Yoke Opportunities

Happy Wednesday and welcome to another entry in the journal telling my story...hehehe If you came today looking for the next, and probably final, installment about my trip to North Carolina, I'm terribly sorry to disappoint. Today feels like another general journaling kind of day.

Well, I do suppose there is one NC trip note I can make today. I'm dealing with allergies...LOL While I was up there last week, I decided I would use my allergy medication seeing as I was in a different region of the continent and all...hehehe Upon my return home, I ceased the medication and resumed my daily local honey routine. I felt the allergies impacting me late last night and I've been dealing with it all day today. I do wonder if it might be a delayed reaction from my trip? Or...have I not actually been cured of dealing with Florida allergies? I'll keep monitoring the situation...

Now back to our regularly scheduled journal entry...hehehe

Last week, I talked about being tired. I won't rehash all of that because you can simply click and have a read of what I previously said...hehehe But I did want to give a quick update on all of that. I found the rest I needed. More on that in a moment. One of the more obvious signs I am back to my usual self is how I have posted Vitamin G these past three days. I had compiled a list of things I wanted to post but wasn't quite ready to yet. Well, I've been able to go through that list this week. It isn't that I was scheduling these things or setting up a batch. I just wrote down things I would normally post but didn't feel like posting when they came to mind. I truly was tired and didn't want to toss those things out into the world without being able to engage should someone desire to discuss them.

I take great care in what I say because words are important. And actions need to match the words, as they are equally important. I decided long ago I would only post something when I was prepared for a conversation. I seldom get someone engaging in a conversation. That is absolutely okay. I just feel that to remain truly genuine to who I am, I can't just say something and not be ready to talk about it...hehehe

I also finally got around to posting the painting I made for the contest at work earlier this month. That post received a great response. Especially on Twitter! I received some positive feedback on Twitter, Threads, and Instagram. I'm so grateful for the feedback and I'm so glad I posted it. Although I didn't do well in the contest itself, the painting needed to exist. Now that it is public, I can see why. Some of the folks thanked me for posting it and how they were inspired by it.

Where I found rest was in answered prayer. I took Jesus' yoke upon me concerning some of life's big circumstances going on in my life. Which turned out to be the topic of The Chosen devotionals these next few days...hehehe Although my daily religious practices continued each day, I feel as though I was taking my focus off Jesus in certain areas. Nothing like straying off the path or anything. More like allowing anxiety, worry, and doubt grab my attention. I was especially consumed by the feeling of not being able to relax at home; which was very concerning. I was taking up my own yoke and allowing it to weigh me down.

Of all the lessons I've been learning these last three years, I think the one which stands out the most is, after identifying the symptoms of issues, I must address the issue itself instead of simply treating the symptom. And when addressing the issues, I pay close attention to the treatment or solution. I'm speaking generally, of course. This applies to dealing with life events and choices as well as all three main aspects of my health journey; spiritual, mental, and physical. And while paying attention to the solutions and treatments, making adjustments along the way is quite important. Something that worked yesterday may not work today. And something that works today may not work tomorrow.

This is where prayer plays an important role in the process. Asking for God's guidance along the journey is about being honest with Him and listening to His response. That sounds pretty easy, right? Well, actually, I am finding it to actually be that easy lately. When I'm truly focused on Jesus, and not on the circumstance or my limited understanding of what I'm facing, the answers are right there in front of me. Sometimes it's yes. Sometimes it's no. And the kicker...it can also be wait. Waiting is the hard part here...hehehe Yet, while I remain focused on Jesus, even the waiting becomes easier.

When it comes to discernment, I'm also finding that the answers to my questions have been either in my daily Bible reading or in The Chosen devotional. A few times, I've heard God's voice through a friend as well. They don't often know something they've said has sent me down a path of prayer where an answer was found. But I know God is also using the people around me to help. I can no longer count how many times something I had been praying and thinking about was the very topic of what I came across in the Bible or in a random conversation the same day or within a few days of the prayer. It just keeps happening...

I'd love to delve deep into this experience and explain it all. However, the mysteries of God are incomprehensible for my human mind to understand. At least at this stage of my development. Simply put, I don't really get it...LOL The Holy Spirit reveals the answers in the Father's perfect timing. Having a relationship with Jesus is all I really need. But that is just about all I actually understand about what I've been experiencing this year. I do get things wrong. But in every case, it was a time when I wasn't focused on Jesus with my whole heart. I see Him waving over there and my eyes go back to Him...LOL I put my yoke back down and take up His...hehehe

The movie Evan Almighty isn't a Christian film. But there is a scene in it where god as a restaurant worker helps the wife understand more about what he is teaching her husband, Evan. He says something to the effect of If someone prays for patience, do you think god gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If they prayed for courage, does god give them courage or does he give them opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for their family to be closer, do you think god zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?

Going through The Chosen devotional books has shown me Jesus' answers aren't always at the snap of His fingers. Oftentimes, as it was with the disciples most times, we are given opportunities to learn how to be more like Him. And He always provides exactly what it is we need when we need it. Sometimes that is through Him preparing us. Sometimes it is through other people. And, sure, sometimes He can simply snap His fingers...hehehe But the point isn't that I understand any of it. The point is that I truly believe He is the source of everything. And when I pray for something, more often than not, He gives me the opportunity to learn while providing all that I need to learn the lesson He's teaching. The understanding part is that it is the Holy Spirit that reveals the mysteries of God.

When I look back at my childhood, and more recently my son's, I'm reminded what child-like faith is. I trusted my parents. I was blessed to have great parents who loved the Lord and taught me to do the same. As I've said a lot this year, I don't think it is about how much faith I have. I truly believe it is more about the kind of faith I have and who I put my faith and trust in. My faith is growing and I'm bound to have plenty by the time I leave this world...hehehe

I'm going to focus on Jesus and remain in awe and wonder as I was as a child, though. That's the kind of faith I'm going to live with. Faith in Jesus and trust in Him without trying to understand as the world would. And I'm going to embrace as many opportunities as I pay attention to that He presents to me as the answer to my prayers. I'll miss some of them. I'll continue to just not get it sometimes. But I'll get there. And I know I can always find rest in Jesus along the way. So long as I focus on Him and take up His yoke instead of mine.

Speaking of opportunities, today's Vitamin G had that theme. The timing of my prayers, my Bible reading lately, the devotional, and Vitamin G posts like today's cannot be coincidental. I'm not looking for signs or even believe these are signs. But it is fun to connect the dots of the journey God is taking me on at the moment. Here was today's post:

I’ve learned not to avoid triggers. I embrace and look at them as opportunities to learn and grow. Learning to face them instead of allowing them to control me has been healing ❤️

I started doing that in December 2023. It was how I finished off the calendar year of when I began my overall health journey. My healing began in 2021. But it wasn't until I realized I was allowing those triggers to control my decisions when I finally understood I could turn them around into opportunities to learn and grow. I had already started to face the trauma. But I still hadn't faced the triggers. Once I did, my growth and healing took off like an eagle rising to the sun. There have already been several opportunities God has allowed me to face some of those triggers since where I have experienced the healing I'm talking about.

I'm fortunate enough to have several witnesses in my life to this growth and transformation. Their encouragement has been a Blessing to keep me on this path. I need to continue praying that I remain on this path for good. I'll need God's little reminders of all the opportunities when I've experienced His Word come alive in my life...hehehe

Matthew 6:33-34

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.

I was reminded of the above passage today. It somewhat goes hand-in-hand with most of what I've said in this entry. It's actually the how and why I'm able to take on Jesus' yoke. As I've stated before, the only thing I have to do today is trust in and follow Jesus. Everything else will fall into place. That passage is where I get that. I was actually inspired months ago to find the passage while watching an episode of The Chosen TV show when the character Matthew said something similar...hehehe

Today's entry was a little heavy and deep wasn't it?..hehehe I feel I needed to get this out of my head and into this journal. Especially with how today's devotional was on this topic and I had been praying over this for the last few weeks. Maybe tomorrow I'll wrap up my NC trip or at least do a lighter entry...LOL I'm not going to worry about it, though. That's tomorrow Greg's concern...hehehe