This past week has been a trying one to say the least. I have never felt so alone, missed my family and my home in Florida more than this week. It’s kind of a funny thing, when I got the job in Boston working for a pharmaceutical company as a research associate – everyone thought I was so brave. The truth is it was a leap of faith as I needed a job and the opportunity presented it’s self – I really don’t think it was so much an act of bravery as it was seemingly a necessity. At this point in my journey, I am wondering was this what God wanted or was it a desperate attempt to find my appointed career path on my own. Have you ever made a decision that you wish you could undo? For me, it very well might be coming to Boston but on the other hand I know I have learned lessons I might not have ever learned and have grown in ways I never thought I would. At the same time, it is becoming increasing more difficult to ignore just how cruel and unkind this world can be. I long so desperately to be around and serving along side my family in Christ back in Florida. I miss the passion and excitement for Jesus in the church services, during worship and everyday life – it sort of leaves you feeling some what “sideways” if you will as life here is Boston is high paced, self centered and down right hectic.
Recently, I have been convicted as I have noticed I too can be like everyone else and get caught in the hustle/ bustle of life. When we get caught up in these ruts it is interesting the first thing that gets cut out is Jesus. He is the one thing we need most during the course of any given day!! I am learning this first hand more and more everyday!
All the more, as I am typing this I know that I am holding on to Jesus tighter than I ever have. I know He is the only thing that is keeping from throwing my hands up in the air when this wicked world threatens to bring me down. It’s an amazing thing that happens when you start getting close to God’s plan for your life: everything that could go wrong starts to. It is an attack to get your eyes off Jesus and I am recognizing it for what it truly is – a distraction!!!! We are, whether we know it or not, in spiritual warfare. It was a year ago last week that I was in the Cambridge Side Galleria – a mall in Cambridge – when my purse was stolen. I lost a lot that day and was despaired more than you could believe as I had no money to get home, no cell phone… After I had calmed down, I remember my devotions that morning and I remember telling Satan to BE GONE!! As Jesus said: “Get behind me Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of man” Matthew 16:23 You are NOT going to steal my joy, my hope or the future plans God has prepared for me. What happened merely 4 hours later was a direct attack back at me to see if it could dissuade me; in the form of my purse being stolen. It was no coincidence in my opinion!
1 Peter 5: 8-11 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
This past Wednesday, I was on my way out the door to go to work when I realized that my car was not where I had left it the night before. I was praying for God to give me peace and calmness about everything the day before this happened. I was seeking Jesus to give me peace and rest. I was starting to feel a lot of things coming against me: my application is not getting done anytime fast, I had hoped for more understanding and support from some that are close to me but this is not the case, finances, family health matters and my job has been getting increasingly more frustrating as everyday continues. Then the next day my car was gone. As I was sitting on that pavement in tears where my car had been – I felt the weight of the world coming down upon me I remembered the verse:
“Count it all joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives all liberally without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:2
Although yes, I did find my car - praise GOD!!! But it was only after much panic - I did not know if it had been stolen or simply towed. I remember feeling a sense of complete disorder and chaos at that moment and that nothing made sense!!!!! This situation, forced me to miss a day of work and pay a great deal of money to get my car back -- that was making everything I had prayed for the night before, admittedly, a lot more challenging. Not to mention the reason for which the car was taken out of the parking space that was an extremely frustrating matter and really should never have happened. I guess what I am trying to say is simply that we are in a spiritual warfare and Satan knows just how to devour us and take our eyes off Jesus. He knows how to use the things of this world against us and he will do it any chance he can! I realized through my experience last year and this week how important it is to be so close to Jesus. I don’t want that chaos and despair I felt for an eternity!!!! With Jesus there is a peace, calm and rest that nothing of this world can give. The question and challenge I will leave this post with is: are you going to let Satan get away with his wicked little bag of tricks???? Or will you prepare yourself by putting on the armor of God and fight back with all that is in you?
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