Could it be...I THINK SO!!!

Isn't life mysterious? I mean, the way God can orchestrate things in our lives in ways that leave us simply baffled and in awe...I love that! There are many circumstances in my life and in the lives of several of my close friends right now that are nothing short of mysterious. I don't mean that in a Scoody Doo & Friends in the Mystery Machine kind of mysterious. I mean, mysterious in a spiritual, supernatural, "God-thing" kind of way.

Sometimes we have to just get out of the way and let Him do His thing. Some times we have to feel the pain, hit rock bottom, do it "our" way, get our hearts broken, get bumped and bruised and dragged through the mud in order to get to the destination He had in mind. Just because God's finger prints are all over circumstances in our lives, doesn't mean we get through them and get to where He wanted us to be, unscathed. In many many cases, the pain and hurt and the scars are part of what He needed us to experience in order to get us where He wanted us. He never promised us an unscathed life. Even in the most beautiful blessings He has placed in my life, I had to go through unspeakable pain and anguish to arrive there! AND even in the midst of the sweet place He wanted me to be, there can still be more pain and tough lessons to be learned. I hope none of us are under the impression that at some point we will "have arrived". And that then everything will be smooth sailing from that point forward. In this fallen world, life does not work that way. It simply doesn't. BUT, in all things rejoice. If you are hurting, but striving to live His way--rejoice, knowing you are in His hands and on a path to blessings you cannot yet fathom or comprehend. If you are on a mountain top of fulfillment and happiness know that even in the most wonderful, knock-your-socks-off times in our lives eventually there will come trials and difficulties. It is inevitable.

I have personally been blessed in some very surprising and wonderful ways over the past year, and yet, I still have lessons to learn even within those blessings. I know not to get too comfortable in this life. There are always new challenges, new lessons, and an enemy who knows no concept of "letting up" on the pressure. But I know that in all of the trials AND all of the blessings...God is there. His hands are all over all of it! His fingerprints are everywhere. He can turn everything around for HIS glory and bless your socks off! He can heal a broken, bleeding heart. He can mend wrongs between friends. He can heal the sick. He can give comfort to the lonely. He can grant forgiveness. He can restore purity. He can orchestrate circumstances in our lives and use people who have hurt us to lead us to our healing. The painful experiences and the hurtful people who have cut you to the core may have just been the conduit to help you get to where HE wanted you to be all along. Look for it. See what He's done. See what He is doing. He can do anything! He's done it in my life over and over, and I see Him doing it in the lives of others I know too.

God, thank You for all of the struggles, trials, pain, and heartbreak I have experienced. You used them to point the way to where I needed to be. I see you doing that in the lives of others too. Thank you for helping me to release in forgiveness those that hurt me in ways that were so deep and so painful that no one but You will ever fully understand. Help those that I have hurt deeply a long the way to release me as well, knowing that You can use the pain I have caused in others as a conduit to where they need to go too. Use it all for Your glory. And thank You for where You've led me. I know I have a long road to travel, but I see Your glory and Your blessings in the way You so intricately orchestrate it all for the good of those who love You and are called according to Your will. You surprise me and amaze me every single day, Father. Thank You.