It’s Ok To Be Where You Are

I want to share a secret.  For you to get unstuck or be set free from whatever is holding you in bondage – you have to learn to be where you are – in the moment. And being present, it is important to be able to open your mouth and ask for help when you need it.

The moment you reach up and cry out, the Lord will reach down to you.

When I was in nurses training, several of us in the dorm heard a kitten crying in an alley. We all cared but everyone was hesitant to take action, lest we get in trouble.

But the kitten was in danger. I decided to get my jacket and investigate. Once in the dark alley, as he looked up at me, I knew I had to do something. Reaching down, I scooped up the little fellow. He calmed as I spoke to him and hid him under my jacket.

Once inside, I raced up the stairs to discover the little fellow was cold, wet, and very dirty. Lathering him with shampoo, I plunged him into nice warm water, unaware cats don’t like water!

That week we had studied several bacilli, including the pneumococcus bacillus. A classmate was convinced he was infected with that pathogen, so we happily named him Pneumo.

Once Pneumo was clean, I fed him some milk, then spent much of the evening just holding him.

Briefly, that tiny scrap of life was unable to care for himself. Cold, hungry, and lonely, all he could do was cry. He knew he needed help, but knowledge didn’t bring transformation.

However, as he cried out for help, he embarked on a journey that would change his life.

The next day, Pneumo was adopted by a family who cared for and loved him. But Pneumo had to make some choices. When he chose to trust that family, he began to change, for he was learning to love.

I hear you asking, what does this story have to do with it being okay to be where you are?

Pneumo was needy. He was able to cry even though he had no words to express his needs. He freely expressed his displeasure with the bath. He was able to grieve the loss of his mama.

The first stage or step in the process of transformation is being able to ask for help. It is okay to be honest and say you need help. It is okay to cry. It is okay to feel the pain that threatens to drown you.

As you allow yourself to feel the pain and ask the Lord for help, He’ll reach down to you, even as I reached down to the kitty crying for help.

Most importantly, Jesus will wash you clean – but not with soap and water. Then He’ll set your feet upon a new path – the path of Life.

There are no magical fixes where everything is suddenly better, or where you suddenly have arrived.

Life is a journey made up of many steps, with many moments, many sights along the way. To arrive, you need to learn to be okay with being where you are. Being present with yourself, you will be able to  move forward – one  step at a time.

Now there is a catch.

Once you open your mouth and ask for help, you aren’t finished. In fact, you’ve just begun.

The next step is to accept responsibility for the choices before you.

The Lord Jesus is a Gentleman. He won’t do anything against your will. He won’t force you to listen, or to learn, or to obey. He won’t even force you to let Him love you! He gives you sovereignty of choice.

If you choose to dwell in the past, He allows you to do so. If you anxiously move into the future – worrying about what might be – He allows you freedom to worry.

In contrast, when you choose life and being in the present, Jesus will help you, giving you clarity, wisdom, and strength to endure.

Right now, you have a choice. No one can force you either to experience freedom or to walk in bondage. It is your choice what path you take.

And transformation is all about making choices – moment by moment all through your day. It is about choosing Life!

When you choose life, the Holy Spirit is free to work deep inside you to shape you into someone exquisitely beautiful, who is becoming a mighty warrior.