And just as spring often does, some color and light seems to be filtering back into such a long and dark season. Small joys like tulips seem to be pushing through...new habits genuinely forming...broken places stretching some and growing stronger.
Since the Lord brought me to that revelation of His river , He's been faithful to bring me back to the image many times. I've gone from realizing that I have available to me His supernatural Living Water to truly drinking of it daily and choosing to just walk in the river instead of visit it.
I don't have to mama out of my own patience with His help. He wants to pour into me HIS super-natural patience, to be poured out upon my children.
I don't have to get out of bed on my own strength and effort, walking with Him. He has me standing in the waters of HIS super-natural strength and completely victory, and I can walk in that, instead.
I don't have to forgive out of my own character and courage, looking for Him. I can put my feet in His scarred footprints and walk in the forgiveness He bled.
I don't have to navigate change and challenges by my own best reason and weak wisdom, but have HIS Spirit and His sufficient help and wisdom available to me.
I don't have to pour out of myself. I can simply receive what He is graciously sharing with me and share it on.
I am not constrained to the physical, but am amphibious, physical AND spiritual, my eyes above the ripples, fixed on His throne, pouring ever-renewing, satisfying, cleansing, invigorating Living Water.
It's been a subtle shift, but I can honestly say that these days, every time I put out my hand to pray for a man, woman or child, I slip my feet into the stream and lift them up according to what He's flowing, not what I've got. When I wonder what to pray, how to feel, what to say, what perspective to take, you'll catch me shuffle and splash my feet about a bit, physically reminding myself of the spiritual river I'm standing in. When my heart is aching, I hear the rushing water and lift my eyes ahead to the throne upon which He sits, just ahead, the saints around.
Just ahead.
Spring is coming, Jesus, too, bright hope and a future, healing and wholeness, no more tears or suffering, just ahead. While we wait, I'm getting ready.
Getting ready while we wait makes all the difference.
Jesus doesn't bring anything up from the wells of human nature--He brings them down from above. The well of your incompleteness runs deep, but make the effort to look away from yourself and to look toward Him. -O Chambers
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