Do you ever feel that just as you get one tangled situation straightened out, another one comes right behind it? Today I was thinking back to a specific time when my life was full of tangles. Two ladies were angry with me, I had lost money on an unwise investment (which my husband had hesitantly agreed to) I had overcommitted myself in multiple directions, and Roy and I were POAs for four people at one time (with two of the loved ones having Alzheimer’s!) Believe me, on some days we were facing countless twists, turns and knots…all tying us up at once! On this particular day, I remember getting to the point of feeling that any solution—ever—was impossible. It was too complicated. True, some of it was my own fault. Some, I had no idea what had happened, and some was caused by life in general. I felt hopeless, helpless, and depressed.
The only thing I could do was to cry out to God in desperation. As I did, in my mind’s eye, I saw a big, tangled skein of yarn. It was a huge mess…twisted, knotted, and impossible to straighten out! “Yes, I thought, that is exactly how I feel, and exactly how things are!” I totally identified with that picture. With everything in me, I threw that MESS to God, saying, “I cannot handle this! Please, Lord, take it and rescue me!” Suddenly, I saw another amazing picture…all that yarn had totally relaxed and limply fallen to the floor, with every knot untied! All I had to do was to pick it up and roll it into a neat ball.
God has used that situation to bless me many times since then. Life has troubles! At first I may “see” the tangled mess, but then I remember Who cares, Who can, and Who will straighten it out. Eventually, I see the knots simply fall apart in His hands. The more we try to handle our problems, the more tangled up our lives become. Our Father wants us to relinquish them to Him, giving up our pride and control which says, “I can do this myself! I will just try harder!” Of course, this puts tremendous stress on us as well as on the tangled situations!
The Christmas season, when we celebrate the Prince of Peace coming to dwell among us, can be one of the most turbulent times of stress for many. Perhaps you are dealing with difficult relationships, extra duties, additional responsibilities, consequences of wrong choices (yours or others’), pride, hurts, mental anguish, weakness, sin, lack, disappointments, or weariness…causing many tangles and many knots! Purposely give to the LORD each person, feeling, need, sin, and situation. Don’t try to carry it yourself. Remember John 15:5 (b) where Jesus Himself says, “…Apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Even though all the bad situations may not be instantly resolved, God’s love, peace, and grace will carry us through as we watch Him work things out in His own timing. In I Peter 5:7 God says…”Casting all your anxiety on Him because He CARES for you.” (That is, you MATTER to Him!) Yes! You DO!
“God is at work in the mess. That’s the message of the Bible.” -Matt Chandler
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