The trust. The freedom. The sheer exhilaration by being lifted up by our father and what a joy it is for our father to be able to lift us up. Sometimes He picks us up towards the sky, saves us from the crashing waves, and carefully brings us down into his loving arms. Other times we have fallen. We are broken, scared, and tired and He lifts us up off of the floor we find ourselves on.
Sometimes He uses His words, sometimes He uses His presence, and other times He uses His people. But in all times, just when I think God is not there anymore, just when I think that my tears and prayers have simply run out, He comes. This is an especially precious moment.
I don’t know about you, but I spend an exuberant amount of time trying to pick myself up. I waste my time trying to figure out ways how to feel good about myself and not get so distracted by my inefficiencies. I spend moments even hours trying to figure out how to lift up my confidence and bring down my stress levels. It is tiring and annoying. I can never seem to accomplish anything yet I always go back and try. But…every once and while…I simply take a deep breathe, pray, and say God “I am not feeling good enough today. I am not thinking very highly of my day or my circumstances and I need you Lord will to lift me up?”
This week God answered that prayer in the form of a beautiful friend. Her words, encouragement, and sincere love were an unsolicited blessing that only God knew I needed. What if more of us spent all the time and energy we spend on ourselves and instead expel it onto others? What if, instead of trying to lift myself up, I spent those moments, those hours speaking love and encouragement into the life of a friend. We all need it. All of us need to be lifted.
This week may you know what it feels like to be held high up far beyond what your arms can reach and in turn may you lift someone else up even higher.
