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Praise
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Not By My Strength Alone
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I had posted this in the "over 50" forum, but I have hope that it might encourage
others who may face this same turn in their lives.
39 years working at the same company and then I'm told that I'm no longer needed?
What have I done wrong?
Where did I fail?
All this time I thought I controlled my life, my destiny.
In one day everything that I knew or depended on was gone.
But I’m told that god works in strange and wonderful ways.
It took being shaken to my very foundation; the foundation that my wife and I said was built on Christ, to realize how strong that foundation really is.
I’m told there is nothing else that man’s medicine can do for my diseased heart. But God has had me step away from the life I was leading, the constant daily stress, the worry about many things I can’t control. It’s in God’s time that I will find my future. It is His will that I should follow. His promises that I need to accept and not mans’.
I have entered into a forced retirement. Social Security doesn’t cover the daily cost of living, heath care should be called “bankruptcy care” and an idle mind begins to suffer from lack of use.
But when I allowed my eyes to be opened, I discovered that life without the unending stress was like a breath of clean heavenly air. I thought about my poor health and the many times I had been in the hospital and discovered that giving back to those people in the local hospital who had do so much for me when I was in need was both a blessing to me and others and kept my both my mind and body alive and involved.
I rediscovered how much I enjoy photography and have complimented and asked for copies of some of my photos. My daylily garden has never looked so beautiful and I enjoy getting dirty with God’s earth.
When the world that I thought was mine came crashing down around me God showed me a new world created by Him for me to share and live in. I may not live in the Garden of Eden, but I see God’s finger prints on everything around me.
I call this my second life, my better life, the garden path I walk with the loving Father that was always there, even when I was too busy to see or hear him.
No matter what we face in our journey, or how many road blocks or detours we are forced to take, we are never alone.
Father, I pray that even on the darkest day that I may always see the sunshine of your love.
Also, thank you Brian for such a loving and devoted brother to all of us. I am new to the forum and so happy to find this group of seasoned brothers and sisters.
Chuck
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Chuck 01/02/2012 19:49 |
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susanst53
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01/03/2012 02:11 |
welcome chuck! it is a true grounding experience to come full face with how 'out of our control' our lives truly are. after many years of wrestling with God to understand the bible and to truly begin to operate in the spirit - it is well worth the effort. Welcome to the best journey you will ever experience. I am happier now than when i too was chasing the things of the world.
sus
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