Military Family Life
Being a part of a military family, sometimes leans us right into a broken heart. Military family life is hard, decisions are made and they affect everyone as sacrifices are made, time is given that can’t be returned and relationships are sacrificed. The military family life is a difficult life to reconcile for family members and very often leaves you with a broken heart that can’t be fixed as you have to accept the decisions of others, respect them and move on. In the military life, there is no time for broken hearts, only time for being responsible and strong in sacrifices made for the freedoms and liberties of others to maintained and serviced. It can’t be about you, it can’t be about how you feel, it is all about service and sacrifice. The relationship sacrifices made in a military family, one can only hope, that the citizens of this great country appreciate and will use the freedoms that others sacrifice so much for, with civility, mercy and grace.
Pour into me the brightness of your daybreak! Pour into me your rays of revelation-truth! Let them comfort and gently lead me onto the shining path, showing the way into your burning presence, into your many sanctuaries of holiness. Then I will come closer to your very altar until I come before you, the God of my ecstatic joy! I will praise you with the harp that plays in my heart, to you, my God, my magnificent God! Then I will say to my soul, “Don’t be discouraged; don’t be disturbed, for I fully expect my Savior-God to break through for me. Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again.” Yes, living before His face is my saving grace! Psalm 43:3-5 The Passion Translation
Unreconcilable Feelings
Earth has no sorrow, heaven can’t heal. How do I feel today? I feel robbed. I feel like something is going to be taken to me that I can never get back. I don’t know how to reconcile these feelings, they run deep, they make my heart feel shattered in a million pieces. One thing is for sure, without a doubt, this life is unfair and never seems to work out like you think it should, but God’s goodness will always prevail. Feelings are an unafforded luxury in a military family. Sometimes, you just don’t get to “feel” as you support one another in decisions that make your head spin and your heart hurt.
Feel Robbed?
When something that should be yours is taken away from you, grief happens. You feel hurt, angry, sad and inconsolable. The enemy not only robs us of what should be ours, but then he distorts our focus. Life should not be about us. Times like these where a sudden change is shocking, and hard to reconcile, I have to wholly-holy realign with God. This is not my world, I am of it, but not meant for it. This world will always be imperfect, but my future and hope, the place Jesus went to prepare for me, it is perfect. So, in my despair over dramatic life changes in my most precious relationships, I hope, I hope in God for the serenity and peace to accept the things I can’t change. I let go of the things I can’t change and I cling to the change Jesus made for me that no man can change, no one can rob.
Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising Him always. Follow the example of all that we have imparted to you and the God of peace will be with you in all things. Philippians 4:6-9 The Passion Translation
On The Losing End?
Things never quite work out the way we plan, but when plans rob us of what we thought we should naturally have, it is hard to reconcile what you know with what you feel. These are times when relationships are at their most vulnerable place, they can easily be shattered forever if you make life all about you. I feel robbed, my heart feels unreconcilably shattered, but this can’t be about me or my feelings. Adulting is not a fun thing, we don’t have the luxury of bad reactions, we have the responsibility of good, honest responses that add value to a situation where we feel we have been given the short end of the stick, where we feel we are on the losing end of a life change. No matter where you feel positioned in a relational situation, adulting is putting on your big boy pants and adding value, looking for the good, capitalizing your encouragement on whatever things are good, lovely and of good report.
Am I Okay?
After a revelation was suddenly made where I knew I was going to be robbed of relationship, my heart was shattered. Someone texted me this: Are you okay? Am I okay? No. But, it can’t be about me, I gave up that right, even recently I reaffirmed it, I gave the pen to God, so He could write my life story. I really don’t like the direction God is taking with this chapter of my life, I really hate this New Year at this point. Hate is a strong word, but this is how I feel about 2019, so far, I really hate it. The question is, will I chase those feelings, or will I let be, be still and let GOD write my life story in 2019? Will I focus on what I feel I have been robbed of as changes thrust upon me do not fall in pleasant places, or will I focus on the true gift of life, the God Adventure ahead of me. Will I choose to react out of my worldly viewpoint, or will I choose to respond out of God’s Kingdom perspective? In the midst of this unwanted life change, this choice matters simply-significantly so.
John 10:10 A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow! The Passion Translation
No, I Am NOT Okay
Are you okay? So, no, I am not okay. But, I am realizing it is okay not to be okay, but it is not okay to buck up my will against the will of God. Maybe being “okay” is just a state of mind, and not a condition of heart? It is okay to heart hurt when changes in my life seem to rob me of the life treasures of relationship, I feel should be mine to experience. But it is not okay to make this life all about how I feel. The truth is when you feel you lose, there is always a common denominator to the losing equation. Yes, our enemy comes to rob, steal, and destroy us, BUT GOD came so we could have abundant life. Focused on what I have lost, I will continue to be robbed and stolen from, as my enemy steals my joy. Focused on Jesus, in trust, hope and joy will help me reconcile what I think I am losing to the purposes of God, which are far greater in the current challenge than loss.
Net Loss Or Net Gain?
With God’s purposes in play in my life, I gain, I do not have a net loss. So, 2019 has had some really bad news in it already, but I still have a net gain, my Advocate Who is with me and for me. I have no doubt God will take this unreconcilable life change and He will transform it into good. The pen is Yours, Jesus, write my 2019 story, let the thread of my common denominator be seen more and most. I pray my life will not be all about me, but will be all about You, the God Adventure You have for me, which is the best, even though right now it feels like the worst of news. I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. Write my 2019 story, Lord God, I anticipate what You have to say, I know You have the final say and I trust You, even though it hurts like no other, I trust You.
O God, hear my prayer. Listen to my heart’s cry. For no matter where I am, even when I’m far from home, I will cry out to you for a father’s help. When I’m feeble and overwhelmed by life, guide me into your glory, where I am safe and sheltered. Lord, you are a paradise of protection to me. You lift me high above the fray. None of my foes can touch me when I’m held firmly in your wrap-around presence! Keep me in this glory. Let me live continually under your splendor-shadow, hiding my life in you forever. Pause in his presence… You have heard my sweet resolutions to love and serve you, for I am your beloved. And you have given me an inheritance of rich treasures, which you give to all your lovers. You treat me like a king, giving me a full and abundant life, years and years of reigning, like many generations rolled into one. I will live enthroned with you forever! Guard me, God, with your unending, unfailing love. Let me live my days walking in grace and truth before you. And my praises will fill the heavens forever, fulfilling my vow to make every day a love gift to you! Psalm 43:3-5
Thank you for stopping in The Bridegroom’s Café. The Military Table has some bold meals on it, strong in flavor, hot in reality. There are so many sacrifices made by a military family that go unseen by so many. I hope the reality of truth served up on this Military Table today, helps others to be more aware of what is sacrificed by so many so freedom can be lived out comfortably by so many more. The Word of God is a strength like no other and I highly suggest the book: The Bridegroom’s Voice, it will feed your soul with a vital-vertical relationship with Jesus and His Word, like no other.
Purchase The Bridegroom’s Voice
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