Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold and rainy and we’ve been told to prepare for high winds and flooding today. After a season of serious drought and lots of prayers for rain, I’m giving thanks for every drop that falls to the ground and I choose to Trust the Living God with all the rest of the details. After all, if I ran for cover every time the weather channel told me I should, I would be living in fear most of the time. Instead, I put my Trust in the One who brings the wind and rain and I find my Peace no matter what the outward circumstances look like. I have the blessing of a warm home and a hot cup of coffee, and I have a God that warms my Soul every time I seek His face. Fear is the only thing it takes for any of us to surrender to our circumstances BUT fear and Trust can’t coexist. So, to be sure that I’m Trusting Him in all things and through all things I spend my time seeking His face while I tune out the noise of the world. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey of Faith too?

Life is like a rubber band. We can stretch it out almost to the breaking point as we attempt to grow past our circumstances, but as surely as the rubber band is inclined to retreat back to where it was before it was stretched, so are we inclined to go back to the very place we’re trying to grow out of. That’s because we have an enemy who LOVES to see us fly and fail over and over again. It’s only when we lose our grip that the rubber band retreats and it’s only when we continue to stretch it that we eventually break through. Whether it’s fear, depression, laziness, or discouragement, it’s easy to retreat back into any of these UNLESS we’re willing to KEEP STRETCHING…even when it hurts and even IF it takes a million attempts. The Apostle Paul, said, ” I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do”. If retreating back into old ways was a problem for one of the Greatest Saints who ever lived, it’s no surprise that it would be a problem for you and me too. It doesn’t matter how many times we (re)stretch the rubber band that matters. What matters is that we keep stretching and stretching while refusing to retreat back. And if we do that over and over and over again, we eventually break through and the rubber band can no longer retreat. It would be easy to throw in the towel and proclaim “That’s just the way I am” or to give credit to genes by saying “It runs in my family”, but retreating back to old ways is an ongoing battle for ALL of us, and we each make the choice whether to surrender to our weaknesses (aka to the Devil) or to keep stretching until we eventually break through the barriers. This is the key to Victory.

When I’m inclined to retreat back to where I came from, I’m certain of a few things. I know it’s time to regroup and stretch a little harder. I know that if the Apostle Paul struggled with the same thing and eventually reached Victory, there’s Hope for me too. I know that He’s “my glory and the lifter of my head” and through Him, I have the Power to change anything and everything. I know that when I’m inclined to retreat back, I’m on the brink of Great Things and the temptation to retreat doesn’t come from a Good Place at all. The Bible says that Isaac died “old and full of years” and I can’t think of a better way to live and die. FULL of all the sweetness God has to offer. FULL of wisdom that only comes through the trials. FULL of gratitude for Who He is and what He’s done for me. FULL of compassion for the lost ones. I’ve grown past the rubber band syndrome and NOW I’m a usable Vessel for the Living God. I won’t be retreating back into my “old ways” because I’m FULL the Spirit of God and I know how to Rebuke my adversary before I lose my footing. I’m doing my part to Stretch and I’m leaning on the One who gives me Strength day after day. After all, the world makes a whole lot of noise but it can’t bite.

How about you?