I’m cheating a little bit here. I posted the above picture and message on Instagram yesterday and I have been thinking about it since.
I watched The Passion of the Christ Saturday morning. I have a stack of movies that I want to watch during the Holidays. Most of them are feel good movies. Not all of them are Christmas movies but they are just some of my all time favorites that I enjoy watching this time of the year.
The Passion of the Christ is not a feel good movie. But I woke up yesterday feeling a strong need to watch it. I didn’t go see it at the theatre when it came out in 2004 but I bought the DVD when it was released. I remember turning it off not even half way through. Then I gave it away. I couldn’t keep it. I didn’t want to accept it. I KNEW the story. I KNEW what happened. I had heard about it all of my life. We all know the story. But when it is put in front of you in visual format it is extremely difficult to watch and accept. I finally decided it was time to watch it through to the end. I needed to be responsible. I needed to accept the truth of what happened.
It begins with Jesus praying in the Garden of Olives after the last supper and follows the next 12 hours of his life through to his crucifixion at Calvary. The torture that Jesus endured was merciless and violent. He was nearly beaten to a pulp for hours by brutal monsters. Then, barely able to walk, he was forced to carry the wooden cross outside the walls of Jerusalem and up the hill where he would be crucified.
Friday was “Black Friday.” The day of the year where people in America wake up before daylight to fight the crowds and trample over each other to stand in lines at stores for hours to get big deals JUST ONE DAY AFTER A HOLIDAY CELEBRATING BEING THANKFUL FOR WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE! People are so consumed with buying things that they forget what the meaning of Christmas is about. Without Christ, there would be no Christmas! We are now in the season of Advent leading up to Christmas, which is a birthday celebration for our savior. Do these crazed shoppers even understand this? Don’t get me wrong, I believe in gift giving. But why has it gotten so out of hand? I remember my mom telling me what Christmas was like when she was a child. Everyone received one gift and that was it. I think it would be GREAT if we could get back to that but unfortunately it will not happen.
And then there is me. I had a short work week last week and even though it was only a 3-day week…it was rough. I was extremely busy and allowed myself to become overly stressed out. I have a feeling my co-workers were probably afraid to talk to me for fear that I might bite their heads off. I was furious with my situation. And when I looked back at the things I posted on social media last week, I didn’t like that person. I was so wrapped up in my little world and my little inconveniences that I was not focused on God; I was only focused on myself. I was complaining about everything during the one week when I was supposed to be expressing the most thankfulness and gratitude.
This morning at church we were asked to explore our stories from a new angle. How can you convert an area of your life where you are feeling stuck to actively exploring new perspectives? One of my areas is my complaining about feeling stuck in my job. Part of me wants to believe that God has me there for a reason to learn patience and to be content with where I am right now. But the other part of me has the desire to explore other options that could bring positive changes to my life and remove me from my rut of only surviving in life to fully thriving. Doesn’t God want me to thrive? Is he waiting for me to make a MOVE so that he can bless me???
It is time to make a decision. Are you feeling stuck? Can you relate?
When we think about Calvary and what Jesus did for us on the cross we think about the resurrection and Easter. But I am thinking about it right now. This season is to celebrate his birth and his life and God’s love for us. We do not light Advent candles at the church I attend right now so I will be doing this at home for the next four Sunday’s as a constant reminder of what this season is truly about. It is a reminder to be thankful for the blessings we already have in this life instead of complaining about the things that feel wrong. Instead of being mad standing in line at Wal-Mart or stressed out about our current situation, It is a reminder that God loves us SO MUCH that he sent his son to die for us. What a precious life to celebrate!!!
“His love is deep, His love is wide and it covers us
His love is fierce, His love is strong, it is furious…” ~ Bethel
Blessings,
Stacey ~ iamalive