Dash of Sass: STAND

Quotes of the Day:

“Behind every trial and sorrow that He makes us shoulder, God has a reason.” ~Khaled Hosseini

“Our most significant opportunities will be found in times of greatest difficulty.”  ~Thomas S. Monson

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” ~Hellen Keller

“Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you’re made of.
You might bend, till you break
Cause it’s all you can take.
On your knees, you look up…
Decide you’ve had enough.
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off…
then you stand.”
~Rascal Flatts

The Single Woman Says:

The week of Passover leading up to Easter is always a little somber for me. I reflect on the fact that it was the last week of Jesus’s life and it really puts the phrase “I’m having a bad week” into perspective. Maybe you’re having a bad week. Maybe someone hurt you or betrayed you or let you down. Maybe you got into trouble at work, or even got fired. Maybe a very well thought out plan didn’t come together as seamlessly as you thought it would. I hope it will bring you great comfort to know that no matter what you are experiencing this week, Jesus has experienced that and then some. Whether you believe in Him and love Him and serve Him as I do or not…it’s still nice to know that someone has walked in your shoes and felt what you are feeling. And believe me…Jesus has.

The last week of His life, Jesus experienced great suffering. He was mocked and tormented and persecuted. He was cruelly betrayed by a member of His inner circle. He was accused of crimes He didn’t commit. He was abandoned in every possible sense of the word. He was spat upon, beaten, and ultimately put to death like a common criminal when He was in reality a completely innocent, just, loving man. He didn’t deserve to be treated the way that He was treated. He did nothing to invite the chaos that descended upon Him. And yet…He didn’t fight against it, either. He didn’t try to escape His fate. He didn’t argue with his persecutors and detractors. He didn’t attempt to evade or outrun or deny His trials. Quite the opposite. He embraced them. But why?

I’m no Bible scholar, but I do love Jesus, so I think that makes me qualified to state my opinion on His motives. I think Jesus stood and faced His trials because He could foresee the treasure waiting on the other side. He knew that defeat wasn’t the end of the story…but merely a prologue to an even more epic journey. In the Christian faith, we believe Jesus died for our sins so that we may have eternal life. But even if you don’t subscribe to that particular belief, you will still surely admit that the fact that He arose on the third day was pretty rockstar…yes? Jesus allowed Himself and His life and His legacy and His light to be buried in a tomb because He knew He had no intention of staying there. He knew what most of us so often forget: That a giant upheaval, a stunning loss, a heart-wrenching defeat, and even an agonizing death is very often the thing that ushers in the next chapter of our lives. Something has to die for something new to be born. Some dreams and relationships and plans have to be buried so new and better ones can be resurrected. It’s just the law of nature.

So today I urge you to stand. Stop running. Stop hiding. Stop cowering from your trials and your troubles and your tribulations and face them boldly and unflinchingly. You might get hurt…you might cry…you might suffer a broken heart…you will definitely suffer a bruised ego…

…but on the other side, you will come out the person you were born to be.  

 

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Something wonderful is on the horizon
Life doesn’t always look the way we want it to look. In Mandy’s upcoming book, Turn Toward the Sun: Releasing What If and Embracing What Is, you’ll find encouragement to live in the moment, sit with your experiences, and trust God with the unknown.
Preorder from Baker Book House for 40% off and free shipping!*
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Something wonderful is on the horizon
Turn Toward the Sun CoverLife doesn’t always look the way we want it to look. In Mandy’s upcoming book, Turn Toward the Sun: Releasing What If and Embracing What Is, you’ll find encouragement to live in the moment, sit with your experiences, and trust God with the unknown.
Preorder from Baker Book House for 40% off and free shipping!*
*US shipping only