End of your rope....

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Matthew 7:7

Puny story.....kind of ...🙄

As I began to power wash my house I decided to start on the hardest side....the west side....it has the highest peak and catches most of the weather. It definitely was the dirtiest and the most time consuming. As I began I realized the sun was not in the best position so I thought a visor might help shield me from it.

Earlier I had put Miss Penelope in the house. She couldn't stand that I was on the other side of the fence....in plain sight 🙄 My thought was if she jumps the fence I'll never be able to trust her to stay in the yard again. Evidently, she didn't like being in the house either....when I went to get my visor she must have jumped on the door and tripped the deadbolt. I was locked out. 😳 I spent the better part of an hour trying to figure out how to break in to my own house. 🤔 I would NOT be a good burgular!

Without revealing anything on social media I usually have provision for getting in if such a circumstance occurs but having battened down the hatches for vacation there was absolutely no way short of a locksmith. Which, on a sidenote, is quite expensive.

I called my daughter but that was of no use. I had all new doors installed last year and had not given out any keys. Guess I just wanted someone to commiserate with... ...

I could do nothing.....it was the weirdest feeling ......

In studying James this summer I was reminded of this verse:

"You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives...."
James 4:2‭

How often I ask with wrong motives. I get in a pickle. I'm in a hurry and need a quick fix. I'm frustrated. I'm uncomfortable.

You might be thinking, "Wow, Dianna.. it's just a locked door."

It's a simple example but, to me, it's a continual pattern that as much as I desire to break, I seem to struggle doing so. How many times I lean on my own understanding.....how many times I acknowledge self over God.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean NOT on your OWN understanding; in ALL your ways acknowledge HIM, and HE will direct your path.
Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6

Not a whole lot of me there...just sayin......

Those who know Jesus as Savior, know what a gracious God he is....we can't explain it..... yet we shout it from the rooftops...when all is well....

"I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds."
Psalms 9:1

Yet, when circumstances aren't what we want we falter.....sadly we may not see him at all....

Finally, I sat down and began to pray. Lord, I simply do not know what to do. There were many more words than that....I was at a point of frustration and there may have been a few tears...😫

Why didn't I ask...before an hour had passed....why did I wait until I tried in my own strength.... until after I failed.... Why did I go before the Lord with a resigned heart, not because I was humbling myself but as a last resort.

Admittingly, these are hard things for me anyways. Locked door aside.....I don't want to power wash the house! This girly girl CAN.....but she HATES it. It doesn't take much for frustration to set in and tears to flow when I have to do that which he always did..... nonetheless, I seem to forget I'm never alone....I ignore the Supplier of all my needs. The Calm in the storm. The Balm for my soul.

God was gracious to me......

He placed a thought in my mind that perhaps Penelope had not flipped it completely and maybe if I jiggled it hard enough (though I had jiggled it already to no avail.....twice) it would disengage. And sure enough that's exactly what happened.

I wonder if I had prayed first if I would have saved myself an hour of frustration? Or did God allow me to get to the end of myself first? Have you been there before? I have. ....time and time again....

"You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule."
Matthew 5:3 MSG

The above is a less traditional translation but true....here's another version; well known as the first beatitude:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3 NIV

"The call to be poor in spirit is placed first for a reason, because it puts the rest into perspective. They cannot be fulfilled by one’s own strength, but only by a beggar’s reliance on God’s power. No one mourns until they are poor in spirit; no one is meek towards others until he has a humble view of himself. If you don’t sense your own need and poverty, you will never hunger and thirst after righteousness; and if you have too high a view of yourself, you will find it difficult to be merciful to others." (EWC)

But only by a beggar's reliance on God......

As an old saying goes.....

All's well that ends well....

Have you ever looked up the meaning of that phrase? I did. Interesting....

"If the outcome of a situation is happy, this compensates for any previous difficulty or unpleasantness."

Isn't that the truth!!?? There was immediate relief upon that door opening. The initial panic was gone. The frustration had disapated. The tears dried. And my work continued......until the next time.

I am so thankful that Jesus is so gracious. That he takes my sin, my failings, my shortcomings and presents me holy and blameless in God's eyes. It may be painful to persevere through trials ..but it builds my character, gives me hope and ever so slowly I become more and more like him.

Have a beautiful day.