Ever have so much going on in your life that it seems like one tidal wave after another. In the midst of the battle you become overwhelmed and you start to lose yourself and in the face of all that is happening you start to avoid things. Life has been really rough over the last couple of years. Between being laid off from my job because they decided to merge departments and I was the most logical choice due to the distance that I lived from the company and the salary savings it would bring; the severe back issues that seem to get worse and worse even after having surgery and being on medication to stop the pain, which has not helped at all and then the most impactful of all, losing my mom in January of this year after a yearlong battle with her health.

It’s funny how things like this can cause us to go into avoidance mode, and when I say funny I guess I mean sadly. The sheer volume of trials at times takes its toll. I have always prided myself as being one that knew God was in control and that in the end all would work out. Honestly I still believe that in my heart but my body and spirit have been warring for a while now. Though we may know something in our heart our actions show our doubt. I used to write all of the time because I knew that it was one of the things that God had called me to do along with teaching/preaching (which I haven’t done in a while), song writing and worship. However, in the midst of the storm it seems that I pulled back from everything including painting and drawing which my husband has told me that he sees it as part of my worship to the Lord. I have pulled back from everything except for worship (singing and praising my King) which has been my life line through everything. I have come to realize this about myself and felt, no, I knew that it was time to push past my avoidance and get back into the battle. It was time to pick up my pen and start writing again.

As I am writing this I want whoever is reading it to know that God never leaves us, He is never the one that takes a step back, we are. One of the main things that we are called to do above all else is to be in relationship with our heavenly Father but like every relationship this is a two way street. We, and remember that I am talking to myself here as well, wonder why God is not talking to us and what we fail to realize is that He never stopped talking but if we are not talking to Him then we are not listening either. Avoidance only prolongs the inevitable. In order for us to move forward we have to face the giants, the mountains in our lives, head on. We can’t face things head on though without the strength that only God can provide. You see for me, avoidance is generally not just in one area of my life but in many. Avoidance will not make the financial impact of me losing my job go away, it will not lessen the pain I am in or change what the doctors are saying, it will not bring my mother or my father that I have lost back and it will not keep the mourning process at bay.

God did not make us to avoid things, especially not Him, He made us in His image and gave us dominion over the world. So then, why do we act as if we are slaves to the world instead of the rulers we were created to be (Genesis 1:26-28). We have the power according to God’s word to speak life into every situation (Proverbs 18:21). We have the power to pray and talk directly with our heavenly Father, my Abba, my daddy (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 & Philippians 4:6-7). We have the power to take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-7). God has given us everything we need because He is everything we need. It’s time to stop avoiding and it’s time we start picking up our swords and running into battle. When we do this and allow God to guide us in all things, then we will have rest for our souls and can know that He has us in the palm of His hand and in the shelter of His wings.