Right Now

Lately my posting has been sporadic at best and it's partly because busyness (wah, wah, shut up Ashley) and partly because I have a box full of drafted posts that I haven't finished. I've been hearing a lot about maintaining consistency in my posting schedule (typical blogger advice, but true) and then I came across this post this morning from my dear friend, Jon Acuff. (He's not really my friend. He does follow me on Twitter, but if that makes me his friend, then I'm one of nearly 70,000 so... yeah. Can't say that we're tight. I just admire him from afar and try not to retweet him obnoxiously.) 

So, back to Jon's wisdom: essentially, every post is important. Why? Because whether it's encouragement that someone needed or humor someone related to or whatever, I have no idea who is going to connect with each of my posts, and they're not written for me. They're written for you, the reader. So rather than procrastinate or talk myself out of posting altogether, I really should just hit the plunge and hit "publish" because who knows? That might be just the thing someone needed to read today. 

All that being said, I know that not every post is going to resonate with every reader. I don't envision myself nobly publishing a blog post and then basking in the Shekinah glory of righteousness when just the right person is talked off the ledge of their emotional basket case because I wrote about Disney movies. However, I do need to get my butt in gear and start writing more consistently, so keeping the reader in mind (that's you!) and not just my own selfish self is a good motivator.

*FANFARE* And now for the actual post after a sweaty evangelist-length introduction. ("The porch is big but the house is small." Ha! Both are far too large. Sorry.)

It's one thing when I hear a word or phrase and it pricks my conscience a little bit, but remains an isolated incident. It's another thing when that same idea or principle is presented to me in multiple ways and various formats over an extended period of time. Then, it's like, "Okay, Lord, I get it. I'll listen!" For a couple of months now (actually, since I chose my word of the year) I've been hearing/reading/seeing a lot about the idea of delight. Delight was my word of the year. I'm not sure how I came to choose it, but the idea of really being excited about life was behind it. Then I read this book, which is all about the word thrive. While most of us simply survive from day to day, Jesus wants us to thrive- to really dig deep into our relationship with Him, reach out with His truth, and experience His blessings daily. 

So, I'm supposed to be delighting. Okay... that whole word of the year thing was kind of like a New Year's resolution, and we all know how those turn out. Then I'm supposed to be thriving... similar idea. So I can't really get away from this concept, and I'm feeling convicted about not living it out like I should. But, like all good Christians, one of my spiritual gifts is taking conviction and putting it a special place that is like the "free box" in a yard sale of emotions. (I know, my spiritual maturity is astounding.I'm available for counseling! )

Then I join a ladies Bible study group (which you probably know isn't typically "my scene"), and the first couple of weeks are good. And then the third lesson is on... get this... the abundant life. Jesus told us that He would give life exceeding, abundantly ABOVE all that we ask or think. But not when this season of life ends, not when the next one comes, but NOW. 

What? I've supposed to delight, thrive, and live the abundant life NOW? Right now? This very moment? Eh... how about when all my ducks get in their neat little row and I have life exactly how I want it? 

Nope. Paul wrote in Ephesians, "Now unto Him.. be glory." Well, there goes my reason for delay. It doesn't matter what you're waiting to get over: a financial crisis, a health problem, a season of frustration. I'm not saying "get over it" like it's just going to go away, but even in the MIDDLE of these times, God wants us delighting, thriving, living abundantly because... why?

Why do we always get told to power through the problems? "Praise You in This Storm" is a great song, but why do we need to live that way? Because Paul also writes that God's strength is made perfect... when? In my weakness. Oh, snap! (Sorry, I'm around teenagers all day. Sometimes it slips out.) There is no better time to thrive/delight/live abundantly than when it's hardest! Woah! 

So, it sounds great to delight in every circumstance, to thrive no matter what, and to live abundantly even when it doesn't really make sense. Is actually carrying out those actions easy? No, but I believe that "the best things, the richest things, aren't supposed to come easily. "(Okay, that was totally a Psych quote and I'm not sorry.) Seriously, though... we can thrive in our relationship with Christ, we can delight in His goodness, and we can live abundantly in His endless blessings... even when it's hard. Because, actually, that's the best  time. 

Are you delighting? Thriving? Living abundantly? You can! Now is the perfect moment to start. =)


Ash