The last several weeks have been many things for many people. Stressful, peaceful, painful, panic inducing, entertaining, boring, draining, exhilarating…the list goes on and on. For some, like me, it’s been a combination of many things. Most of all, it’s been an enormous learning experience. I’ve learned that the life I live, the day to day rhythm of my life, is, basically, quarantine. I’ve learned that, as one door closes to the enemy, he’s going to find another door or a long forgotten window to gain access to our souls. I’ve learned that there are times when God speaks so clearly, even I can’t miss it. But most of all, I’ve learned that I am happiest when I choose to belong much more to God than I do to myself.

I chose the three photos at the top, because they tell a little story about me. The flowers represent the many beautiful colors God has brought into my life…children, grandchildren, more siblings, more nieces and nephews, and so much love filled life. The sunset on the right side digs in to the peaceful part of my life and my heart. The part that is most connected to God. It’s in that place of peace that I find the most calming influences in my life…my husband, my daddy, my sister, and especially my Heavenly Father. The photo in the middle is where I live. It’s me trying to maintain the me that my Father created, and allow the colors and gifts of this world to surround me and color my life in the ways they are intended. It’s me trying to leave myself open for what the Lord wants to place in my life, and not hold part of myself away where nobody can reach it.

I’m learning that even our greatest blessings can be used against us if we’re not careful. Blessings are the flowers and the sunsets that help make our path through this life beautiful and bearable, but they should never be mistaken for the path itself, and especially not for the destination. We, as human beings, have a tendency to find feelings of safety and security in having money, things, relationships, and so on. However, none of those things can provide true peace. Especially when we live in fear of losing them. We become prisoners to our own blessings. We have to be able to let go of anything God gives to us. Even people. We’re all just rentals in this world, and the only one we truly belong to is God. And the ONLY way I believe we can get to Him in the end is through Christ, the Savior.

Before all this virus mess hit the fan, I was beginning to find some balance and I’d finally gained wisdom in how to manage my fears and anxieties. But just as I said, when one door closes, Satan creeps around until he locates another one. It could be an unfamiliar emotion, like anger that he tries to plant and nurture into a spirit killer. It could be a change in job circumstances, as many people have had to adapt to in the face of this pandemic. I could continue on, but the what doesn’t really matter. The fact is that he’s never going to stop trying, so we can’t ever lose sight of the fact that it’s never really our battle to fight.

The key to every battle we face in life is to lay it at God’s feet, meaning we do everything we feel appropriate in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, and then we trust that God is able to fill in the gaps. That doesn’t mean we don’t do anything, just sitting back like a Siamese cat waiting for the Lord to magically make things happen. It just means doing everything prayerfully, always doing the best we can to make the right decisions, and making sure we’re not laying our voices and our priorities over the top of God’s. We have to ask for wisdom, especially in the face of unfamiliar battlefields, like the ones we’re all walking through right now.

Be patient and seek wisdom. Listen to each other and find ways to truly be there for the people we love in the ways THEY need, not just in the ways that are convenient for us. And when we come out the other side of all this, as we most certainly will, let’s work harder to take fewer things for granted…let’s make more of an effort to nurture the blessings we’re given…and let’s not forget that life is about far more than just those blessings.