Although in the car with with radio or Cd blasting I can sing along and sound awesome. Yes, awesome. You know you do too! We all sound amazing in the car. Now, it's when I open my mouth to speak in front of others that they realize I sound like I'm a fourteen year old girl going through puberty. I am come to terms with the fact I will never be a singer. That is of course unless I wake one day and the Lord has blessed me with a gift beyond my imagination. We do have a God who loves to surprise us! So, you never know. You just might hear me on the radio one day.
I turn up the radio and it's like I am taken to another place. All my stress is washed away. Maybe with my new ulcers I need to spend more time in the car singing:) Music is powerful. There is a message, a story to be told. One that touches our heart and makes the tears fall or lights up our face with a smile. There is healing in music and many times it's those very words that brings us to our knees or makes us raise our hand in praise.
While I was driving home yesterday from the doctor and an afternoon of shopping, (A little gift after a doctor's visit is just what a girl needs to feel better), a song from Lady Antebellum came on. I found myself raising my hand in praise and reminding myself, "Keep your eyes open! Keep your eyes open!" The song is, "Hello World". I hear this song and it just reminds me why I am here. I am here to surrender. I need to be in total surrender of my God and all He has for me.
We get so caught up in being busy. Ask one how their day is and they are quick to tell you all they are doing. I too do the same. We get angry at our husband and fed up with life. We get hurt by our children and they too hurt by us. It's a vicious cycle of emotion. We allow our emotions to control our daily lives. We look at the lives of others and wonder what it would be like. If we were to take a look inside their life we would be surprised at the hurt and baggage they are carrying. Gosh, I have friends I try to reach out to and never hear from them. That hurts, but then again, am I making myself available to those around me? We make promises only to forget them. Why? Because we are so centered on me.
We can't wait to walk out our door each morning. Something goes wrong and all we can think of is packing a bag and moving far away. I have been there. Believe me, sometimes the emptiness kills me. I look at all I am missing and I should be looking at all I do have, right here in front of me. If I keep looking elsewhere I am going to miss out on what is right here. One day I will wake and that too will be gone and then where will I be? In a world of, if only and why didn't I's.
Just yesterday I called my mom to share about a new column I will be writing in a Christian newspaper coming to our area. I am still dancing in joy, but as I told my mom, I heard nothing on the other end of the line. No encouragement. No, "I'm so proud of you, hon." I had this void feeling as we hung up. We hunger for encouragement. We hunger for more than this life can give us. When we don't find it too many times we are too quick to just give up. Why try?
This is why in all our loneliness we turn to things to sooth our pain. We can become so enthralled with what is outside our door we forget what is inside. The people in our life cannot be all things to us. They will never fill those shoes. We are an imperfect people and we are works in progress. We all have so much to work on, yet we search for what we need in those very people around us. If we don't get it, it's real easy to simply walk away. The sad thing is we never find peace and comfort in walking away. Relationships are much to important. As we are looking for encouragement we too much be an encouragement to those around us.
But see, as I surrender to God and give Him all of myself, He will fill me with all I need. When all things are right with Him, all things are right with those around us. Things might not be where we want them to be, but in trusting God, we know that He is at work and in that we walk with hope.
"Sing a new song of praise to Him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy. For the Word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything He does. He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth." Psalm 33:3-5
"Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You." Psalm 25:4-5
"Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully." 1 Peter 1:2
When life seems to go crazy it is neccessary to find solace in Christ. It might be taking a country drive with the radio blasting. It may be a walk through the woods or park. Maybe a bike ride or a cup of coffee from your favorite coffee shop. God has filled with us with all we need. Simple as that. All we have to do it tap into it and we will feel His encouragement overflowing in us. In taking time to understand that God is in total control gives us a peace we never knew possible. We have to be able to forgive others and know that the only One who can give us all we need is the Lord.
I think He enjoys my singing. He may laugh in delight, but it's our time together for me to come to a place of solace even though things might be falling apart around me, my heart is right and true with God. There is no better place to be than in the presence of our Savior. Yes, when I am singing in the car it's as though my voice becomes stronger and stronger as I see my Savior before me working in my life. I am coming to this place in my walk that everything points to Him. I know everything has purpose. Sure, the road might be hard and it might even be a road I don't want to be on, but through the music before me, I can find that perfect place of peace.
