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| Amelia Grace Photography |
Is 43:18-19 Message
"...Forget about
what's happened;
don't keep going over
old history.
Be alert, be present.
I'm about to do something brand–new.
It's bursting out! Don't
you see it?
There it is! I'm making
a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands."
I've
been praying, meditating and thinking about what it means in God's economy to
move forward, press on, not dwell on the past etc. It's clear that the focus
must be on trusting in the Person, not the circumstances. I've had much help
and clarity from practicing this, and I say practice because I often do not get
it right...but there's grace for that:)
January
gives us a clear line in the sand to mark this change in focus if we don't
allow the enemy to get us focused on how we've failed, been failed or feel ill
equipped for the journey ahead. We can't just erase our memory, nor should we
push unhealed hurt or grief down deeper. It's about perspective, as one writer
said we look at where we have come from (which is usually quite a climb already
that we have achieved) rather than looking at how far we have to go as that
will quickly overwhelm and paralyze us. It's what you focus on like when you're
rock climbing right? You don't look back or down, you don't look at the top,
but at the next hand or foot hole right? (not that I have done this in the
physical sense-yet :)
We have no idea what's coming up, yet we only
have to take that next step, even better, He is the foot and hand hole or
spike. We need only follow the guide whose gone there before and who stands
ready to help us one step at a time. We have to move forward though, we cannot
go rogue and expect we know how to "fix or manipulate" our situation
as this usually fails and causes more fall out and we lose ground.
So
if you're feeling discouraged, depressed or down, I want to encourage you to
look up, keep moving, if you come to a fork in the road- take it as you are
gently led. I saw a quote from Spurgeon that blessed me today let me
paraphrase..." I often find myself in a dark place of depression just
before God moves in my life or ministry." It may be that you are on the
threshold and the enemy knows this. This year, let's all agree together to
focus, look up, and be aware that we are being, held, led and supplied. Our
future is bright, even though we may not see it now.
Walking
with you all,
Cheryl
Laurenza, MA, LPC, NCC CPCS,
ACS
The
Refuge Counseling Center, LLC
3211
South Cherokee Lane
Suite
640
Woodstock,
GA 30188
P:
678 693 2281
F:
888 971 3910
