YOU ARE MY STRENGTH WHEN I AM WEAK...EVERY MORNING...even during mourning

Overwhelmed. Burdened. Wiped out. Weary.

Have you been there? A lot? I have...and it's not pretty!

Last Friday I had every intention of cleaning/decluttering the house and being finished by Monday (today). Lofty goal, I know, but I've been gnashing my teeth at the chaos that has contiued to multiply in the face of lovely, precious gifts of clothes, shoes, etc. being donated to our very grateful family...and yet, needing to wash, sort, store, utilize, donate, etc. bundles of many things. Sometimes I feel like the guy keeping all the plates spinning on those poles, only to have one wobble and fall and systematically every other plate comes crashing down. Disaster. Discouragement. Disheartenment. Dread.

I have cried out to the Lord so many times for the strength, wisdom, guidance, help, etc. for the health and energy to complete all my chores. He is faithful, as always, but I never--ever---ever get done. Ever. Somtimes in my distress I cry out to the Lord, but am unable to put into words all that I feel, think, need...the words get choked in my throat and I have nothing, but I know His Word promises that the Holy Spirit interprets for me to my Father in Heaven!

"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words." ~Romans 8:26

SOOOOOOOOOO...although I've prayed many times and always received His help and strength enough, last night I gave up. I looked around at my weekend-worn house. Busyness had over-taken my to-do list. We had the lovely pleasure of being with family all weekend, starting with Friday after lunch, and ending on Sunday after a late luncheon. I had been so content to trade chores for precious time with my true treasures--family. Yet now--late Sunday night--I looked around at the "aftermath" and became discouraged and overwhelmed again. (Why, you might ask, do I think I have the time to write in the blog if I have so much to do? Because this has ETERNAL VALUE).

As I lay in bed last night, I began my prayers in the usual way, then began to add these burdens--when I just stopped. I couldn't go on. How could He possibly care? Still? Again? Never-ending problems, never-changing situation, ever-the-same prayer requests.... "I'm sorry, Lord, I know I sound like a broken record. I never learn. I never do better. I'll never get it right. So, nevermind...just skip it." And that was that. I spent the rest of the time in bed reading a book until the wee hours of the morning and then drifted off to sleep.

THIS MORNING--the one where His mercies are new every MORNING...
Lamentations 3:22-26~

"22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD."

...the one where this is the DAY that the Lord has made, let us REJOICE and be GLAD in it...(Psalm 118:24)


...the one where the Psalmist writes in Psalm 5:1-3:

"1 Give ear to my words, O LORD,
consider my sighing.
2 Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 In the MORNING, O LORD, you hear my voice;
in the MORNING I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation."

On THIS MORNING of THIS DAY, God sent me an email. Seriously. You may think that I'm being flippant or irreverant, but MY GOD loved me and SENT me a message. Sadly, He knew that I'd check the email before I read my Bible(That's another issue altogether for another time).

Because of the importance of this email, I have to post the entire text. It's from Truth For Life daily (a devo I receive in my email every day). It's adapted by Alistair Begg from "Morning and Evening" by C.H. Spurgeon.

*********************************
May 3, 2010

Go to Jesus
A very present help.

Psalms 46:1


Covenant blessings are not meant only to be observed but to be appropriated. Even our Lord Jesus is given to us for our present use. Believer, you do not make use of Christ as you ought to do. When you are in trouble, why do you not tell Him all your grief? Does He not have a sympathizing heart, and can He not comfort and relieve you? No, you are going to all your friends, except your best Friend, and telling your story everywhere, except into the heart of your Lord.

Are you burdened with this day's sins? Here is a fountain filled with blood: Use it, saint, use it. Has a sense of guilt returned upon you? The pardoning grace of Jesus may be proved again and again. Come to Him at once for cleansing. Do you deplore your weakness? He is your strength: Why not lean upon Him? Do you feel naked? Come here, soul; put on the robe of Jesus' righteousness. Do not stand looking at it, but wear it. Strip off your own righteousness, and your own fears too: Put on the fair white linen, for it was meant to be worn.

Do you feel yourself sick? Call upon the Beloved Physician, and He will give the medicine that will revive you. You are poor, but remember you have a kinsman, who is incredibly wealthy. What! Will you not go to Him and ask Him to give you from His abundance when He has promised that you will be joint heir with Him and has credited all that He is and all that He has to your account? There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for His people to make a show of coming to Him and yet not to use Him. He loves to be employed by us. The more burdens we put on His shoulders, the more precious He will be to us.

Let us be simple with Him, then,
Not backward, stiff, or cold,
As though our Bethlehem could be
What Sinai was of old.
*************************************

God in His tender, gracious, merciful love sent me an email to tell me JUST HOW MUCH HE CARED--I'm going now, because I need to Call Him and return His message, but I just wanted to write this down for my own "Hall of Faith"...and for you, if anyone out there reads this! (Is there anyone???)

May the Lord Jesus bless YOU this and every morning and evening!