Life can be such a crazy journey of ups and downs and everything in between. I've come to realize that right when you feel like you've overcome in an area and you're starting to feel pretty good about the work you've done and the progress you've made... then BAM! You find yourself hit with a circumstance similar to the one you just got through. Like come on, didn't we just deal with this? Can't it be a one and done type of thing? OK, check 'insecurity' off the list, dealt with it now I'm good to go.
But sadly that's not life. We have to continually purpose to overcome. It doesn't just happen, we have to put the work in.
Something that sparked in my mind as I was annoyed with facing this type of repeated situation, was that I need to change the way I view it. Rather than thinking of it as 'Oh man, here we go again' and beating myself up, I can look at it as an opportunity. An opportunity to grow, an opportunity to remind myself that I've come through this before and can do it again, an opportunity to experience God in all his grace and goodness. God, who doesn't see us fighting through the same battle and get annoyed with us, but who actually meets us there AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN. He didn't say that He would help you through once and that's it. He has promised that He is closer than a brother, that He will NEVER leave us or forsake us.
If you are fighting a battle today that you are discouraged about because you felt like you already had this thing beat but it seems to be taking you out again (or threatening to), let me encourage you to change your perspective. Don't think about it from a place of feeling defeated and asking "Why am I dealing with this again?" Instead look at it for what it is, an opportunity to realize how far you have come, acknowledge the progress you have made, and then get to work so that it doesn't pack the same punch that it would have before. God doesn't roll his eyes and say "Oh man, here we go again" when we come to Him, even if it's a million times. He always embraces us with love, grace and mercy and says, "Take my hand, let's do this together."
TAMMIE GAUER
Tammie leads on our Relate Women team and serves with our Prayer MInistry and Community Care. She and her husband Adam have three beautiful children.
