Do you ever feel like you have to learn the same lessons over and over?  As I walk through this journey called life, I am aware that I am constantly growing.  I love having insight into my own belief systems and it’s incredibly rewarding to see my clients have those “aha” moments.  However, no one ever arrives! One rewarding thing about being in ministry in the field of counseling is many of my friends are counselor’s.  It’s so nice to bounce some thoughts off of a colleague and allow them to speak into my life.  It’s also incredible to have the God of the universe living inside of me that often speaks into my life.  Sometimes He uses His word, sometimes He uses others and sometimes He uses books, movies, music or sunsets.  He can use absolutely anything!  It’s interesting to notice that this need for knowledge started all the way back in the Garden of Eden.  Adam and Eve could eat off of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil or they could eat off of the Tree of life.  The first temptation ever served to them from the enemy was the desire to know more.  

I love the fact that Jesus said, “It is for your good  that I am going away.  Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go I will send Him to you. When He the Spirit of truth, comes He will guide you into all the truth. (John 16:7,13) The Holy Spirit is THE counselor who cannot make any mistakes or have misperceptions.  He knew me when I was being formed in my mother’s womb.  (Psalms 139)  He knows about all of the nuts and bolts of what makes Rebekah, well…Rebekah!  I do love the fact that we are complete in Christ.  I also love the fact that we have been given everything we need for life and godliness. (II Peter 1) But since we still live on this earth in these fallible earthsuits, we forget.  God is continually making true in our experience what is already true in our spirit.

One area that God continually speaks to me about is in the area of thinking that if I can understand something I will have peace.  It amazes me how many times He has to point out to me that I’m doing it again!  Anybody else relate?  Am I just an extremely curious person or is it that subtle way I think I can control?  As I’ve said before, control is an illusion.  Control is fueled by fear.  What am I trying to control?  Experiencing anything that will cause me discomfort.  I feel the need to stay a step ahead of anybody or anything that has the potential to cause pain.  When I am hurt I want to know why the person hurt me.  Why do I think that would make me feel better?  Is there ever a good enough reason to hurt someone?  And then we come to the area of understanding life.  I don’t know about you but the older I get the more I realize that I don’t know as much as I thought I knew.  So you factor into this equation that I can sometimes have “over responsible flesh” and we have quite a problem on our hands.  I don’t only have to figure out life for me but I better get it right because people are watching and being influenced.  Wow, that is a huge bolder to shoulder.

Jesus often has to remind me that His yoke is easy and His burden is light . (Matthew 11) He also has to remind me quite often that the righteous shall walk by faith.  (Romans 1:17)  Now I will repeat what I often tell my clients.  God NEVER created human beings with the capacity to figure everything out.  That is why we need a Savior.  Our Savior is all-knowing, sovereign, powerful and in control!  I love Hebrews 4:9-11 that says, “There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.  Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest…”   Can I surrender my right to figure everything out and walk through this adventurous journey hand in hand with my Savior?  Can I rest in His unfailing and unconditional love for me?  Can I place other’s in His hands trusting that He loves these people even more than I do?”  Can I accept the fact that I will be misunderstood at times?  Will I choose to allow His spirit to direct me back onto the path of trust when I sense the frustration of an overactive brain?  Will you?  I have a sneaky suspicion that I am not the only one that struggles in this area.  God loves us.  (John 3:16)  He is for us.  He is IN us. (Romans 8)  And He has a future and a hope for us!  (Jeremiah 29)  Let’s let go and trust!  Even if we have to do it several times a day or several times a minute.

IMG_1871