Have you ever seen a postcard with a beautiful image of some
exotic , tropical beach with the words “I Wish You Were Here” printed across
the bottom?
Have you ever been
speaking to a loved one over the phone and shared a sentimental moment in which
you or your loved one said, “Oh, I wish I were there with you instead of here…”?
Have you ever been in a tight spot which caused you such
pain and distress that you wished, prayed and hoped with all your might to be
delivered from that situation?
If you replied “yes” to any of those questions, then you
were where you were supposed to be!
Several years ago, I came up with a quote, “You are where
you want to be”. I had heard enough
people make excuses why they couldn’t assist me in my time of need. I heard enough excuses of why people settle
into mediocre lives. I heard those
excuses so often it sounded like a rehearsed speech! I began to tell myself I would not make a
habit of telling people, “Oh, I wish I could help you but…” or “I wish I could
be there but…” I was going to start
being exactly where I wanted to be! So
if my heart was telling me to help a friend in need, even if it meant I would
be overextending myself, I would do it to help my friend. Or if my children wanted to do something
spontaneous over the weekend, even if it meant I was inconvenienced, I would
rearrange my plans to make them happy.
Most importantly, I vowed I would not live a life filled with regrets. I would make the most of ever situation and
circumstance and transform each “test” into a “testimony”!
My young adult years were very rough. I went through so many trials and
tribulations, it was impossible to determine where one ended and the other
began. I spent so much valuable time
wallowing in guilt and regret; I was unable to realize that each new day is a
new beginning. One mistake doesn’t need
to lead to a lifetime of mistakes! It is
important to learn from our mistakes and make better decisions in the
future. One of my absolute favorite
verses is Psalms 40:1-3. The author
writes, “I waited patiently on the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the
mud and mire. He set my feet upon a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand. He
put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in
the Lord.” I memorized that scripture
immediately upon reading it because I totally understood what it felt like to
be laying in a slimy pit of mud and mire.
I desperately wanted God to rescue me from that place and take me to an
exotic postcard paradise. I prayed and I waited and eventually I was delivered! I
was no longer in the slimy pit because I no longer wanted to be there.
After I was delivered from that messy life, I was able to
reflect on the things I had been through.
I realized that even though those times were not the best, they helped
me learn valuable life lessons. Those experiences put me in a position to relate to others who may be going through similar
issues so that I can share my testimony and give others hope for a better
future. I was where I was supposed to be all along.
Do yourself a favor.
If you want a new life, pray to God and meditate on His word. Be filled with His Holy Spirit and live a
life that is pleasing to God. You will
see your life transform before your eyes like magic! Don’t make up excuses. It is never too late to change your landscape…
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