In Your Hands

Over the years, I've seen God do amazing things in my life and I've met some incredible people in the process. I've been broken a few times and healed, recentered and refocused, but honestly never experienced anything like what I've been going through recently.

The truth is, this has been the hardest and loneliest road yet with a few of the biggest mistakes I've ever made and forgiving myself has been incredibly difficult. Finding myself and finding peace through this storm has been a challenge and being relatable has felt very distant for me. When I do try to explain it all, others can't quite seem to relate/understand.

I know I am making it and will make it though with God's help in my life. It's apart of the journey he has for me and therefore, I know I'm not alone.

Truthfully, time does heal and God is big enough to remove the scars, but the process is still painful and life can take it's toll without God moving us in the right direction which is closer to Him.

We will all become jaded without Him. We will all remain lost without Him.

We will all choose to believe what is most easily accessible to us without Him.

We WILL be sad, lonely, depressed, angry, unrighteous... all the bad stuff without Him.

Romans 8:5-7 (ESV) "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot."

Life IS hard, its really hard, and no one besides God can make it any better.

I saw some quote by someone (unknown) online that said something along the lines of, "It's not that Christians are trying to be tough on anyone, but if you knew IF YOU ONLY KNEW how amazing life is when we abide in Him then it would all make sense." God is just good, that good. It's truly really THAT amazing to live a life in Christ and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I put a LOT of pressure on myself (and sometimes others) to be the best that I can be, I have a motto, "give your all to God and your best to... " fill in the blank for you... work, play, etc.

I believe this and it really works and it does relieve pressure to know that my job or anything else in my life isn't what I am giving my all to... God is. Outside of God, everything else in my/our lives is something He gave me that deserves my best, but not my everything.

So, I should definitely be putting less pressure on myself (and others), but I still want to strive to be the best for my Dad (Father in Heaven) as well encourage others to also be their best.

I find sometimes, for me, this pressure I feel to be better comes out on others around me simply because, as Christians, we want ourselves/others to succeed to the fullest of who God believes we can be.

We want this success in Him because He wants that for us. He put the talents/desires in us to begin with to succeed in the plan He has for us.

When I begin feeling the pressure to be better then that's when I REALLY start wanting that for those in my life just as strongly.

Remember: God doesn't put the pressure on us, we do. He just wants the best for us through a relationship with Him.

So, releasing control of my life and others lives to God when it comes to both those near and far to me now is what needs to happen...

Today, I place both mine and other people's full potential, that I cannot control, in God's hands. God will do better with it than I ever could even dream of doing, He created each of us after all. I pray each individual becomes the best of what God has for them, for those in my life and beyond.

Striving towards God isn't about being perfect right now, it's about loving God so much you just want to be the best you can be in Him.

That's all He wants from us too, is for us to want Him.

When it comes to me, I think the more I learn to put less pressure on myself, the less I'll add onto others as well. The only way to put less pressure on myself and those around me is to release them into God's hands and relax in Him who made me.

God's got this and He will have you when you let Him have you, you have to give all of it to Him.

For me, it's out of my control and I am placing it in Your hands Lord.

with love,

Katie