Pages

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Finding the GOOD.

Finals. Lol. Am I right?

Everyone keeps saying, "One test at a time" or "Just don't stress about the future! Be in the moment."

Halt. Halt right there.

Can we just be honest for a split second? Brace yourself because you are about to take a glimpse into what I like to call Brianna's stream of consciousness during the week of finals:

You're supposed to focus on the moment, on that specific test, yet all that matters is how that test will effect your GPA... and how your GPA will effect what job you get...and how if you get a low paying job you won't be able to eat....and if you can't eat neither can your dog...and then you're running around the house trying to feed your animal and you slip and bust your head open....oh but guess what?! You can't afford an operation!!! So now you're sitting in your shack, alone...very alone (don't kid yourself, you can't afford to date someone), with a dead starved dog and a busted head. DO YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN.

Yeah live in the moment my butt.

After my thoughts snowball out of control, the simplest most genius thought someone once told me comes to mind. You know when you are complaining and moaning about your problems/worries/(cough cough...FINALS) and you list all your worries then end by saying, "...but I trust God's plan!" FALSE. Oh so false. You cannot worry and trust God at the same time. It is just not a thing. Wait, I'm wrong, it is a thing some like to call a oxymoron.

Trust me, I don't have my head buried in the Jesus sand. I know it's hard to trust God with all the little things, especially exams. Feels impossible sometimes. I mean the entire reason we are in school is to succeed in the future and if you don't do well on exams how is this possible? Okay, yes this is true, but think about the fact that God already knows your grades and they are perfect. Maybe not a perfect A, but the perfect grades for you. No matter what circumstances happen in your lifetime, God is doing what He knows is best for you at the time. May sound cliche, but I don't care because that truth has carried me through difficult days.

Maybe God created finals week to see which of his children will praise Him during a week where there seems to be little to celebrate. (I'm pretty sure it's not to boost sales for Starbucks coffee and Five Hour Energy Drinks...)

So take advantage of finals week. Look at this as a week to praise Jesus for friends to pull all nighters with and Diet Coke that still tastes good at 4 a.m. Most importantly, use this week to be the person who exemplifies God's faithfulness. Be the person people look at, but immediately see a glimpse of Jesus' calm and trusting personality. Be a light this week that glorifies Christ even when you're borderline B/C in Marriage and Family (like WUT...I'm smart I promise). TRUST that God thought out your life down to this very moment you would be reading this blog and stop worrying because that just won't help.

God is good. His plan for you is good. Life is good. Okay say it with me...FINALS ARE GOOD.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the GLORY that is to be revealed to us. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for GOOD, for those who are called according to his purpose."

 Romans 8:18, 28

Monday, April 7, 2014

Rain or Shine.

Seven in the morning. That is when my eyes shot open today. Trust me, it was not voluntary. I would've bet money a tornado was whirling about outside my window. It was just rain, yet suddenly I was in a bad mood. I was going to have to walk to my classes in RAIN?! (Like OMG. I just like can't even..)  Literally had not even started my day and already I was slightly ticked off because the weather conditions.

It's just funny to me how the smallest things can happen and all of the sudden your entire day is snowballing into "the worst day ever". Maybe it's just me and my slightly fabricated spin I put on things.....nah. It's you too. You know it's true. When you start complaining to someone about how bad your day has been you probably add in your long list of complaints, "AND it's raining."(How dare God not make every single day sunny...)

If you believe in God's sovereignty then you believe that God is 100% fully aware that it is raining outside right now...AND not only did he make it rain, but he allowed it to rain for a reason. Maybe God wanted to see how many people would wake up like I did and complain for 5 minutes before getting out of bed in comparison to how many people would wake up and say "Thank you Jesus for another day to serve you and jump in rain puddles." (called OUT)

Why do we let such minuscule things in our life have such a tight grip on the happiness of our day?

Music. It's a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky. Finish classes. Just ate Panda Express. Feeling good. (Maybe not that good...)You get back to your dorm room and no one is in there. Lights are off. You turn on your computer and tap that Pandora button. First radio station on is Coldplay. Don't even think about getting me wrong, I love me some Coldplay, but nothing brings the mood lower than that band. One song and suddenly all you wanna do is watch movies all day and Instagram coffee with a sappy quote.

Same day happens, but instead of Coldplay playing first, who pops up? Uh oh.......it's yo guh KE$HA! And just like that you're painting your face and feeling like P-Diddy. The rest of your day is most likely gonna be full of spunk.

It's just comical to me how things like music or the weather can be so influential because they shouldn't matter. God sent Jesus to die on a cross so that we can live. We make that previous sentence way too casual. Jesus DIED a painful, long death for YOU. He was thinking of YOUR name. He was dying for YOU. And He didn't have to. He had zero obligations. You didn't do anything to deserve it. He did it strictly out of love. THAT, that right there should be our constant joy everyday.

We need to quit letting our joy be determined by the tiniest events in our day. Maybe we start looking at why God allows for little things to happen instead of complaining about them.

He has a reason behind EVERY single thing he allows in your day. Whether it's you cracking your phone or tripping in class, He has a hidden agenda. ("Sneaky brown noser with a hidden agenda" #LizzieMcguire....you SO were thinking that too.)

I like wondering what God is doing. Why he allows what he allows in my life may not make sense and may seem pointless, but I am quite sure it is important in some way, shape or fashion. I think he likes keeping us on our toes.

God is in control of it all. Period.

If our joy is truly found in the cross, we have NO excuse to not be full of JOY everyday...rain or shine.

“For you shall go out in JOY and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
       Isaiah 55:12