Hard things first

"Hard things first." I didnt come up with it, I stole it from a guy who did. It was the theame of a whole year of minisrty for Stundent Venture. Its the only one that I ever really understood very well. And I got to understand it. And Im still learning to understand it.

Not because Ive got it down, and Im always rushing to do the hard things. Actually it's quite the opposite. If i could choose, I would live an easy, soft life. This might sound funny, but hard is SOOO hard some times. And easy is SOOO easy. But everybody does easy.

Jesus says that the way to heaven is hard, and there arnt many people that come this way. Are you one of those people? Am I? I want to be, but as Im climbing the road sometimes seems clogged with those comming back down.

"Excuse me, pardon me!" I cry timidly, trying to make my way through the croud, as they push and jostle me. The number of people suddenly seems to multiply from tens to the tens of thousands, a whole army of people pushing towards the wide road.

What am I supposed to do about it ? God what can you do about it?

Im tired.
Some times I want to stop struggleing.
Some times I want to stop being so burdened for people to where I cry during prayers.
Some times I want to stop digging in, to stop trying, to give up and turn back.
I want to stop feeling like I am always failing You, like I havent and wont ever do all that is required of me. Im tired of feeling lonley, weak, and afraid.

And yet through all of this You whisper
Peace, Be Still, I Am God

but what about all this other stuff i need to do, and people to help, and and and and...

Peace, Be Still, I Am God

but what about every thing that Im not, im not an evagilist, im not a speaker, im not faithful. and what about everything that i am. liar. hateful. lustful. sinner.

Peace, Be Still, I Am God

I just want to do it right

Peace, Be Still, I Am God. Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you. You have come to me thirsty, drink deep and long and have your fill. You have come hungry and I am the bread of life. You have come worn out and exausted, I will be your strength. You have come weary; I will be your rest and your comfort.

The hardest thing is knowing that God loves me, and delights in us.
Its so easy to get caught up in the locomotion of life, to do and do and do, trying to win the approval of those around us, or worse still the approval of God. We get chained down in our expectations of ourselves and forget that in our weakness, His strenght is made perfect. Its hard for us, for me, to remember precisely who God is, and what Has done for us. He says to us:

Peace, Be Still, I Am God. Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you. You have come to me thirsty, drink deep and long and have your fill. You have come hungry; eat for I am the bread of life. You have come worn out and exausted, I will be your strength. You have come weary; I will be your rest and your comfort.