There is a Lincoln Brewster song I like called “ The Rest of My Life Will Be the Best of My Life.” The words have been a great encouragement to me for a while.
I’m running a race that I’m not gonna lose
Cause everything changed when I met You
So I’m laying all my tomorrows in Your hands…
I’m standing on every word You’ve said
I’m holding on to Your promises
And I know my hope and my future are found in You…
Oh, yeah! With everything that You’ve started in me
I believe that You will be faithful!
Chorus-
And I’ll receive everything that You’re doing in me!
And I believe that the rest of my life’ll
be the best days of my life!
I’m weak and I find Your mercy too.
I’m walking upon Your Grace and Truth.
And I know Your Spirit will lead me on my way!
I’m giving away this life I’ve had
I’ll give it my all, Lord, I won’t hold back
Til I stand before you in Heaven, finally HOME!!
Yeah! With everything that You’ve started in me
I believe that You will be faithful!
Chorus-
And I’ll receive everything that You’re doing in me!
And I believe that the rest of my life’ll
be the best days of my life!
You pulled me out from where I was
And You set my feet on the soil of love!
You’ve given me a brand-new song to sing!
So I won’t fear; You’ll see me thru!
God will see us through whatever we need help with. I wish I had answers for why we are not immediately given the answers we request. I know we are in a process of learning to trust God and not trust ourselves. I also believe we are learning that it is truly God that is in control not us or anyone else. We are in control of our choices, but not the outcomes of those decisions. Even the good outcomes of our good choices are the result of God’s favor on us, not because we earned it or won enough points for a reward. God tells us to seek Him first before all other things and He will supply all our needs. That includes help with habits that are destructive.
Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Notice the verse states, “Do not DWELL on the past.” We are to think of it, because we learn from our mistakes. But we do not dwell there on it. We are to forget the former things by not living in them. Move on. God wants to do a new thing. I remember a definition of insanity: “Doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.” The last part of the verse above let’s us know He will make a way in the midst of the dryness, hopelessness, and the inability to sustain life, of the desert of our struggles.
1 Peter 4:1-5 “Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a 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 and profligate life. Now it’s time to be done with it for good. Of course, your old friends don’t understand why you don’t join in with the old gang anymore. But you don’t have to give an account to them. They’re the ones who will be called on the carpet—and before God himself.”
If you are married and have children, you will lead your family through this valley. Your response to adversity will be their response to adversity. If you are calm and trusting, then they will be calm and trusting. If you embrace change, then they will embrace change. Change can shake everyone out of their complacency and move them forward in Christ. Embrace and celebrate change. If you are not married, how you get closer to God and He changes you, will affect those around you in a very healthy way.
I believe that part of the way we can make it through the struggles of life is illustrated by something I learned from my 3-year-old son. I have learned by spending time with him to change my emphasis and focus. Before my son, when I would go out in the yard and see a bunch of ants, I would complain about having to spray again for ants. Now, I say, “Hey Evan, look ants! Come here and lets watch ‘em!” (Then of course, we would grab the magnifying glass and let the sun cook a few ants, but that’s another story.) Point being, look for a blessing amidst the things that formerly would irritate and tick us off. Look to God to do a new thing and bring us a bit of joy in the midst of a desert experience. It may be a minor success like not clicking that link to porn. But see the success and celebrate it and expect more. Be committed to moving on. It takes time and growth and learning. I wish sometimes it was instant. But generally it isn’t. Because God is making us new people, prepared for what He has in store for our eternity with Him. I believe like the song says-the rest of my life will be the best of my life!