Off The Wall

When the world is on your shoulder
Gotta straighten up your act and boogie down
If you can't hang with the feeling
Then there ain't no room for you this part of town

- Off The Wall, Michael Jackson 1987
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When I was a little girl, my father used to tell me that I was hard-headed all the time. He'd say that I couldn't just take his word for it that the wall was hard. I would have to go and ram my head against it to find out for myself. Repeatedly. Well Dad was right of course. All of the bumps and cuts and bruises I've sustained over the years prove it.

Recently I've been bouncing on and off of walls all over the place.
How often do we talk about laying something on the altar and letting God handle it - but don't actually do it?

How often do we "give it over" and then proceed to worry and wonder and question and speculate?

How often do we say to God "handle the big parts and I'll handle this little small part right here."

How often do we "give it over" but attempt to control what we have asked God to control?

How often do we "give it over" only to take it right back by the seemingly innocent act of praying for the outcome you want rather than the outcome that God wants? OUCH!

Know what I just figured out? I had been asking God to take the problem. I wasn't giving it to Him. Take what You want to take and I'll keep the rest. Take the big stuff and I'll keep the small stuff. Take the hard parts and I'll manage the easy parts.

I realize that every time I keep some or take some back (which is often...) I hit a wall. And I'm going to keep hitting it over and over and over until I am dizzy and about to pass out. Until I'm all exhausted, sweaty and wrung out. Until all I can do is throw my hands up in complete despair and cry out to God "I give up! Uncle! I can't do anything with this anymore! HERE IT IS! LET YOUR WILL BE DONE!"

And when I finally give it to Him...ALL of it - every last itty bitty bit - something happens. When I at last release it to His Mighty Hands to work it out, all I am left with is God's peace. Nothing more and nothing less. The peace of God and the knowledge that IT IS ALREADY DONE. All I have left to do is PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!

Oh, by the way, that "wall"...that's God. My Structure. My Support. My Rock. My Strong Tower. My Fortress. My Protection.

"For I,’ says the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst." Zechariah 2:5

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10
"For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me." Psalm 31:3

Hit the wall. Get bumped. Get bruised. Get it gone. Get your peace.

In love,
Mona