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Throwing grenades on our lives

3/3/2015

8 Comments

 
Picture
Opportunities. Temptations. 

Call them what you will, but they are there. Opportunities to take our lives as we know them, and throw a grenade on them.

I love my life. I love my husband, my daughter, our small apartment, our crazy ministry life.

While I type this, I hear Matt singing to Winnie who is inconsolable because of first teeth coming in. His voice is soothing even to me.

Minutes ago, I was folding tiny onesies, tiny jeggings, and tiny T-shirts with hearts all over them.

But I am strangely aware in this moment that I could throw it all away.

We all could. 

Even though we know that it would be a cheap imitation of what we have.
It is a beautiful life. It is a life of sitting and playing Noah. It is a life of getting too frustrated over losing a game of Ticket to Ride or Munchkin. 

It is a life of making and burning cookies…and then remaking and under-baking them just the way he likes. 

It is a life of load after load after load of laundry. It is a life of giggles with tummy raspberries. It is a life of linking hands in prayer.

But there are opportunities…temptations…that with one click, with one text, or one “yes,” we could throw it all away. 

The power we have to destroy our lives in an instant takes my breath away.

No one might know initially. The guilty joy might bring smiles at first. Elation, even. 

But then, but then…

“[Y]ou can be sure that your sin will track you down.”

No more tiny onesies. No more cooking that favorite meal for the 20,000th time. No more sighing as you put the toilet paper roll on the actual roller for the 30,000th time. 
We would miss it. We would recall the mundane as magical. 

It’s not worth it.

Thank God that the temptation is not the sin. 

The follow-through is.

When I was deeply depressed several years ago, I had to post this verse in yet another small apartment to remind me not to give up. Not to give in to the temptation of literally and permanently leaving it all.

"So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up."

If we don’t give up.

Don’t give up today. Temporary (or permanent) relief of the pain in our hearts won’t be worth it.

Keep on fighting. Keep on moving. Keep doing that laundry. Keep training those kids. Keep preaching to that boss with your good attitude. Keep showing those friends Jesus’ love. Keep on drinking in God’s real love. 

Keep on exchanging your strength for his.

Whether or not we see it, we are in a battle for our lives—our kids’ lives, our co-workers’ lives—and we will reap a harvest of blessing if we do not give up.
8 Comments
Sue
3/3/2015 01:06:34 am

Thank you. Just the rousing encouragement I needed. Blessings to you! Strength. Peace. Hope. Perseverance in the name of Jesus❤️
EPH.3:14-21

Reply
Laurie Krieg
3/3/2015 02:50:56 am

Amen, and you are welcome. Good Word.

Reply
Renee
3/3/2015 01:08:55 am

Such a beautiful way encourage us to say yes to Jesus today. Thanks so much.

Reply
Laurie Krieg
3/3/2015 02:51:47 am

Thanks for reading, Renee. And you are welcome, sister.

Reply
Gayle
3/3/2015 04:10:23 am

You are such a blessing to post this at a time to be such an encouragement.

Reply
Laurie Krieg
3/3/2015 05:16:45 am

So glad, Gayle. 😊

Reply
Jess
3/4/2015 03:21:10 am

I am so thankful God had you write that. I need to print it off and keep it near. I hate that tendency to want to throw it all away. I just want to scream..Why!?It is a very real thing that we need to be vigilant over always. I'm in a good place right now but it terrifies me that the possibility is there. Thank God that he is stronger than we are and He is our strength.

Reply
Laurie Krieg
3/4/2015 03:50:19 am

Yes, he is stronger!

I just keep trying to keep my gaze focused on Jesus, and only glance at my problems. He will sustain us, and give us just what we need at the exact right moment if we ask...

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