I’ll be Happy When Resolution
I'll be Happy When Resolution
Ever been diagnosed with the "I'll be happy when . . ." syndrome or made resolutions year after year to no avail. Guilty of both! Waiting for things to be in line with our distorted expectations or thinking we're going to fix something with a simple declaration never works. In fact, we feel more frustrated when our plans don't come together.
Resolution ~ this word can be daunting, even depressing, at other times inspiring. Resolution comes from the English word resolve and is derived from the Latin word resolvere which means to loosen or release. I like this mindset better than the traditional "do or die" mentality. The prophet Habakkuk shares some powerful words on releasing and loosening in chapter three.
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
He enables me to tread on the heights.Habakkuk 3:17-19
Habakkuk realized that no matter what was happening around him, he was resolving to rejoice in God. He was going to be joyful in his Savior; he realized where his strength was coming from; and he released or loosened his grip on how he thought things should roll and surrendered to the Sovereign Lord.
It hurts me to say, I have spent most of my life with an "if only" attitude rather than an "even though" outlook! I've allowed my expectations and the expectations of others to dictate my happiness. I've let the enemy's lies cloud God's purpose in the tough.
You see, what I've been doing is missing out on the blessings, the gifts God has given me because I've been so focused on my "ideal"! I have been so blinded by what I thought needed to happen that I failed to see where God was working and even abandoned all trust that He was in the midst of the hard! Blended families, by nature, are tough. Two independent households, with separate schedules and agendas are trying to live as one.
I look at this picture and cannot begin to explain the emotion that comes over me when I think about our family's story. Eighteen years separate the oldest of the herd, DJ, from the babies, Hanna & Heidi. They are technically half-siblings ~ yet NO ONE in this family uses that term! You see, it wouldn't have to be this way, but praise God, it is!
What I failed to realize, was that our God was molding and shaping our family into the most beautiful crazy I have ever seen. He has taken three adults, seven kiddos, a posse of grandbabies, and one great-grandbaby and created a tight-knit bunch ~ in His time and in His way! Perfect, no, but beyond blessed!
What I didn't understand during the hard, hard years of us becoming the family we are today, God was writing a beautiful story of healing, grace, and love. I was so caught up in having a June Cleaver house and trying to live up to unrealistic expectations that too often I missed the holy God moments along the way. No lie, it makes my heart heavy; but praise God, He redeems!
I no longer want to live with an "I'll be happy when . . ." motto. I want to loosen and release my ideals and any earthly misconceptions of what will make me happy and look for the joy God my Savior is filling my life with and trust in the strength of my Sovereign Lord in this very moment.
God, open our eyes to see You more clearly in the midst of the hard! Sovereign Lord, may we loosen and release, in Your Name, anything that keeps us from saying, "Even though, yet, I will."
Appreciate it so much when you talk about your family. This really hit home. I find myself “wishing” things were different just to find myself feeling guilty for not appreciating what I have. In constant regret one way or the other. I don’t want to miss the “holy God moments” as you state above.
One of my favorite songs in church is Open My Eyes, Lord. Haven’t heard it in awhile and this helped me remember it and I will most definitely listen/sing it tonight. Thank you!
May God open our eyes!
Thank you for your transparency. When we learn of the struggles of others, we feel less defeated and want to keep trying.
Your scripture reference hit me……. I want to read and learn more about Habakkuk! I’m thinking I may have a study on that book and will tackle that with new enthusiasm.
I loved this format too!
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