Getting Knocked Down...

I can remember in High School being a wide receiver and going up to catch a pass from my quarterback. I ran my route, turned to face the ball, jumped into the air where I saw the ball coming my way and just when I went to catch the ball it happened…BAM! I was hit at my hips and flipped in the air and knocked to the ground (I held onto the ball though). Before you become too impressed, it was in a JV game but still, that is pretty impressive. lol
The point is this, I never saw the hit coming and was completely disoriented when I started to get back up off the turf. I remember thinking, "uh oh! This is going to hurt!"
Isn’t that how life goes though? We are trucking along, feeling like everything is going well, and just when we think something is going to happen a certain way, BAM! Life hits us, knocks the wind out of our sails and knocks us to the turf.
I wish life had a story book ending, but if we were to tell people that is the way things are once you become a Christian, isn’t that just setting them up for a big let down? This crazy life does have many highs, but we must also realize that there are valleys too. Sometimes we are defeated and even fail in life don’t we? I know I have many times!I am learning in this recovery process that God knows I am not able to produce perfection in my life. If I were able to do that, I wouldn’t need Him in my life. My daily walk will always fall short in life but that is why He gave me a precious gift, an undeserved life, to be invited into His family.
I used to use the analogy of my wife being able to bench press 1000 pounds. If I believe the lie that says, “Carol, you should be able to do this!” Then, when she doesn’t do it, I am sorely disappointed. It is the same in life, if I believe the lie that life will be a seamless, blemish free, mistake free process, problem free life, I will be sorely disappointed when it does not happen like that.
The good news though is that this road to recovery process that is LIFE, will ultimately lead me to a process of victory in my life. It is through His wisdom that I gain that I will be able to jump into preventative maintenance rather than reactive maintenance. I can learn through the Father’s direction how to stay out of the thorn bush as well as find ways to climb out of the cave I can get myself into from time to time. Hopefully I am learning how to do that more quickly than I did earlier in my life.
I can tell you this though, this process that I have gone thru in my past has only made me stronger. The Psalmist in Psalm 119:71-72 says, “Is is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. The law of your mouth is better for me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.”
No one person understands grace better than someone who has had to rely on grace. No one person is better to console and comfort someone in pain from a betrayal etc than one who has experienced pain or a betrayal themselves. This is what I love about Celebrate Recovery Volunteers. They have been blessed thru their pain and suffering and now choose to be a blessing to others who are in the middle of it today. God never wastes a hurt.
Yes, the process hurts, but as we face the pain, we mature and cling to joy. Nothing can separate me from the love of God and nothing can steal our joy or peace. Why? Because we have a Savior to cling to and allow into our mess. Today I am counting my blessings for my Father and yes, even the valleys as it has made me a stronger man for it. Those valleys have shown me a better path to take. And when I get side swiped with the hits of life that catch me off guard, I can still get up and say, The Lord is good and I have joy. The Lord is teaching me thru my pain and I give Him glory. His love endures forever!
Nothing on this earth can give me the strength to do that on my own. That only comes from a relationship with Him.

For more information about Celebrate Recovery contact Rodney at 479-659-3679 or roholmstrom@fellowshipnwa.org