I must confess... I have been struggling lately. Struggling to prepare for Christmas AND our trip to Africa. Struggling to have a joyful and thankful heart in the process.
This morning as I read in "Jesus Calling" about being "plagued by a persistent problem", I realized... I have been focused on the preparations. The work. I have allowed the enormous amount of preparation before me steal my joy.
I have been "plagued" by a lack of joy.
I am reminded that Jesus was focused on the end result. You. Me. He was prepared. Faithfully, lovingly, with joy set before Him... prepared.
My sweet Savior reminded me that the preparations are necessary for the end result. I need to be grateful for the preparations, so that "it loses its power to drag me down".
The preparations accomplish the end result. The end result is what it's all about.
So... as I continue to prepare, I will endeavor to keep my focus on the end result and I will do so with a joyful and thankful heart!
Thankful for my blessed Savior, Who came into this world prepared, from the beginning, to die for me.
Thankful for the bounty of blessings my Father has bestowed. Thankful for the number of children I have to bless this Christmas. Thankful for the opportunity to travel to a country that has captured my heart and to be able to love on the orphans there. Thankful for the three Ugandan beauties that now call me 'Mummy' and wait with great anticipation to come home.
Thankful that through my heavenly Father's "preparations" in me the end result will produce "a transcendent Glory never to cease!"
Thank you, Lord, for faithfully, patiently, lovingly preparing me for Your purpose.
"For our light and momentary afflictions (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!]." 2 Cor. 4:17 (Amp)
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