No matter what happens we know that our Shepherd is always with us, even when we feel lost and afraid, He is always there to guide us and comfort us and show us the way He's called us to go.

We have a God who's always there to love us and teach us so why are we so afraid? Why are we so fearful? Trusting God is what it's all about! Don't be fearful about anything in life that's not worth being fearful for! Sheep never question their shepherd. Why should we?

In a way, sheep are being better followers of their teacher than we are! Do you really wanna be shown up by a bunch of SHEEP? I know I don't! So suit up and start acting like a fearless sheep! So long as you don't eat grass or say, "Baaaa..."