"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
Let's talk about commas. Those that know me are probably laughing so hard they are about to fall out of their chairs! This is because I'm the last person you would expect to want to discuss grammar. I'm sure you will figure out why as you continue reading. :) However, commas are one of my things. Yours too, although you may not know it yet.
So what is a comma? It's a punctuation mark (,) indicating a pause between parts of a sentence. At least that is how we usually think of them. They mean more to me. Commas in my life are those things that cause me to fear, feel overwhelmed, doubt, or stress out. They can be big commas, small commas, or anywhere in between. Examples would be a flat tire, a health problem, a wandering child, traffic, abuse, a bad morning, or a loss. The list could go on and on really.
You want to know why I call them commas, right? It's because they are not periods. They are not stopping points in our lives or the end. They are just pauses!
We can defeat these commas! In fact, God commands us to do just that. In Isaiah 41:10 there are two commas with a command right in front of each one. "So do not fear, ... do not be dismayed, ..." In other words, don't be afraid, distressed, or anxious. Does this mean you should never have those feeling? No! God gave us emotions. He also gave us self-control. So we should not let those emotions control us.
Why shouldn't we be controlled by these emotions? That's right after the commas in the same verse. "... for I am with you...for I am your God." If He is with us and truly our God we should give Him the control over our lives. Not the emotions.
Okay, but how do we defeat the commas? Of course, He tells us that too! "... I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Our powerful God will fight for us! He will help us! He will hold us up when we can't stand on our own! Should we need anymore than that?!
You see, God does not care about the size or cause of our commas. He just wants us to defeat them. He wants us to look at them as pauses, not ends.
If we let our commas become periods then they hold us back from all that God has for us. The good news is He tells us we are not alone in the commas and we do not defeat them alone. He was clear about that after the commas in Isaiah 41:10. We defeat them with God's help.
We can defeat these commas! In fact, God commands us to do just that. In Isaiah 41:10 there are two commas with a command right in front of each one. "So do not fear, ... do not be dismayed, ..." In other words, don't be afraid, distressed, or anxious. Does this mean you should never have those feeling? No! God gave us emotions. He also gave us self-control. So we should not let those emotions control us.
Why shouldn't we be controlled by these emotions? That's right after the commas in the same verse. "... for I am with you...for I am your God." If He is with us and truly our God we should give Him the control over our lives. Not the emotions.
Okay, but how do we defeat the commas? Of course, He tells us that too! "... I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Our powerful God will fight for us! He will help us! He will hold us up when we can't stand on our own! Should we need anymore than that?!
You see, God does not care about the size or cause of our commas. He just wants us to defeat them. He wants us to look at them as pauses, not ends.
If we let our commas become periods then they hold us back from all that God has for us. The good news is He tells us we are not alone in the commas and we do not defeat them alone. He was clear about that after the commas in Isaiah 41:10. We defeat them with God's help.
Sharing our commas with others is huge too.They can pray for us, walk beside us, encourage us, and praise God with us when we defeat them. So what is your comma today? How can I pray for you? Are you allowing God to help you defeat your comma?
This has really hit home with me. I have lots of commas and have kept them to my self because I know people face bigger things and don't want to be a bother with my problems. However, I know God wants us to pray for each other. So my commas are: husband lost his job, Ella got the flu, MK is now sick, and husbands car broke down and needs a new starter. Please pray for my family. I love you Jessica and you are an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteAmy, I'm so thankful you shared. yiur commas are no less important than anyone else's! Those are some heavy things for you to carry, especially all at once. Thank you for sharing them. I'm covering all of you in my prayers. God is in control and right there beside you. I love you!
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