Here, There & Everywhere

 "...every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full 

and to be hungry...I can do all things through Christ which

strengtheneth me." -Philipians 4:12-13

"I didn't get "here" over night and I'm not going to get "there" over night," I said to myself, because I've found that its a true statement. I've said it more than once, to others and to myself, just this week. Life has a way of bringing us to our knees, in a completely, crumpled, broken-down pile of nothingness at times. Sometimes its a blessing. Yes, sometimes it's God's perfect plan. A sweet lady just said this to me this week, "Sometimes God is looking for a vessel ready for the miracle." And, most definitely, when we're laying flat on our faces, feeling like an absolute failure, nothing looks better than a miracle, right?

I have come to the conclusion that most of the battle "there" is being patient as God works within us and being kind to ourselves. There's nothing more discouraging than being disappointed because we still have so far to go. We reprimand ourselves for getting "here" in the first place!  It's easy to give up if we look at it that way. However, if we realize that every little step is a milestone in the journey, that God is doing things within us, around us, that He's fighting for us and on our side...then, that's a victory.

No matter which exit we find ourselves at in the road to recovery or getting back, as long as we are at an exit or two north of where we were, then I choose to believe there's been progress. That's something to rejoice about! I didn't say we had to be satisfied to be at this exit, but we're satisfied with accomplishments yet hungry for more. Yes, I suppose the answer to every road back is to be content with where we are as long as we're moving, but to never be satisfied to remain there. Be full and hungry at the same time!

The same concept works for areas like mending relationships, retraining our thinking processes, kicking bad habits, avoiding the weights that so easily besets us, exercising, beefing up our spiritual lives, learning new jobs or facing that new college class. We might not arrive at our destination overnight, but as long as we're traveling and hungry enough to keep striving to get to "there", we're making progress. As long as we choose God to be our chauffeur, we're gonna reach our purpose and destination - one mile at a time.

So, my advice to you and to myself today is to pack a lunch and keep pressing for the mark. The only way we won't arrive is if we stop completely. Let's learn to congratulate ourselves on the positive marks which are for us and refrain from looking at all the dents that we've gotten in the process of getting here. We can surely do all things through Christ...from "here to there & everywhere"...it is about being full and hungry...and patient and yielding. Somebody grab your lunch, let's celebrate this milestone together.