This Too Shall Pass

When I was in middle school, I had an awesome teacher by the name of Anne Raines. I'll never forget the weekly "talks" she gave us each Friday before we left for the weekend. One portion that has always stuck with me is her comparison to life as a a clock. We all encounter problems in life. It's a part of the cycle of life. But just like the hands on a clock keep moving, so do our lives and the situations that we face. Time will keep moving and we'll get through one situation only to face another. Those encounters help to build us up and make us stronger.

To take it a step further, often times you will find yourself going through the same challenges over and over again. Why? Because you didn't learn the lesson that you were meant to learn the first (or second or third) time.

Do you continuously find yourself in financial struggles? Have you taken the time to identify where your problems lie - shopping addiction, eating out, lack of budget, etc - and really focus on fixing it?

Do you continuously find yourself in troublesome relationships? Perhaps it's your season to be single and focus on your relationship with God and build yourself up to be a better person so that you can give 100% when you are in a relationship. Perhaps you struggle with a sexual addiction and God is testing you to see if yuo can deny yourself and not yeild to the temptation of being in an unhealthy relationship.

We often make promises when times are tough only to "forget" them when things get better. God doesn't forget, but thank goodness for His grace and gentle reminders of those valley promises we made.

Struggles will come. And, as hard as it is too truly believe sometimes, God knows how much we can bare and will not put more on us than we can handle. He's leading the way, standing beside us, and pushing us forward all at the same time. Wanting us to trust in Him and lean on Him for strength and guidance to make it through so that we can reap the wonderful rewards He has in store for us.

My prayer for all of you that are going through a storm that seems unrelenting is that you put your total faith and trust in God who is in control. Keep a positive spirit and pray, not for happiness which is temporary, but for joy. I pray for a peace that surpasses all human understanding in your life. I pray for a calmness of mind, body and spirit that allows you to rest easy and know that God's will will be done. His will may include you having to release some things and people that you may not want to, but He truly has the best in store for you. I pray for unexpected blessings in whatever area of your life needs it. I pray that He heals minds, bodies, spirits, and relationships.

Be Blessed Divas and remember to be a blessing to others - even when it seems that you are in need more than others - because none of us truly knows what someone that we encounter on a day-to-day basis is going through and needs.