Lamentations 1:3-4
3 After affliction and harsh labor,
Judah has gone into exile.
She dwells among the nations;
she finds no resting place.
All who pursue her have overtaken her
in the midst of her distress.
4 The roads to Zion mourn,
for no one comes to her appointed festivals.
All her gateways are desolate,
her priests groan,
her young women grieve,
and she is in bitter anguish.
Sometimes we come home wearing the burdens of our job or the stresses of our lives. Soon we are burnt out and can barely stand through the day. When we don't have others supporting us we feel hopeless and lose zeal. We find ourselves trying to take on to much just to "hold it all together". Sometimes we even try to hold together what isn't even there. I've seen this in jobs when bosses are abusive to their employees. I've seen it in houses where husbands fail to support their wives. I've seen where women all over are giving up hope. They are looking for a shoulder to rest their head on and they can't find one. That or they find one in the wrong places. Marriages fail because a wife turns to another man for compassion or gets too involved with work that she buries herself in it and rarely sees her family. There are women stretching out asking for hope. Hope from an employer to recognize they are trying hard. Appreciation from others around them that they poor out their heart to.
I have a friend who doesn't know that I can look into people and see hurt. My friend gave up her dreams and her career to be a homemaker. She now looks at me with sadness in her eyes and a sort of lost hope. I feel like she's crying out a warning to me to never give up my dreams. I feel like she wants her husband to recognize her "needs" as well. She needs to find purpose outside of her home. I pray for this friend daily.
If God has a calling in your life keep stretching out until you reach it. Satan will try to knock us off the path God has us on to distract us from God's great plans. Satan feels threatened by the potential God put in you. He will do anything he can to stop you from getting where God wants you. You need to be smart and steadfast. You need to ask God what to do. God will sometimes tell you to do things that aren't familiar to you. He may even direct you to speak openly with people and give you the words to say even if you've never spoken up for yourself. Now is the time be YOU speak for what God created you to do. Lighten the load a little and live! Ask for help! Renew your strength by waiting and relaxing in the time of your waiting. Remember in order to take care of others we must first take care of ourselves. In order to the best wives and mothers and teachers we can be we need to first feed ourselves spiritually and emotionally. Be assured that God loves you and He appreciates you serving Him when you serve others. He has clothes you with precious jewels and linen and has called you blessed!
So break away from the things that are burdening and get out there and get the joy that is waiting. Get out there and join the festival of Joy.
http://ministerofpraise.com/Colors.aspx
This is an interesting site made by a sister in Christ who leads a praise ministry it talks about different colors of clothing and what they represent :) Let's see what garments we've been wearing.
Isaiah 61:3
“To give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness
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