This joy thing. It does not come naturally.
There I stood, hands in a sink of dirty dishes. Grumbling. Silent grumbling... turning over grievances, rehearsing rebuttals.
Yet knowing this grumbling is wrong. What is it in me, Lord, that makes my brain fill with stinkin' thinkin'?
The wise woman builds her house,It breathed into my brain. My grumbles paused as I tripped over something new in that well-worn passage. She builds her house. Not... she built her house then sat smugly back to survey her domain. No... she builds. She is doing. She keeps doing.
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
She doesn't stop.
There it is. The thing that makes me grumbly. It never stops. I don't mean the dishes (although their perpetuity elicits grumbles at times as well).
Building my house, my family, my legacy... it never stops. Seeing my own sin... it never stops.
Having to grow, to try, to ask forgiveness... to start again... it never stops.
There is no resting on laurels.
Funny, a few months back I stumbled over the present tense in another scripture. He makes the barren woman a joyful mother of children. He never stops.
Did I mention? This joy thing. It does not come naturally.
Grumbling yes. But the joy? Only grows when I give the grumbling over. When I lay it down at His feet and give thanks.
Like a bud deep within me it waits, needing living water to grow and bloom. And I hold the handle to the door that lets the Gardener in.
No, it does not come naturally. It is nothing but a gift when I sense the creaking of unfolding petals. The melting of snow.
He is making ALL things new. And He never stops.
scriptures ~ Proverbs 14:1, Psalm 113:9, Revelation 21:5
photo credit ~ Karen Miller
Beautiful post! Loved this line, "But the joy? Only grows when I give the grumbling over. When I lay it down at His feet and give thanks."
ReplyDeleteI love the image of continued building of our homes. I also love that His watering and gardening in our hearts continues on and on.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post. I can not wait to read more!
ReplyDeleteI love this. I was raised by a mom who encouraged habits, things we never stop doing that always have us DOING the right thing. As a thinker, a contemplative sort, one whose only really ingrained habit is NOT doing, this is hard for me. Your blog is like her little voice brushing me to the right direction. Thanks!
ReplyDelete"I AM making all things new" is a Truth that has been echoing over and over in my heart. even when i cannot see it, he is doing that work, bringing forth life out of the cold dark ground.
ReplyDeletebeautiful. i'm wrestling with these same things, and it is good to hear from another pilgrim of the grace of our God:)
I read a book once that talked about a woman who had cancer who suddenly loved daily chores! I decided not to wait until something was wrong and tried to embrace the dishes and laundry (my two least favorite things). Although I often have help from my family with these chores. I'm still the go to girl. Now as I do these chores and think about my love for the people I'm doing them for. That seems to help!!
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