Push Through
As I wrote in an earlier blog post a few weeks ago, you know how I enjoy my morning walks to start my day. It is my time to awaken, feel energized and plan my hours, but more importantly, it is my time to speak with the Lord and connect with my Savior. I cherish these moments with Jesus, as it helps me remember to slow down and keep my perspective where it needs to be.
There is just something so magical about the outdoors anyway, with its ability to draw my focus back to the Creator of all that I see, as I breathe in the fresh air He gave me and soak in the beautiful colors and images crafted to perfection.
A couple of weeks ago; however, our local water department had contracted out some work to replace aging water pipes in need of repair and replacement. The trenching began a little over a mile down from my driveway, but rather quickly, they were working right along my walking route.
With the combination of a handful of men and loud equipment, needless to say, my tranquil morning turned into frustration. This was my time with God. A time to settle all my thoughts and process through the weight on my heart. To hear the early song of the birds and welcome the rising sun into another day. All of the commotion was like nails down a chalkboard for me and I found myself terribly distracted.
In the middle of my aggravation, well- that is when the Lord decided to remind me of a familiar passage of scripture.
“And Jesus went with him; and a great crowd kept following Him and pressed Him from all sides (so as almost to suffocate Him). And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years. And who had endured much suffering under [the hands of] many physicians and had spent all that she had and was no better, but instead grew worse.
And she heard the reports concerning Jesus and she came up behind Him in the throng and touched His garment. For she kept saying, ‘If I only touch His garments, I shall be restored to health.’ And immediately her flow of blood was dried up at the source, and [suddenly] she felt in her body that she as healed of her [distressing] ailment.
And Jesus recognizing in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around immediately in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched My clothes?’ And the disciples kept saying to Him, ‘You see the crowd pressing hard around You from all sides, and You ask, Who touched Me?’” (Mark 5:24-30)
I have read this passage often in my years of bible study. Heard many pastor’s preach on this incident, so I was very familiar with the story when Jesus brought it to my mind on this particular morning when I found myself wishing all the extra noise would just go away so I could have my solitude.
But that was His whole point for me.
What happens when our moments are interrupted, schedules shift, kids are sick or dinner is burning on the stove? The baby wakes up earlier than normal. Your boss needs you in office an hour sooner.
We live in a world of endless opportunities for distractions and noise. Will you push through in those moments so you can still draw a little closer to Jesus, simply because you understand He is your source for healing and wholeness? Or will you allow the cacophony to seize upon your time with God?
This is the decision we must make many days.
Quiet time with Jesus was interrupted. Do you…
A) Mentally schedule another time for prayer later in the day
B) Try again tomorrow
Your evening Bible study was derailed due to a work project requiring you to stay later than normal at the office. Do you…
A) Get up a little earlier instead, so you can read your Word
B) Tell yourself you’ll get back at it, once this difficult work season is over
His question to me that day was challenging. When my time doesn’t go as planned to meet with Christ Jesus, how hard do I fight and push through disruptions to claim my moments back? Am I so intentional with my relationship with the Lord, that I refuse to allow anything to stand in my way of getting close to Him?
Please also understand what I am not saying.
I am not suggesting we become so dogmatic about prayer and bible study, that when we just cannot seem to find the time to sit at His feet, we should feel guilty or shameful. That is religion, not relationship.
What I want you to realize, is there are forces we cannot see, but will experience, trying to keep you at a distance from God Almighty. The enemy will use any tool in his arsenal to keep you looking at everything possible other than the throne room of Heaven.
We also have enough flesh ruling over our heart and mind and wanting its own way, the devil doesn’t have to work too hard.
All of these things are like the throng that pressed around Jesus that day, as He was trying to make HIs way to Jairus’ house. So many people pushing and trying to catch a glimpse of the man they had heard much about, this woman- who remains nameless- had to fight and push past all the distractions and frustration and aggravation to get close enough to the source of her healing.
Perhaps it’s time to identify the massive crowd you need to push past, that has formed around Christ in your life. Is it things completely out of your control or is it a throng of your own making? Becoming aware of the situations that cause you to lose your precious moments with Jesus, is the first step in planning an alternate route or jumping in the bulldozer and plowing your way through it all to get to your Savior.
Schedule changes throw you off because you’re a planner like myself? Once you realize you are off track, immediately run through your day in your mind and see where you can adjust to fit the needed time back in.
Your children starting to wake up at a different time than they used to? (Or falling asleep) Adjust your schedule so you dive into your Word and. time of prayer during nap time, or when they go to bed for the night.
Work have you pulling overtime or a double shift? Your lunch break can be a wonderful time to read your Word and connect with the Lord. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, just intentional.
Whatever it is, you have the power and determination to not allow all of the noise and population keep you from your source of strength and peace. Fight for your time with the Lord. He is the well we can draw from, which refreshes us and gives us purpose. Shove some things out of the way if you must, just so you can get close enough to touch the hem of His garment.
Am I promoting the use of force? Yeah- probably so. But I’m confident we have full permission to throw hands with the devil.
So the next time your day gets derailed for one reason or another and you miss your time to connect with Christ Jesus; shove past the crowd, ignore the noise and strain forward so you can grab the hand of the Creator, and claim your rightful place beside Him. Don’t allow the chaos of this world to deny you your audience with the King. Push through and fight your way into His presence.