Patience is a Virtue (a very difficult one at that)

     Okay, so I'm a pretty independent gal. I'm always on the go and like to take matters into my own hands most of the time. I like to get things done quickly and in a way that best fits my schedule, but I mean who doesn't?! However, 9 times out of 10 this way of approaching tough decisions, relationships, or life in general is unsuccessful. My failed attempts to do things on my own timing, along with hasty decisions, have revealed to me something Jesus has been putting on my heart, which is the being patient.
     Patience is the ultimate test of trust and a big struggle for many people. In today's society, we tend to think we know what is best for us and that our timing is the best timing. Reality check people, we don't know know half as much as we think we do. The only one who does is Jesus. HE knows what is best for us and HIS timing is perfect. A lot of the time we are just too wrapped up in doing things OUR way, that we are completely blinded of the fact that Jesus has it all figured out already. So while we are struggling and trying to figure out how to make things work out how we want them to, a lot of the time he is trying to tell us to trust in him, be patient, and rest knowing that he's got it mapped out perfectly.
     Many times, we are very aware that the God's got it all worked out, yet we choose not to listen or handle situations the way we know he wants us to...simply because we would rather do it our way (aka the easy way.)  Believe me friends, I know how it feels to find something so great and just want to plan out in your head how everything should go. You just want it to work out perfectly and you want it to work out as soon as possible...but honestly, what's the rush? This whole sense of rushing into things and choosing your(personal and more desired) way over Jesus' only leads to failure. I promise you that if you are obedient and patient and give Jesus control over whatever it is, the results will be so worth it in the end. I believe this with my whole heart!
     Unfortunately, so many times what Jesus wants is for us to be patient and HOLY COW can this be hard. Waiting is not my specialty, and I'm positive many can relate. I mean for goodness sake I get antsy waiting in the grocery store line. It's hard to accept but sometimes we are just meant to simply wait. This can cause us to feel like our lives are at a halt or that nothing is being accomplished. The truth is that sometimes during this time of waiting  more is happening in our hearts and lives than we even know! In the words of C.S. Lewis, "I am sure that God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait."  This is good stuff people! If you're in a season where your patience is being tested, hang in there and focus on the fact that it will be so worth it in the long run. Giving Jesus control of your decisions, being patient with him, and trusting in his timing will lead to greater results than rushing and attempting to handle things in your own way. Besides, the things worth having are worth being patient for...can I get an amen?!


Hope this encourage you today!

-Kay

The Beauty of Letting Go

      We all have things that seem to tie us down and hold us back. Those things that seem to have a tight grip on us that we just can't escape. Whether it's heartache from a past relationship, an unhealthy friendship, bitterness towards someone, some type of addiction, or even just a person that you know you should let go of, living with something like this bottled up in your heart can be exhausting. They constantly fight for our attention and consume our thoughts.  No matter how hard you try to move on and let go (of whatever that baggage may be) you just can't seem to break free from these ever present thoughts and memories. What you should know is that although it may not seem like it now, moving on and letting go of these things will give you an incredible sense of freedom. Below I've shared some insight and ideas that helped find freedom and peace.

1. Forgive yourself/ whoever else is involved.           

            In many cases, the thing that consumes people the most is bitterness, and let me tell ya living a bitter life is not a life you want to live.A lot of the time this bitterness is a result of someone being upset with themselves and they are bitter about how they handled a certain situation. "How could I be so dumb?" "I can't believe I did that." "I'm never going to forgive myself." Ever thought any of these thoughts? Most of us have, and that's completley normal.Newsflash people, we aren't perfect and can't expect ourselves to be.  We can't just become bitter and angry at ourselves every time we mess up. Don't be so hard on yourself. I'm not saying don't learn or occasionally get disappointed at yourself, but rather don't beat yourself up over it. You have to learn to forgive yourself and don't dwell on whatever you are stressing about. Think of what you can learn and get out of the situation to better yourself, rather than the negative side to it.
           On the other hand, a lot of people are bitter towards others..usually a specific person. Maybe this person hurt you and you can't quite grasp why they would do such a thing. Sometimes, what hurts  the most is when the person that hurt you doesn't even understand how bad they hurt you. Many times, this person won't even apologize. How could you not be angry and  bitter towards someone who did such a thing to you and won't even own up to being wrong? Believe me, friends. I KNOW IT IS HARD and if I'm being honest, I have recently struggled with a situation similar to this as well.  I do know that the freedom you will get from forgiving this person and just letting go of that grudge will be the biggest relief.You are so much stronger than you think and you can let go. You are not supposed to be consumed or tied down with the ever present thoughts of this hurt. The first step of moving forward is forgiving yourself and the situation. It can be so difficult to forgive someone who you don't think deserves it but if you think about it, that's exactly what Jesus did for you and the person who you feel like you can't forgive. So why would I think I am too good  to forgive someone Jesus forgave a long time ago? All I'm saying is that no one is too bad for forgiveness, and no one is too good to forgive. Once you do forgive, you are that much closer to letting go of this nasty thing that has a hold on your heart.

2. Let each situation be what is is, not what you think it should be.

         Okay, so I'm not the only one who tends to only remember the good things and pretend the bad never existed, am I? This is actually not a great idea,but is so tough not to do. We naturally don't want to remember the harm or the bad things, so we pretend they never happened. What keeps us holding on to the same thing for so long is the fact that we can't seem to let go of the good memories or benefits the situation or person gave to us. This is so unhealthy. Don't get me wrong, in no way am I saying to forget the good and only focus on the bad...but you do have to accept the bad and the harm it caused you. Letting go of something is so difficult when it seems you are letting go of something that once brought you so much happiness. In order to truly move on, you need to realize the reasons it didn't work/ how it hurt you. It is important to remember these things so that you don't fall back into the same trap and get hurt all again..this could cause it to become a neverending cycle of pain. Basically the bottom line is to understand how that situation hurt you so that you can grow from it and be more cautious and maybe guard your heart more in the future.


3. Don't let something that's long gone control you!

         That ex is an ex for a reason. It just wasn't meant to be, and that's all there is to it! Don't dwell in sadness and beat yourself up wondering why. There's better ahead. There is a reason that friend that isn't acting like much of a friend to you anymore. Not in all cases, but  a lot of the time this is because they have played their role in your life. Jesus puts people in our lives for a reason and sometimes they aren't meant to stay in it forever. Don't feel like you are giving up on anyone, you are simply finding freedom and letting go of all the negativity that friendship brings to you, it is no longer healthy. The "old you" is long gone. You don't have to get drunk every weekend to have a good time. Weed doesn't have to have to be the only escape. You are made new and Jesus doesn't want any of those things to have a hold on you. The old you is in the past, don't let it control you! You are forgiven and don't have to be controlled or feel guilty about things you did in the past.

The point of this blog was to fill you with hope and encourage you to let go of the anything weighing you down. Life isn't meant to be spent wallowing in sad memories nor is it meant to be controlled by some substance or negative thought. You have such a huge purpose in this life and trust me, it is not to be constantly overwhelmed and worrying about something from your past. Walking away from the pain and heartbreak is in your hands, and it is completely possible..you just have to make that decision to do so. Make the decision to be happy and to move forward. Nothing from your past defines you or has the strength to chain you down. Simply letting go can be the boldest and most beneficial thing you could ever do for yourself. You've got this, friend.

-Kay