Desert, demons, decisions.

Sometimes our mind builds us up, sometimes it breaks us down. We are our own worst critic.

Let us not forget this Lenten season that our love story with the Lord is broken in two parts: The first part requires us to carry our crosses. It means going through a desert experience of sorts and coming face to face with our own personal demons- whatever they may be. This time in our life may cause us to feel as though we are inadequate, we are incomplete, we are lacking, we are nothing. Our burdens feel twice the size and we feel defeated. The pain somehow seeps into every crevice of our heart and infects the part of us that held hope.

But it's not the end. Like I said, our love story with the Lord has two parts. The second part is the one that really matters. It's the part we tend to overlook. That is the victory of Christ's love and mercy, the victory that claims eternal happiness, the victory that brings us freedom.

So to all of those people who may be feeling a little dry and thirsty, to those who are going through desert experiences....open your eyes and your heart. If there are certain things or people he has taken away from you, it just means that He's made space in your life...space that you can decide to fill in with God. He's doing the spring cleaning for you by removing those which may be a hinderance to you.

Maybe you'll eventually realize that the enormous desert you felt was swallowing you whole, is nothing but a small sandbox after all. Allow Christ to enter your life, lift the veil of deceit from your eyes and help you walk out into the oasis of beauty He has prepared for you.

AMDG.

Lord, that I may never lose sight of you and the victory that you have claimed for me. Help me to see beyond my own hurts and pains so that I can be a blessing to others, rather than a burden to my own self. Help me to overcome my mind so that I can be free to just receive the mercies that You give me day in and day out. Amen.