Petersons in Texas

So I love when I am reading my devotionals and it is such a simple truth but one that I think we tend to forget so easily.  We spend so much time viewing what we think are these perfect lives (thank you Facebook & instagram) and when we are having a sad day or a less than ideal time we think something is automatically wrong with us.  But it isn’t.  It is okay to have a not so good day.  There isn’t anything wrong you.  Now you don’t want to wallow in it and allow it to get you in a funk but for moments and periods it isokay to not be okay.  Take heart with what Jesus did in Gethsemane in Matthew 26:36-39.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

In this passage we see that Jesus, who was without sin and perfect, was full of sorrow and trouble to the point that He asked his friends to stay with Him, He did not want to be alone.  If Jesus can share His troubles with His friends, can’t we do the same thing?  But a very important lesson to learn here is that even though Jesus shared it with His friends, vented a little, He still gave it to God in verse 39.   “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

So when we have a less than perfect day, we can vent about it as needed, talk to God about it (most important!) and then move forward.  But it is always okay to not be 100% okay.  I don’t think not being okay should be the attitude you should be okay with having all the time and I do not think it should be used as an excuse but I do feel like we do not have to be 100% okay, 100% perfect all of the time.  That would be incredibly exhausting.

originally posted on my previous blog Ladybug Blessings.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer…” Romans 12:12

This seems so easy, or at least that it should be easy.  But we know that is anything but the case.

Rejoice in Hope. Rejoice means to be glad and hope means what is wanted.  So we are glad in what we are hoping for.  Okay, makes sense. Easy enough.

Be Patient in Tribulation.  Okay, this may be a little harder.  Patient is to wait.  Tribulation is serious trial or trouble.  Ouch. This may be a little harder.  So I need to be patient, which is hard when I am waiting for something exciting like my birthday or Disney World, but patient when it is a trial I am going through?  A little harder!

Be Constant in Prayer.  I like to think this is easier than it really is.  I find that I have to be pretty  mindful to make sure I don’t let the day get away from me and that consistently throughout the day I am praying and thanking God and talking to Him.  It can be easy to all of a sudden find that it is 6 pm and the first prayer is grace at dinner.  I know that is not what God has in mind for me.

I am going to continue and work on expanding my definition of Romans 12 as I feel like it is one of those verses (they all are!) that I need to continuously revisit.  If you just skim the words, it may look easy but when you spend time and really unpack it?  It can hit you like a slap in the face.  Maybe that is a little drastic but I think you know what I mean.  To really live the Bible means to really live it and do what it says, not just read what it says.