Overcoming Fear

Recently we have been stuck on this trend of overcoming fear, dealing with emotions, learning faith and resting in Him and in each other. Does this seem familiar like a season that you are having as well? Sometimes we want to skip certain seasons and get to the next one because we want to live differently to not deal with situations and to move on. Yet we are called to remain in the situations. It stinks... too be honest… remaining is not what we want to do. I have been listening to people who have medical issues or consistent problems that reoccur in their lives. The thought and idea that I see is the ones who keep living who deal with rough situations with grace and though they hurt make the best of the situation at hand live the fuller, more complete, more joyful life. Is their road easy? Is it what they were wanting for their life? Is it something that they were expecting or not.

This staying in the season, is counter cultural. Culture says we should progress move forward, realize, live, and learn. Yet like Mike the pastor at Port City Church states “it is all the wonk in the middle that makes the story”, yes "wonk". We sometimes have a bunch of "wonk" to deal with in our lives. Our story is built in the remaining. Our story is created and molded while we are standing still. We find out what we budge on and other struggles that we attempt to remain firm. This is a test in persistence, in hope, in faith and this something is going to bring us out of the season, out of the situation and make a difference in our lives. Andrew and I have been hit with things that we did not expect and did not really want or ask for while we have been dating and during our engagement. 

My yearning for moving past situations, getting things accomplished and progressing often gets thwarted. Though some amazing things have gotten accomplished. It has been a learning process that it is not always about checking something off the list but who we become separately when things are thrown our way and who we become together. We have shared the highest joys and the lowest depths and we realize that together we are better, we are stronger, we balance each other out when the other one is losing it (I am the one who usually loses it). Yet in the midst of the argument or discussion or dealing with the situation we see God moving. 

We see how he brought us to love each other through it and to love others when we don’t want to or when it makes us furious. We see how I am able to calm down and Andrew is able to speak up, and together we make a difference to one another and to the world. Happiness isn’t always found but joy is found when we realize that we did what we thought we could not do. We remained, we stayed the course, we keep fighting and we deal with what comes our way in two totally different but respected and now more understood manners.

Seasons are hard. But they are not the end. Keep trudging. 

~the picture is from one of my morning devotional readings on the Bible app.