When Things Don’t Change…

Psalm 40:1-2

“I waited patiently for the Lord;     He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit,     out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock     and gave me a firm place to stand.”

Sometimes we wait patiently for our situation to change…sometimes we wait not-so-patiently and only wait because we are forced to. I’ve noticed that in those seasons where we are waiting on the Lord to change our circumstances, He often wants to change us.  When situations stay the same, I’ve seen God change me so much that it feels like I’m in a different season even though nothing in the physical has changed. We don’t really like hearing this because we’d rather our physical circumstances change and then we know our emotions will follow. But what freedom it is to have God change our attitude through the trial! 

Sometimes we feel stuck in the “mud and mire.” Mire is swampy ground. Miry can mean “sticky or slimy.” Try walking in swampy ground versus walking on rock. There is a huge difference. Walking in mire and mud is dirty, frustrating, and takes massive effort to pick up your leg and take a step forward. Walking on rock feels freeing after walking through the miry clay. Listening to the truths God tells us lifts us out of the muddy lies Satan has been feeding us. 

There are times we are so frustrated with our season that it brings us to tears.  We want to give up. This is our soul walking through miry clay. When I go to the Lord and surrender, I see the heaviness of the burden lift off of me.

Despair and hopelessness can try to discourage me and steal my peace.  I am still disabled and ill 9 years after my accident.  I still can’t see well enough to drive. I can’t stand in place more than a few minutes without fainting. I can’t cook for myself, do my own laundry, or think clear enough to balance my check book. I can’t be left alone more than 2 hours because I need so much help. I can’t work a job, I can’t go to school, I can’t date, I can’t get married, I can’t have children, can’t travel, can’t do missions, the list goes on and on.

But you know what I can do? I can go deeper with the Lord. I can be changed by His Spirit into His image, a kinder, more patient, stronger, and fearless person. I can reach out to people and be a friend to them. I can encourage the doctors and nurses who treat me. I can show kindness to my caregiver and pray for her. I can intercede for people. I can uplift their hearts by speaking words of life to them. I can know my Jesus better. I can laugh with Him, cry with Him, and enjoy Him. I can enjoy being an auntie to my nieces and nephews.

If my circumstances never change, how do I want to live my life? If your circumstances never change, how do you want to live your life? We each have challenges in this world. For you, it might be something different than health. It could be depression. Maybe it’s sexual purity, substance abuse, a spouse that isn’t what you wish they could be. Maybe you are single and lonely. Maybe you have a prodigal child, financial hardship, or something completely different. But if your situation NEVER changes, how will you wish you had lived your life? 

Will you wish you wasted all your energy worrying about the things you can’t change? Praying for it, hoping for it, and being disappointed time and time again? Or will you wish you accepted the things you can’t change and found a way to embrace what you can do? When I’m trapped in my sick bed, there are things I can’t do. Yet, I can watch sermons that challenge me. I can read or listen to the Word of God. I can enjoy silly movies. Sometimes I’m able to research topics I’m interested in. Sometimes when inspired, I can write articles. When I have enough energy, I can make a phone call. I can send a card or encouraging note to someone. I can reach out to someone in need. I can’t give them much. But I can give them a listening ear and prayer. 

Release your loved ones to God. Stop beating yourself up for not being perfect. Try to enjoy the things you can do. It might be as simple as looking at nature and smelling the fresh air. It might be listening to your favorite music or laughing with the children in your life. These are simple things we can enjoy. 

But what can we do that has purpose? There is always someone hurting that you can reach out to.  You could, write them, pray for them, send them a gift, visit them etc.  Getting our eyes off of our own challenges and onto helping others is huge. I will also say that a moment spent with my Lord is never a moment I regret. Hanging out with Jesus is never in vain. The times I feel His presence, or the times I learn something about Him I didn’t know before, are things I will take with me into eternity.  

People often assume health is my biggest challenge. But like any human, I also have things like relationship trials, financial stresses, and other situations that have weighed on me. And because I’ve had to spend a lot of time in bed I have more time to obsess over these trials. 

I have seen God change peoples’ circumstances. I’ve seen Him heal, set free, and change lives. I’ve seen Him give me layers of healing. But I’ve also seen difficult circumstances that don’t change. And if that’s me, if my situations never change, I want to let God, “set my feet on a rock and give me a firm place to stand” like that scripture says. How about you? 🙂