Don't bump me; I will spill!

Don't bump me; I will spill! Have you ever had a day when you felt like that? You have so many things piled up on your heart and mind that your body threatens to overflow with tears? Sometimes we let things pile up on the table of our hearts and we don't realize that we are about to burst! We think that we can handle the struggle of the day-to-day. We think that we are capable of managing a few more things. We think that we can do more, get more, and be more without hitting a breaking point.
We are wrong. Life usually requires more of us than we are able to handle in our own strength. We do our best to be our best, but at the end of the day, it's not enough. We are striving and straining out of strength from the wrong source. Often we feel we can accomplish our tasks with our own stamina. We decide that we can meet our goals with our own willpower and enthusiasm. Other times, we rely on friends or family members or church leaders to inspire us to do what we think we have to do. We keep ourselves busy and run around like a little rat on his spinning wheel, not realizing that we are not really getting anywhere! When we make our plans and use our resources to accomplish our purposes, we end up empty. Many things that we write into our agenda are just that, OUR plans. We go about our days, trying to do whats good and right, but end up missing God's mission for our lives.
God wants us to know Him and enjoy Him. He wants us to seek Him and find Him. He wants to bring us joy, showing Himself strong when we are weak. This past fall, life threw me a curve ball in the form of a car accident. I struggled to continue to "do life" in constant pain. I experienced pain and suffering that I wouldn't wish on anyone. And I was disappointed. I couldn't get through the day in my own strength. I couldn't even get through the day propelled by others' prayers and well-wishes. In Jesus, I found my only hope and source of unfailing strength. Jesus was my Comforter in my dark night. There were many times when no words could bring me help or peace. Only Jesus. Knowing that He would be with me and help me even when I was all alone. Trusting that God had a purpose for this suffering and that He would fulfill his promises to me. He taught me true joy in the midst of constant pain. He fleshed out James 1:2-4 for me: 'Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.' He explained to me this path of joy. He revealed to me that HE is my Joy. He was the reason that I could have joy in the midst of unrelieved pain. The circumstance of pain brought me to His side. I was close to Him and He was close to me. I learned to 'abide.' I learned to 'rest' in Him. His path was peace. It was the road that Job walked,'though he slay me, yet will I hope in him...' Job 13:15.
I believe that God allowed me to experience this trial because He wanted me to go deeper with Him. He was bringing me joy through the storm. He was making beauty out of ashes. He was doing His thing in my life! He was preparing me with the message that He wants shared: Jesus is all we need! He is the friend that will never fail. He is the only one who will never let us down. And life isn't about things. Or getting things done. Or money. Or having a lot of fun or friends or the perfect marriage or spotless home. It's not even about raising great kids and being spiritually mature. It's about relationship with Jesus. It's about walking with Him and knowing that He is the Giver and Sustainer of life. That He is the Good Shepherd and in coming to Him, we will find rest in this busy land. And that He is waiting for us to enjoy Him here and now until we can be with Him forever!
'I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.' John 16:33