Mud
The way you see life affects how you feel and what you do with your life and the choices you embrace.
“Two men look out the same prison bars; one sees mud, the other stars”
If you were the one looking for the prison bars what would you see? In the past, if I were to be asked this same question, I quickly would have replied stars- definitely stars! After all, stars are the “right” answer, isn’t it?Especially as a believer my subconscious thought was we should probably not be seeing the mud of life- after all, God is good and if we do good and follow him all will be…. good.Wrong.
Life does not always turn out like we had planned. Generally not often.
Have you ever heard of “gumball” Christianity?
Insert God, out comes what we want.
Reality is not so simple.
The picket fence we tried to build around the perfect life we longed for peels and decays.
Today, at this stage of my life, if asked this question I would consider my answer carefully and reply with more honesty. Some days I see stars. Other days I see only mud on my feet. There are moments when my heart is challenged and broken and my face is stained with tears. I can barely look up from the discouragement that clouds my view.
Recently I had the opportunity to share a heart to heart conversations with several dear friends and (light-bulb moment) found they too are fighting to part clouds of discouragement. Life hasn’t turned out the way they had dreamed. Children have walked away from God, marriages, employment and health are a struggle. On many days they trudge through mud and muck trying their best to hold their head high.
Me too. If I were completely honest (ouch this hurts) I would throw it all on the table and acknowledge there have been days when fear shakes my world.
I ask questions of my God and he appears to be silent.
I ask him to move and he is still.
I ask for stars and all I can see is mud.
If I struggle, and my friends struggle- I know there are some of you that are struggling too. It’s not comfortable or easy, to be honest, and transparent. I am a glass half full kind of girl. I am a coach and I wonder if it is a good thing to talk about mud. Coaches are more often known for encouragement, but I think, being transparent is most likely a more authentic way of bringing life into a world that has a great deal of mud to slog through.
Mud. Mine. Yours.Yup. It’s a mess sometimes.
I don’t like it but
Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over
the blind man’s eyes. John 9:6 NLT
If Jesus can make a blind man to see by using spit and mud… he can use what we see as only mud to bring us sight.
I long to see stars.
God, I bring to you all that I long for, all that I dream of, all that I had hoped for and all you yet have for me. Forgive me for sitting in the mud when you have asked me to look to you. Forgive me when I pretended the mud wasn’t real and put on my “star” face- and was, in reality, stuck amidst grief and fear. Today, I chose honesty and you. I lay down pretense and perfection. I ask you to give me your perspective and view of what you have called me to do and to be. Thank you that from mud, in the right hands beautiful and useful pieces of pottery can be created. Lord- let that be me. Beautiful in your eyes. Amen
Blessings ! I am praying for you today!
Nancy
- Are you dealing with mud or stars today?
- How do you live with an honest heart when you are stuck in the muck?
Join the conversation- leave your comment below!
I love what you did with the mud in this post. We often forget that Christ is there working miracles even in our most miserable times.
Staci- when it is hardest to see- that is when the deepest work is happening! Hard… oh so hard sometimes!
Thanks for stopping by –
Blessings- Nancy
I am a widow who lost the love of my life, suddenly, to heaven, two years ago. He was only 50 years old. I have faced and shared my grief and loss, honestly and authentically and at times brutally head on as I continue to process this life changing detour without the man who “chose” me everyday. Everything in my life has been turned upside down and is hard. God has been here but not in ways that I expected or felt I needed and at times, seemingly, not at all present. I have been surprised at the many people who find my honesty refreshing. I’ve also been surprised at the people who feel they need to “correct” my thinking and defend God. And I’ve also been surprised at the “who’s” of who are still journeying with me and who is not anymore. Thank you for this tremendously encouraging writing. I am trusting God for the beauty from these ashes, but first, I have to get through the fire.
Sweet one- My heart hurts for what you are walking through. I can only imagine the changes,the struggles and the wrestling with big small and the inbetweens. I too have found God often brings the gift of unexpected people in our lives when we are walking through fire. I have to believe they are in some ways Jesus with skin on for us. Thank you for sharing a part of your story. I pray redemption in the telling and his hand of love over you in ways you can not imagine.
Keep sharing and writing, God has the last word.. your story is yet unfinished….and there are some for whom you will be Jesus by the telling of your story to them.
Blessings- Nancy
Well done. Too many times we glide though life with a fake smile. The person next to us needs to see our authentic self, messy mud and all. They need to see it so they know they are not alone.
I believe if we are authentic real and without pretense- while messy and ugly at times- God is glorified most. His cross was not neat. But it was necessary.
Blessings- Nancy “_ )
I loved the prayer at the end. Beautifully written.
Pam- Thank you for stopping by – blessings my TW friend! 🙂
Authenticity is always a salve in my view. Mud and all. I am trying to find center once again. Often I am looking at the bars, not through them. Thank you for this encouragement.
Jerry- mud.salve.Jesus. He will become our eyes and bring sight where we need it… if we hold still long enough for him to use the mud. sigh. Standing still is tough sometimes.
Blessings as you seek him as center.
Nancy 🙂
I appreciate the honesty here. Too often Christians try to give the impression that once we have Christ in our life, it’s just a run through the woods. I used to watch the 700 Club which was full of praise about what God was doing in their lives. Then I thought just for once it would be nice if someone said “I don’t know what God is doing in my life.” Very nice job. It makes me realize too that even when people seem to have it altogether on the outside, inside they may be just barely managing.
Rich- I agree completely. I wonder what God could do through us if allowed enough of the “real” to seep out of the cracks in our heart into a world that longs for more. Thanks for stopping by today!
Blessings-
Nancy 🙂
Lovely words, I always tell my children that mud is good, within the mud is a worm one of the most amazing creatures on this earth. Life does find a way out of the heavy days if we let it. You have inspired me to write tonight.
Sweet Kath- thank you for stopping by! I love the thought of the worm , an unlovely lowly creature finding its way out…back into the day.Blessings to you as you put words on paper tonight. Nancy 🙂