Musings

My senior year is starting to wrap up (and by "wrap up" I mean that I just finished midterms and I still have about a billion things to do, but I'm thinking optimistically (Although technically we're past the halfway point, so anything beyond that should count as wrapping up (also yes, I just inserted a parenthetical statement within a parenthetical statement - I can do whatever I want).)).

I'm what would be called a toe-dipper - I'm not the kind to dive headfirst into much of anything. So as I was tentatively dipping my toes into the raging ocean of all the stuff I need to do to prepare for graduation in less than two months, I got a little bit overwhelmed.

From stressing over math tests to stressing over music competitions to stressing over what dress to buy for graduation to stressing over friends to stressing over...well, you get the idea.

In essence, I'm learning this basic truth about life: It can be very difficult at times.

Sometimes I almost scare myself with how much I think like a guy sometimes. In general, I'm pretty laid back about just about everything. However, I do have occasional lapses, and unfortunately, when I do finally slip into a stereotypical female mood, the emotional deluge I experience would probably remind my fellow Pensacola natives of our friend Ivan from 2004.

Yeah, it's bad.

Stress triggers these emotional hurricanes for me, so I've had several this year. In the midst of one about a month ago, I found such comfort in these words from Lamentations 3.

My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.” Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

Over the last month I've thought of that passage many times, and I've thought specifically about several different lines, but yesterday I was thinking about this line: "[His mercies] are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

His mercies are new every morning. Just as each day is new and unique, so are His mercies for that day.

I tend to think with this verse that it means that the day is going to be amazing and I'm always going to have an emotional high and my heart will be overflowing with joy and praise and love for my God.

Not so much...

Sometimes God's mercies are only just what I need to get through the day. Sometimes He gives much more. But the sweet promise is constant: GREAT is His faithfulness. EVERY DAY His mercies are new, never ending.

They who wait for 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.

Some days I'll mount up with wings like an eagle, some days I'll run, and some days I'll walk. But He leadeth me, oh blessed thought.

All the way my Savior leads me;

What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy,

Who through life has been my guide?

Heav'nly peace, divinest comfort,

Here by faith in Him to dwell!

For I know, whate'er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well;

For I know, whate'er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well.