Deep waters are cold and murky. They can be mysterious and even dangerous. So too can my thoughts and words be if I take myself too seriously. The more I talk, the deeper I go. My own wisdom can be murky and dangerous, even misleading. I am a woman who struggles with "deep thought" especially concerning spiritual things. I have no problem over-complicating life. I speak in pictures and stories, and can create "whoppers" without much effort...
I have much to learn from the flowing gentle brook.
Imagine a cool stream flowing quietly through a green wooded area. There are smooth stones in the water, causing it to splash and make that soothing sound that some people download onto their "white noise machines".
There is peace here.
I am like one of those stones in the stream, the water that flows around me encircles and refreshes me. I find rest here comforted by the soothing current as it rushes past me. The funny thing is that I am completely unaware that I am being refined and reshaped by the same water I rest in.
Every so often, a thirsty soul wanders to the stream. They step on me to get closer to the life giving water. At times, they may even sit and soak in the beautiful water...
As the thirsty soul is refreshed and renewed I too am completely surrounded by the water... Depending on my hearts condition I will either be refreshed or completely distracted by the weight of the one who stepped on me...
I am completely and constantly surrounded by the Lord. The Holy Spirit ministers to my soul. I find peace and rest in His presence. He comforts me, leads me, refines me.
Every now and again He will lead someone to cross paths with my life. They need something: a listening ear, a comforting word, a hug, a challenge...
He wants me to point them to Himself. They may step on me (rub me the wrong way, consume my time, offend me, or take advantage of me) or they may even sit in my life's path because they are too weak to take another step.
I am a living stone, planted in the Lords stream. I am nothing. Just a stone. When my heart is self centered All I feel is the weight of the one who used my life to get closer to God. I complain that they have stepped on me, I may even say something dumb like "if they don't move I will drown..."
When I take my eyes off myself, I remain almost completely unaware of the presence of the other... I am much too captivated by the life giving water that surrounds me... God is Good! I pray my heart is always so filled with Him, that I am unaware of the lives of the people around me being impacted by my life for the good. As I rest in Him, I pray those who cross my life’s path will find me willing to be rested upon so that they might be closer to Him.
I am just a stone. I am nothing. But I am filled to overflowing because of where my hope rests...
"The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook." Proverbs 18:4
"You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual House. " 1 Peter 2:5
No comments:
Post a Comment