When Praise is More

What does Praise mean to you? 

Is it an expression of a good mood? Is it the result of a happy circumstance or the byproduct of a great day? Yes, I believe it is, in part... After all, when things are going our way, it is in our Christian nature to credit God as the source of all our blessings, glorifying Him in praise! This comes easy to us, because we know the truth is that all good things come from Him (James 1:17). 

But is Praise more than this? Friends, let me tell you, it is. Think about this for a moment...

The Word tells us to continually praise Him... in fact, it says to "let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15)."  Now this phrase (roughly translated), let us continually is derived from the Greek root words dia and pas. Together, they mean through all things...always. Through happy and unhappy circumstances. During great and horrible days. In good and bad moods. When praise doesn't come easy to us is when it is, in fact, more. When you can't see past the pressures attempting to crush you or the worry, fear and pain of the battle you are fighting - THAT is when Praise is more. When it truly feels more like a sacrifice... it is more. It's during the times you feel like praising Him the least, is when you need to praise Him the most. 

Friends, Praise is a fierce weapon in the face of any enemy. It's a light that shines in the darkness!  Praise is what lifts our eyes from the battle you are in to the victory that has already been won for you! It's what raises our perspective of how we see the world around us. When we stop looking at our circumstance and focus on God's character, is when our faith is multiplied... when our focus is fortified and our strength is replenished. Through Him, our praise supernaturally changes the facts of our circumstances to the TRUTH of God's purpose.

THAT is when Praise is so much MORE. 

I challenge you to try this. In the midst of your battles and when you need a little faith (or more), go to the Word and then praise the living God... Praise Him for Who He is and His love for you. Praise Him for the purpose you can't see just yet, and the victory that you know is a sure thing! See what happens.

Go to the Word!

2 Chronicles 20:1-30

Acts 16:25-26

The Last Word: 

Why am I discouraged?

Why is my heart so sad?

I  will put my hope in God! 

I  will praise Him again - my Savior and my God! 

(Palms 42:11 NLT)

Swimming Lessons

For the past week, I have been taking my six year old to swim lessons at a local college. Day after day, I have watched his teacher give her small group of young students instruction on how to move in the water.  She tells them every morning when to breathe out from their nose, when to kick and how to move their little arms. They practice the movements over and over again before they go into the pool, and then again in the shallow water.  She’s very present and confident with them and I truly admire her patience (my son doesn’t necessarily love having his face under water or being in that pool). The first half of the week were full of tears and it hurt my heart at first to see my boy pushed to his limit. But this gal does not take “no” for an answer. Off the diving board and into the deep end they go, and whether they go willingly or they are carried across the board and dropped is completely up to them. These kids will learn to swim and this group of teachers are very serious about that.  The truth is, my boy won’t always have someone to hold him above water. There won’t always be someone there to catch him when he falls into the deep end. There will come a day when he will have to remember what he has learned from his teacher - the breathing, when to kick his legs and how move his arms - to keep from sinking.

It occurred to me how this process relates so well to my spiritual journey through life.  I’m approaching my third year walking this path. The first year was scary and difficult. I was an infant and needed that spiritual milk. God made his presence known to me in a way that was very tangible. He held my hand and walked me out of depression, anxiety, loneliness and addiction. He taught me about grace and love.  My eyes were full of His wonder and for the first time, I experienced His strength and felt true joy. He began surrounding me with people who were stronger than I was to lift me up and keep me encouraged.

Like newborn infants, desire the pure spiritual milk, so that you may grow by it for your salvation, since you have tasted that the Lord is good… 

(1 Peter 2:2)

Going into my second year, I was much stronger. I had learned about God’s Armor. I was being schooled in faith by the testimonies of others. My eyes were being widened to revelation after revelation in my studies. God began to put me in places to help surround others who could lean on my strength. Though I still wasn’t where I thought I needed to be spiritually, I was beginning to apply what I had learned to teach others.

Therefore, leaving the elementary message about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works… (Hebrews 6:1)

Going into my third year, I find myself in a season I am unfamiliar with. I remember what I’ve learned. I know what I know. I have the books, the scriptures, the uncountable notes I’ve taken… But, there are times I honestly don’t “feel” my Father’s presence with me. At first when I noticed this, I was scared. Was the depression coming back? Did God abandon me? I remembered my pastor talking about how our feelings can deceive us… and though we may not “feel” God’s presence, our faith can give us confidence that He is there. It’s in those seemingly vulnerable times that we can either succumb to the fear, doubt and temptations to turn back to our old ways (or for many of us fall into new bad habits), or we can lean on our faith… to remember and apply what we know and what we have learned… to put to use the people God has put in our lives to help carry our burdens... to worship Him even when we don't feel like it.

 

Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature – for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil. (Hebrews 5:13-14)

This is something I learned quite recently. And it wasn’t until the end of my son’s first week of swim class that it hit me.  If you don’t see or feel Him hold you above water, it is because He knows you know how to swim and he wants you to apply that knowledge. He wants you to swim… in the shallow water and in the deep. We know that we have life with Him and He will not let us drown.  There will be times when we need our friends (stronger swimmers) and there will be times when God (the Life Guard) dives in and saves us in a big way or leans in to whisper a new revelation, but He wants us to know that unless we use our skills, our gifts and our knowledge of Him (without the “floaties”), we will not mature.  I have to say, at first I was terrified. I thought I might drown. But somewhere in that water, I had a “be still and know moment.” I remembered that what I already know will keep me above water. And because of what He has taught me, I can experience His presence in a much richer and intimate way.

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grown in every way into Him who is the head – Christ. From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part. 

(Ephesians 4:14-16)

Winnow Me, Lord

His winnowing shovel is in His hand, 

and He will clear His threshing floor 

and gather His wheat into the barn. 

But the chaff He will burn up with a fire 

that never goes out.

Matthew 3:12

This is my most loved Bible verse. When I first read, I felt something. A nudge, maybe. John the Baptist is talking about the coming of Jesus. Now, the surface interpretation of this scripture is quite clear in most of the commentaries that I have found regarding it...the saved go to heaven (wheat into the barn)...the wicked go to hell (the chaff burns forever). Divine Judgement. But in my spirit, I felt there was something else under the surface for me to see. So, I held on to it until the revelation came to me almost a year later. When it did, my friends... it was like lightning struck.

Let's look at this scripture for a moment through the lense of a different interpretation. Right under the surface is something deep and rich and worth sinking your teeth in to...transformation of the human character through Christ.

To do so, you need to know just a little about wheat harvest... bear with me.

First, the wheat was threshed (or beaten) on a hard surface by a flail to loosen the good wheat from the inedible, scaly chaff that surrounded it. 

Then the mix was tossed into the air with a shovel (or fork) so the wind would blow away the lighter chaff, while the heavier grains fall back on the the threshing floor.  This was called wind winnowing. 

There...history lesson over. See? Painless.

Do you know what happens to the human heart after salvation?? It's transformed. Made clean and new... 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things have passed away and look, new things have come.

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

After I was saved, my old thoughts were that there was nothing left of the old me. These thoughts actually comforted me. There was nothing of my "old self" I was fond of. Ever. Memories of that time of my life elicited shame and sadness. I was unlovable. My opinion of myself never really changed. I did wrong...therefore I was wrong. 

But while fervently moving forward in my new walk with Christ, as a new creation, God asked me to look back. Reluctantly, I did. And He showed me something new... Even though I loved nothing about myself then, God loved me. He loves me no more now than he did then. He saw my gifts that He put in me. He was with me every step. Even when I felt like I walked alone, He was there, waiting for me to let His light in to burn the darkness and hand Him my ashes. With His winnowing shovel, He rid me of my sin, darkness and shame and kept the good stuff. 

I baptize you with water for repentance, but the One who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove His sandals. He Himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with Fire.

(Matthew 3:11)

For those still struggling with shame...God delights in you now, and He delighted in you then. Even though we may change, grow and transform, HE never changes. 

“For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.”

(Psalms 149:4 NKJV)

The Impact of Grace

I am not a mommy blogger.  I do write, though.  Occasionally, I'll plow through the thoughts of comparison and feelings of insecurity and share what I have to say.  But this year, my word - my focus point - is "impact."  My scripture reference - the anthem I move in rhythm to - is 1 Peter 4:8-11.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in it's various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

(1 Peter 4:8-11 NIV)

My resolution this year is to focus and follow through with just a little "more of the same."  2015 was the best year of my life.  That doesn't mean it was an easy year... it means just the opposite.  It was a year of discernment and a bit of raw faith.  It was a year of, not necessarily arriving at who I am (because I learn something new every day), but finding out who I am not.  It was a smooth surface with some very rough edges... and in the center of it all is where I find myself at the beginning of 2016.  In the place I have arrived is where the message is uncomplicated... stay the course.  Keep doing what I'm doing, just do it better.

At a time when it's common to look forward with resolution, it's good to also reflect with a degree of intention to recognize how far you've come.  Last year, my resolution was straight forward.  I had only a few short months of sobriety under my belt when 2015 began and I was still battling depression and anxiety. What was I like when my journey began?  You wouldn't have wanted to know me. And it wouldn't surprise me at all if some who did would roll their eyes at my posts these days.  It's definitely something I have feared, though.  For some, the joyful, straight-laced and God-fearing version of me might be a bit far fetched.  But the truth is, I am not who I used to be and I never really was.  The core of me is exactly who God made me to be and who I am today.  Someone who has gone through a bit of hell and homelessness of the heart just to testify of God's amazing grace.  

We all have gifts.  I'm just learning about what mine are and could be.  But on a grand scale, that grace - the grace that picked my shattered spirit off the cold hard floor, pulled me out of years of darkness and made me whole again - is my most treasured gift, and it always will be. Because of it, I can be a wife, I can be  a mother, I can be a daughter, a sister and a friend. 

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God...

(Ephesians 2:8)

My "anthem" scripture for 2016 directs us to use our gifts to serve others as faithful stewards of God's grace.  My focus for this year is to make an impact doing just that.  It occurred to me (just this morning, actually) that if I let fear of what other people will think or the fear of being rejected or ignored stop me from sharing my testimony of my greatest gift of all - GRACE - then I'm not sharing my gift and I'm not serving others...and if I'm not doing that, then I'm not making an impact.  Even one heart touched out of a hundred is indeed an impact.

Friends, let me encourage you.  Grace is our greatest gift. Our testimony of that grace, displayed by word or conduct, is our gift to others.  Don't let insecurities that you shouldn't be heard keep your mouth shut and hands tied.  Make an impact.  Use your gift.  Share your story.  For it's by our testimony that our insecurities and fears can be defeated (Revelation 12:11).

What's the Word - 2016

When I first saw my brother in-law's message on my phone with the request of choosing and sharing a “word” for 2016 (so that we may all stand together on for each other in prayer), the one that came into my mind first (and loudest) was IMPACT.  To not just be efficient or effective, but to make an impact in this life as God’s will. But I started questioning it and doubting that God says I’m ready for such a bold desire to manifest. And who am I? (Exodus 3:11)

I began to overthink it. I made a brainstorming list of other words… better choice words in my human mind’s eye.  Perception, wisdom, sanctify, surrender… I didn’t even write “impact” on my list (though it kept ringing in my ears).  But it then occurred to me...if I simply ask God which word to consider more, I know He will reveal it to me. This is a big deal, and I want it to be right.  I thought it would be nice, actually, if it could be one that Tommy might agree upon.  Last year, I had to focus on my own relationship with God while He worked on Tommy’s.  Miraculously, we came together.  We were brought together, just as God intended and just as He promised.  So, I resolved to let God do His thing and I put my pen down and opened my ears.  In that familiar soft whisper, I heard, “Just wait…”

Hours later in the evening, I asked Tommy if he had given any thought to our “word” for 2016.  I only assumed he had seen the text message from Craig (my brother in-law), since neither of us had brought it up until that moment. I decided not to influence or manipulate him, so I kept my own thoughts to myself. I desired his lead.  It’s what I have prayed for. But even when I anticipate God to show up and show off (because He always does in one way or another), I am still blown away with awe when my prayers are answered. Tommy was fairly quick to answer my question… “I think we should go with IMPACT.” 

(Jaw dropped)

Okie dokie… IMPACT it is.  Man I love how God works.

So, here it goes… 

It turns out that our word, IMPACT goes perfectly well with the scripture I chose to stand on for the year.  My “anthem” for 2016 is in 1 Peter 4:10.  To acknowledge and accept our gifts with such gratitude and love that we are compelled to use them. To be a good steward of God’s grace and these gifts to serve Him, my husband, my family and others. And believing that with time and heart revelation, He will show me how if I keep my ears tuned to HIS frequency - just as I have learned to do this past year (“Discernment” was my word for 2015).  

Just as Tommy and I have found on the plate of spaghetti noodles of finding our faith and purpose, we find ourselves standing side by side with this... on the same noodle. Both in the same season of recognizing our gifts (some as we go) and desiring to use them. To make an impact.  

Tommy and I know we have a unique testimony to us. Darkness knows us well and though we remember that time in our lives as if we were looking through pages of someone else’s book, it was us. We learned to shut out the darkness by clinging to the light.

Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and th is absolutely no darkness in Him.  If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)

The beginning of 1 Peter, chapter 4 quite accurately depicts our journey out of the darkness into the light. I believe this might have been the first time I’ve read it, even though it’s a few short verses away from my 2016 anthem. How crazy is that?!  I like how the Message version puts it… 

Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like Him. Think of your sufferings as weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want. You’ve already put in your time in that God-ignorant way of life, partying night after night, a drunken profligate life. Now it’s time to be done with it for good… (1 Peter 1-5 MSG)

Why IMPACT?  Because we want what God desires. And we desire to live out the rest of our days living for the will of God. To follow Him together.  To wander no more.  To use the gifts He has given us make an impact, not for us to be seen, but to let Christ be seen through us.  To be impact the life of our child… to impress upon him that making Christ Lord in your life is the best possible thing you can do in this life for yourself and your family. To be impactful in the lives of our family. Our friends. Coworkers. Strangers. Each other. To give grace and share wisdom. To spread love. To see others as God sees them and treat them as such. Even the Pharaohs in our lives. 

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received  to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.  (1 Peter 4:7-11)

The Gift - A SAHM Rant and Confession

What in the world am I doing? 

Or really, the actual burning question is, 

What am I doing in the world that serves any purpose in the Kingdom? How do I use my gift to serve...how do I know what my gift is? What if I'm wrong?

Sitting in my snuggery (my craft room) amongst a mess of snippets and strings of yarn, it's all too common I fight thoughts that I am wasting my time on this stuff. Some say I have a gift. I can do thinks with hooks and needles that not too many others can, I know this. But I downplay it quite a bit. After all, anyone can follow a pattern. And 

 It's a choice I have to make to plow through those thoughts to get any kind of "Made for You" (my rinky-dink, in-progress business idea) work done or get any kind of practice to get better at the actual craft...Most of all, to get any kind of enjoyment out of doing what I like, I must plow with blinders on, ignoring the distracting thoughts. And even when I do plow through and focus on my project, I'm not sure if it's right for me to do it...to spend so much time on something that doesn't have anything to do with the house or my family. It's knowing that I can do something, but not knowing if I really should. It's a guilt that I battle and I am going to have to face if I want to ever see anything on my etsy page, for instance.

Thoughts are powerful. If allowed, they can keep you from working toward your potential with any kind of intentionality, especially when the enemy doesn't want you to use a gift. He'll tell you you can't do it, you shouldn't do it, you're not good at it and there's not enough of you to be all that you might actually be called to be.  Satan will use your higher priorities to try to convince you that "homemaker" is all you have room in your life to be and if you try to be anything more, you will fail. Or worse (if your story is similar to mine) that doing anything else is a gateway to who you used to be before you followed Christ and use fear to stop you before you even really begin (I could go on a whole other tangent about THAT). And you'll never know how much use God can get out of you with that gift if you don't shut those thoughts down. Those thoughts are lies, yes...but they have power to you as long as you believe them. You might not really understand how to use your gift to serve God or others yet, but you never will if you don't start using it to see where He can take you. 

These are my battles. How swift I am at defeating this daily mind game, maybe my progress will tell. I am determined however, no matter the pace, to overcome the chatter in my mind. But the point, as I am learning in this season of my life, is that it is us who allows the road blocks, the thoughts, the fiery darts of the devil to stop us on our path to using what God has gifted us with. 

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

1 Peter 4:10 NIV

Waiting and Running

Hebrews 4:15 says we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tested in every way we are. He knows. He gets it. There's not a thing in the world we could go through that our God wouldn't understand. Sickness. Addiction. Persecution. Family drama. Financial trouble. Temptation. Death. You name it, He knows it. This is probably one of my favorite passages in the New Testament. I've "used" it for many reasons and it has comforted and assisted me greatly over the past year. Well, I have some new thoughts on this which I didn't have before just the other day. Sometimes that's what happens when you read a familiar scripture from a different angle.

I have a rather large Holman Christian Standard Bible that sits on my desk in my snuggery (A.K.A. "Mom Cave"). For a study Bible, it's the best, in my opinion (and if I don't note otherwise, all scripture I quote is from this version). But, one thing I love to do in my Bible studies is play around with different versions and translations. I find that when I look at the same verse in parallel with another version, the same message will sink into spaces of my spirit that it didn't quite reach when I first read it.  And often, God will show me a new revelation just by doing this! This is exactly what happened when I read Hebrews 4:15 in the King James Version...

For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Now let's look at the vocabulary that some of the other versions use.  The New Living Translation says our High Priest "understands" our weaknesses. In the New King James, Holman Christian Standard, and English Standard Versions He "sympathizes" with us. The Amplified version uses the phrase "understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling."  And interestingly, the New International Version uses the word "empathize." This intrigued me, because in grammar, the words "empathy" and "sympathy" often are confused with one another.  Let me clear this up... To sympathize with someone, you feel compassion for them, but not necessarily share their feeling. To empathize means you understand another's feelings for yourself. You feel them too. So, if Jesus was tested and tempted in every way we are today (which I know He was), I would think He would not only understand and have compassion for us, He would also know exactly how we feel! But when I read the King James version of this passage I saw something else. Let's look at it again.  

For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities...

Let me share with you what this means to me. Our Lord is touchable...He is accessible. Reachable. Tangible. He not only loves us, cares for us, and understands us; He is touched by our feelings. You know, nothing like this could be done from a distance. He isn't up in the clouds feeling sorry for us in our worst times. He is with us in every situation and circumstance. Catching every tear. Loving us tenderly. Holding us up.  

He is touched by the feeling of our infirmities...

He knows when we are weak...when are so overwhelmed with feelings of doubt, worry, fear or exhaustion that we just can't stand anymore. He gets us. Yet, we will ever only know a miniscule fraction of what He felt on the cross. That was the whole point, wasn't it? 

I like to think about another part of the Bible where Jesus was touched.  In Luke, chapter 8, Jesus was on His way to heal the daughter of one of the synagogue leaders, Jairus, in Galilee. Crowds were nearly crushing Him from every direction. He kept moving forward until some unidentified sick woman touched Him...in fact, she didn't even touch Him; she touched His robe...and she was immediately healed. Jesus felt power draw from Him and He stopped.

"Who touched Me?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds are hemming You in and pressing against You." "Someone did touch Me," said Jesus. "I know that power has gone out from Me." When the woman saw that she was discovered, she came trembling and fell down before Him. In the presence of all the people, she declared the reason she had touched Him and how she was instantly cured. "Daughter," He said to her, "your faith has made you well..." (Luke 8:45-48)

This event, of course, delayed Jesus in His quest to save Jairus' daughter. By the time He reached her, He and her father were told she had already passed away. Of course, that's nothing to God. And Jesus knew that....

When Jesus heard it, He answered him, "Don't be afraid. Only believe, and she will be made well." (Luke 8:50)

He healed the girl, restored her spirit, and had her fed. Mission accomplished. But not before being interrupted on His way.

When you are walking with God, it's not so much about the destination; it's about what happens on the journey along the way. What brings you closer to God...within reaching distance...is not necessarily getting what you hope for; it's about the lessons you learn while you wait. So we have to stick close to Him.

I don't know about you, but I really dislike waiting. I'm not incredibly patient. But I have learned that there are reasons God has for waiting. There's something always going on behind the scenes of your journey from point A to point Z...and in those times (and there are many) you won't see or understand what that is, but if you want to get to Z, you're going to have to wait. You can fuss, push and complain about the pace or you can open your eyes to what God has for you to learn on the path you are on. Yes, waiting is frustrating when you want to keep moving and get results. But God says we can find strength in waiting on Him. And protection. And joy.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices and I praise Him with my song. (Psalm 27:7)

Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Um... run? Can I say right here that I love running just about as much as I love waiting?  (Insert eye rolling emoticon here.)

When I was younger, I related waiting to resting. However, when I confused resting with complacency, I stopped moving forward all together. Although at the time, I never knew where I belonged or where I was going. But when you walk with God, your wandering in life comes to an end. There's a destination. And when you know the destination, whether it's healing or provision of any kind, the last thing you want to do is wait when you don't understand why. Have you ever felt that waiting on the Lord feels quite a bit like running? It's exhausting and sometimes it's just painful. But when I started my walk with God (I mean really walking with Him), I learned over time that waiting on Him means keeping a steady pace of whatever He has me doing.

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each person should remain with God in whatever situation he was called. (1 Corinthians 7:23)

[Side note... why would you doubt your worth when you've already been purchased? Maybe for later post!]

Here is what I found out... if you remain with God, keeping HIS pace that He has called for you to keep with Him (instead of fighting Him and throwing tantrums), He can help you along. He can build you up. He can bless you immeasurably along the way. He can even bless others through you in the interim!    

You are the light of the world...No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and gives light for all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14a-16)

So, when waiting feels like running...exhausting and painful...and my light doesn't feel so bright, I like to go to the Amplified Version of Hebrews 12:1-2 (very wordy, but oh so perfect)...

Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses...let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us RUN with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us. Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive of our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Wait on God. Run with God. Walk with God. Crawl with God. Be still with God. What you learn on the journey to your destination, who you can help along the way, and what you can accomplish with Him at your side will serve such a greater purpose in heaven than the destination alone. The reward will be all the more sweeter for you and for those you have served and lit the path for!  

Remember, He is not leading us blindly through our situations. He is touched by the feelings of our infirmities because He has felt everything we feel and so much more.  

Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we were healed by His wounds. (Isaiah 53:4-5)

The King James Version says:

He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.

He gets it. He knows exactly what we are going through in the worst of times. He feels us, bro! But He has joy, strength and protection for us in those times, too. More importantly, He has a message for you to hear. A lesson for you to learn...and quite possibly one to share. Though our human bodies may be fragile and our minds are so easily overwhelmed with the pressure of our circumstance or our calling, He wants us to know we won't be crushed. Jesus was crushed for us. He loves us that much. Why on earth would he leave us alone with our feelings?

Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are pressured in every way, but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:7-9) 

I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers. They will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you. (Isaiah 43:2)

My love. We are not alone. When it gets rough, take a deep breath. Look around. Look inside. He's there. He's right there. Ask for the revelation to be revealed. Let the Word in and let the Word out. It's just like breathing while running. You wouldn't stop breathing, would you? What lesson does He want you to learn...or share?

Just one last thought... I heard a pastor say once that dealing with this kind of frustration means trusting in a God that you can't physically see to get you through a situation you see no way out of. A dear friend of mine posted a scripture on facebook this morning that rang true with this thought... don't give up. Don't lose heart. Perseverance might mean waiting on God, but if you don't resist, you'll find the journey was even more worth it.

Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)