When I was really younger, I used to think my problems would be solved if I got a younger sibling. Being the youngest of seven for four and a half years left me with a bunch of little bosses right above me. Prayers for a little sister were eventually answered and I was ecstatic. Then I found out she didn’t like to be bossed by older siblings any more than I did, and most likely a lot less.
When I was younger, I used to think my problems would be solved when I got married. Annoying siblings? Misunderstanding parents? Unliked jobs? Yep, getting married would do away from having to deal with all those on a daily basis. It wasn’t long though until I learned five things: 1. Siblings are actually really fun, parents understand a lot more than I gave them credit for, and you can learn to like almost any job. 2. I was the one who needed to change, not my situation in life. 3. Getting married won’t solve problems, husbands have the ability to be annoying, misunderstanding and you don’t have siblings living with you to share those unwanted jobs with. 4. If you’re not contented and happy before you get married, it’s not going to suddenly change after you are. 5. Running from your problems doesn’t work.
When I was less younger, I used to think a lot of my problems would be solved when I was over Lyme disease. No energy? Can’t stand to be around people? Foggy brain? Constant pain? Continually being stressed out? Yep, being healed would do away with having to deal with all these on a daily basis. Then I got over Lyme disease. And I was somewhat correct on this point. I’m continually surprised at how often I like hanging out with people now. My brain is still foggy at times, but multitudes less than during the thick of my illness. Pain on a daily basis has almost disappeared except when I get tired or don’t feel well, then my knees ache like crazy and I let them remind me to be extremely thankful that I’m over Lymes. Energy and stress are greatly increased and decreased, in that order.
Yet my life still isn’t perfect by any means. Getting over Lyme disease helped do away with some issues, but then a whole new crop of them popped up. And that’s one of the huge lessons I’ve learned this year:
Every other hope, dream, and source of encouragement other than God will eventually let you down at sometime. I don’t say that to be negative. Really, it’s a positive, not a negative. God is always here. God has my best in mind. God sees the beginning from the end and understands what’s going on all around us. God is all powerful. And He loves me with a more powerful and extraordinary love than anyone can even imagine.
There were times when I was going through a difficultly, and instead of turning to God, I would turn to someone, or something else. Sometimes it helped, a lot of the time though, I would come away feeling more stressed out than before. (Please note: I’m not saying to only go to God, I’m talking about going to Him first.)
I didn’t plan on having a ‘theme verse’ for 2013, in fact, I’ve hardly even thought of it that way. In reality though, 1 Samuel 30:6 fits the bill:
And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
What about you? What’s one of the things you’ve learned this year?
Noveltea 
I think The Lord had been teaching me, amongst many other things, in the area of rejoicing, even when I don't feel like it!
My Scripture for this year is Isaiah 48:17.
His Princess,
Bekah
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Excellent post, Lydia. I'm always encourage by people who have found that the Lord is the first one to go to in every situation. When we get a headache, the first thing we tend to do is reach for the Advil(or Tylenol) when the first thing we should do is go to our knees and petition the Great Physician. My wife and I are on the long and winding road to a lung transplant due to her CF, and I've often told people, when asked, that the main thing we need it prayer. All of the greatest medicines and doctors in the world are going to have no effect unless God ordains it. God always deserves the credit, praise, and thanks when it comes to healing. I really enjoy reading about your journey with God. You have an outlook that's really enlightening and refreshing. Hope you have a blessed and awesome Monday.
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Oh, and I guess the “overall” thing I've learned is that no matter what I do or what's going on, God is God. I've known this all my life, but have experienced so much this year. He is faithful in spite of the times that I fail Him. He has not and will never give up on me or any of His children. My “life verse” is Isaiah 43:2-3, ““When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.“For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…”
That passage has had such an impact on my life that I even wrote a song from it.
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