Do You Know Peace? What about Freedom?

I was talking to someone over the weekend and they made a statement, I'm sure I won't quote it exactly but she spoke of allowing God to remove all the 'junk' we have. Allowing Him to reach in and take the pain, the bitterness, the despair, the anger and whatever else we might be holding on to.  The as she had one hand cupped like a scoop, she proceeded to take the other hand and go over that hand in a back and forth motion, 'Then He can fill all of the space there, He can replace the things He removed with peace, love, His joy'.  I like visuals.  I could see that cupped hand 'filling' with all the good stuff where the junk had been.


It's true, He wants to give us all the best stuff.  Sometimes we hold on to things that we think is good but what He has is better.  Have you ever see the cartoon where the little girl is holding on to the little teddy bear saying "it's mine" and Jesus is reaching for it?  What the little girl can't see is that Jesus has a big teddy bear behind his back.  We are holding on to the little things and He has big blessings just waiting for us to let go.


The last months have had some of the hardest times I've ever faced personally, I have been hurt to the core of my being, I have felt so defeated at times.  But each of those times I look up and there He is, ready to pick me up, ready to comfort me.  His love never fails.  When it seems there is no way out, there is Jesus!  He doesn't need a conventional method to deliver, He is the way!


I've walked through some hard times, I was not alone.  I've cried many tears, He dried them and held me.  I've felt I was helpless and He showed Himself faithful and true.  While I can say that the last months have had some of the worst times, I have felt such peace, I have felt such freedom.


In writing this blog, I've allowed myself to acknowledge things that I held tight to before.  I have been able to face the failures, knowing that He knows them all anyway.  There is nothing I've done or will ever do that will come as a surprise to Him. Yet He loves me.


He knew I would have many failures as a parent, as a daughter, as a Christian.  He knew that I'd look back and feel so unworthy of His love and it is only through His grace that I have any standing.  My failures are many, my sorrows are too.  My life was in shambles, I thought it was through.  Then Jesus came walking, He saw all my need.  He came in love if His voice I would heed.  I know I'm unworthy of all of His grace, yet my sin He banished without a trace.


There is so much I could say today about God's love.  Yet no matter how many words I use, they would not be sufficient to describe how totally amazing His love and grace can be.  It's hard to describe what you truly mean by peace and freedom yet the joy it brings bubbles in my heart and soul like a spring of living water. 


God meets you right where you are, He wants to deliver you.  He wants to fill all the cracks and crevices that removing the junk creates, with His grace, His mercy, His joy and His love.  Will you let Him?