If we are honest with ourselves, who does not want change to happen fast, huh? I know I do. I do not like to wait, and maybe you do not either! Just like the world is used to Drive Thru Foods, Laundry, Film, Video, Books, Flowers, you name it, even a Drive Thru Funeral.
Yes, you heard me right, you can pay your respects by driving thru and not even getting out of your car. Think I am kidding? Check this website out by clicking HERE
How sick is that?
So, my point is, why cannot we have a Drive Thru Recovery? Uh huh, ain’t gonna happen! God, is never in a hurry it seems, and He ain’t gonna be if He wants us to learn something from our journey and if it means taking time, He has all the time in the world. (Even though in the back of my mind, I kind of remember someone mentioning that there was a "Drive Thru Therapist." I did a Google search, and really did not come up with anything on that. But, if you know of a site, please share)
So..................
in keeping with this train of thought, I found once again from two of my favorite devotionalists (I don’t even know if that is even a word…..oh well, it is now) a devotion on Hope, which elaborates more on us desiring things to happen quickly to avoid pain and growth. Which in the end would defeat the purpose because "our capacity for hope will gradually diminish" if we get our quick-fix.
But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already
has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Romans 8:24-25
Sometimes it feels like nothing is changing. We feel like we have lost
our way — and all hope of finding it again. Ironically we often experience
this sense of being ’stuck’ during periods that later seem most dynamic
in terms of change. Perhaps when change is rapid we are so disoriented that
we are unable to see it clearly. In times like this we may not be able to
see that anything is changing. It may be hard to believe that all the hard
work and effort are worth it. It is during these times we are most tempted
to give up.
It is a general truth that we want change to take place faster than it
does. We could more easily tolerate the pain of recovery, if only we could
be assured that it would be quick.
But if we insist that change happen so rapidly that we can see it every
day, then our capacity for hope will gradually diminish. If we insist that
our recovery always have the drama and immediacy of miracle, then we will
not build the deep-down kind of hope that we will need during the really
tough times in life. Hope that you can ’see’, Paul says, is not really hope
at all. Real hope is what sustains us when we do not see change. Hope is
the conviction that God has not given up on us. As long as God is committed
to us, there is hope for change.
Sometimes I get stuck, Lord.
When that happens, I desperately want a miracle.
I want to change fast, very fast.
But that’s not what I really need.
What I really need is you, Lord.
If you haven’t given up,
then I’m not really stuck.
There is hope.
Renew my vision of you, Lord.
Help me to see again your hopefullness about me.
And your love for me.
And the joy you take in me.
Let this build again in me a capacity for hope.
Amen.
I can agree with your statement about us desiring to have change happen quickly!
ReplyDeleteI never heard of a drive through funeral let alone a therapist. That is to funny.
That is so true, hope is something we wait in. The Word Of God is our guide to change and hope. I remember when I turned to God and said, you can have my life, I will stop running from you. Then is hit me, I am a bad person who hurts others, please change everything now and take all the guilt with it. It did not happen, it took time and I had to see the person I was to hope for the person God wanted me to be. Healing will happen, it is like loosing weight, loose it to fast and it will come back, loose it slow and it will stay off. Change to fast and you will be back to square one, take time, bask in God and listen and wait and it will happen, and not come back. God bless you and the funneral thing is creepy. Love Tanya
ReplyDeleteI fall into the trap of wanting change to happen quickly while I'm going through this withdrawal process from Risperdal. It's hard to deal with daily extreme discomfort and not want it to end as soon as possible.
ReplyDeleteyup...we want change and recovery to happen quickly...being in too much of a hurry....our Journey is..what it is...however long it takes. thx sweetie for another inspiring message.
ReplyDeleteRainbow - Hey girl. Hope everyone is fine this morning. Thank you for your kind words dear.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Drifter-Hope you are doing better this day. I am sure it is no treat coming off of meds. Thinking about you!
Tanya-Thank you my inspirational gal. Yeah, the funeral thing is creepy indeed.
Stuck-Thanks for the visit and yeah, we would like things to happen quickly wouldn't we?
drive-thu recovery, now there's a concept that'll make you millions, heee heee heeee. yeah, i kinda believe too, that that which comes to easy, goes too easy. thus the time it takes??? yip, i think so...
ReplyDeleteThank you for the visit.
ReplyDeleteYes. Being stuck is part of the process.
I loved when you said you are a "work in progress".
We all are. Some people believe they are not.
Life changes us.
I've added you to my blog list.
I really loved your blog.
Ana
Ana-Thank you for recognizing that "we" all are works in progress... as you stated, a lot of people believe they are not. Appreciate your kinds words. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteShadow-Millions, we can make millions!!!! Oooo la la!!! My sentiments the same Shadow, we must go through the pain to gain!
"Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen" Heb. 11:1 I am grateful that as I "look" toward hope, I "see" through the eyes of faith the change that needs to take place. I have to constantly remind myself that I am weak but He is strong. Change seems to come more quickly for me when I let go... Another "work in progress." Thanks for your comment on my post. Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteThat was a wonderful post! Remember, those who hope in the Lord will not be disappointed!
ReplyDeleteChange. A big word in our recovery, but a little word in it's implementation. So slow, so almost not--yet one day hence, we shall be able to look at the recent past and say, "Wow! What has God DONE with me?" A change has taken place. For the better. Much better.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do not drink, No Matter What!
Stevie-Love your analogy...."Wow, what has God DONE with me?" Very encouraging, thank you.
ReplyDeleteT. Anne-Thank you for your visit and support.
BarbaraJean-Great scripture verse you quote, thank you. Letting Go, yes, is the key.