Do You Have A Life Verse?

I remember the first time I had heard of life verses. I was watching footage of the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, and the show I was watching was interviewing the widow of one of the astronauts. She brought up that her husband's life verse was Philippians 4: 5-6:

 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

She said she was now relying heavily upon that passage, and how it was like her husband was comforting her along with God's words.

I decided then to find my own life verse. I first thought about adopting that verse, but decided to allow God to guide me to my very own. I was drawn to Galatians 6:9:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

 I placed this verse in my heart, and thought I understood why God drew me to it, although I had never really experienced a weariness in trying to keep living my life the way I should be. Little did I know.

 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart Jeremiah 1:5

This past week, I really went downhill. Everything was getting to me, I just couldn't cope anymore. The cold had finally crept into our region and it made my knees ache so badly. In fact, all of my joints were so very painful. We just got new (to us) living room furniture, courtesy of my wonderful Mother, who gave us her beautiful sofa and recliners which she had decided to replace.

So, I spent a majority of my days in a recliner, covered up with a blanket, sleeping way more than I had been, moving far less than I had been. I began having flashbacks of days that led up to my extended hospital stay. Was I going backward?

I tried moving and it was just too much. I looked around the house. All of the cleaning I had done in recent days was getting lost in new found clutter. All I could see was the house falling back into disarray I was neglecting my family again. Why was everything....everything in my life so hard? I was getting so fed up. I began taking out my frustrations on my loved ones, grousing around the house, complaining, yelling at them about anything.

I took to Facebook with a cry of despair.... So tired of EVERYTHING being difficult. It's turned me into a real grump to my family. Sometimes I wish I could just give up.

I got responses from my family and friends, messages of support that made me smile, but didn't reach deep into me and touch my heart. This is, until I got to a message from my niece. She quoted my life verse. There it was, in cyber black and white, staring at me, as if to say, "Have you forgotten?"

Suddenly, it became as clear as crystal. This is the reason I picked this verse. God knew thirteen years ago that I was going to need this encouragement at this time. Suddenly, tears sprang to my eyes and I cried for a long while. I shed tears a few more times over the next days until I finally shed the cloud that hung over me. I cannot grow weary. God has a harvest for me at the end of this. He's known all along, and now, I am assured.

Yesterday was a completely different day. I cleaned, I cuddled with my sweet little boy, I hugged my life partner.I went to the store and felt sunshine on my face for the first time in days. It wasn't perfect, I still hurt, I still wobbled, but it was beautiful.

If you don't have a life verse, talk to God, have Him direct you to yours, You never know how the Lord will use his word in your life. You will be blessed and likely, when you least expect it!