.

For those who want it so bad, but can't have it.

For those who feel the need to fight.

For those who desperately want the storm to be over. 

For those who kick and scream and prolong the storm willingly.

For those who feel so lost, and forget what still waters and green pastures are.

For those who feel like their drowning in lies. 

For those who can't stop.

For those who are confused, and lonely, and terribly frightened.

For those who's eyes are swollen and red and stinging from crying so much. 

For the weak, the thirsty, the empty.



When you feel like you're over your head in lies and deception, being tossed every which way by the terribly rough and choppy Sea that is life on this broken earth - pray through Psalm 23. I promise you it will restore your soul. I promise. Allow the peace to fill you and don't fight anymore.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.  

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies; 

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life, 

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Psalm 23

where's your focus?

     It's so incredibly easy to focus on those things that I don't have. Sometimes it seems like the things that I want but can't have far outweigh the things I DO have. It doesn't take a lot of effort to just indulge in being miserably discontent. I think that's why I do that so much. Because it's too hard to sit down for five minutes and think of a few things that I am thankful for. I'd much rather be miserable and have people sympathize with me, and have them tell me the same things I'm telling myself: that it's not fair that I don't have such-and-such a thing, and that I have a right to get what I want.

     It may seem easier to have that focus, but the fact of the matter is that it's not. It takes it's toll on me until I feel depressed and utterly unsatisfied with my life. I've even experienced feeling so discontent with what I don't have that I wished I could die. It's scary to find that I've let myself go that far in my misery.

     The remedy for this is to simply sit down and write out things that you are thankful for. When I did it, I thought of ninety-seven things that I'm thankful for in one sitting. I have so much, even if I don't realize it all the time. It's healthy to realize it, though. I need to remember how much God has blessed me, and how little those things I don't have matter in the grand scheme of things.

     It's hard to have the right perspective. It's hard to put my focus in the right place. It's so easy to slack off and not tell myself the truth, but instead be content with the lie that I don't have everything I need.

     Because, since I have Jesus, I do have everything I need.