When Even The Baby Steps Are Hard

"There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

Man. Sometimes I really need the gospel preached to my heart, over and over. 

I need the Spirit to wash over my soul and give me the hope and peace and happiness I can't manufacture on my own. 

I need moments of desperation to bring me back to thankfulness and perseverance. 

Right now, the baby steps are hard. In my last post I opened up about the struggles I've been having these past few months when it comes to my purpose, and if I'm really cut out for ministry and serving with my life. I thought that merely understanding my "burnout" would solve my problem. But that's only half the battle. For the first time in my short time as a believer, church has been hard. Serving has been hard. Loving has been hard. I'm tired. I feel like I have nothing left to give. But what I'm learning is that this - how we handle these desperate moments - is what defines those whom Jesus calls. I may not be perfect, but I will persevere. I will choose to do the next right thing - simply, I will put one foot in front of the other and cling to the cross with whatever strength I can muster. 

I was called to one hope. I was called to one Lord. One faith. One baptism. To the God and Father of all. The one who has it all in his hands, who is over all, through all, and in all. 

Some days that's all I can whisper to myself as I battle my empty. Other days I sing it from the rooftops and dance around my kitchen, unable to contain the joy that I have. Faith isn't one or the other - it's both. I'm learning that struggling does not equal failing. If you need a little bit of encouragement in your walk today, I hope you know that you're not alone. You have hope. There's something bigger than any of us and any problem that we could have working over it all, through it all, and in it all. So when even the baby steps of living are weighing you down, know you don't have to carry it all. You're never stuck. You can do this. 

You have hope.