Charlea Grey
If I ask the darkness to cover me and all the light around me becomes dark, then it will not be dark for You because to You the night is as light as day and darkness is like light to You. Psalm 139:11-12, The Bible for the Deaf
Once again, I find myself drawn to Psalm 139 – its words never fail to steady my heart.
This psalm reminds me that life unfolds in seasons. Over the past three years, I’ve learned time and again that so much of what feels permanent is, in truth, only temporary.
With a little one in the home, you become much more aware of these phases. Broken sleep doesn’t last forever, though it often feels like it will. Teething passes. Habits – whether good or bad – don’t necessarily last forever.
The same goes for everything else. Adjusting to new work circumstances takes time, but eventually, you find your feet. You and your partner might be struggling to connect, but those misunderstandings can be easily cleared up.
Yes, there are moments in life that are rather difficult. There are aspects of our lives that don’t align with what we want, which can feel like navigating through darkness without a clear path ahead. It’s especially hard when you don’t know how to make things better – you just have to push through, no matter what.
Just get through the week. Survive the day. Push through the next month. Keep your head down and focus on what must be done to make it to the other side.
Do you sometimes feel like that, too? As though you’re just surviving and not thriving?
When we are striving to live a full and vibrant life, it can be difficult to grapple with these feelings. My advice is this: Remember that God is always present, even during challenging moments. During times when it feels like you're just pushing through or keeping your head down, know that these periods are temporary. God's presence, however, is constant and unwavering. He will be with you not only during the struggles but also in the lighter, happier times.
Prayer: Dear Lord, please help me to hold onto the truth that yyou are with me in the darker phases of life, still surrounding and carrying me. Amen.
Charlea Grey
As ek sê die donker moet my toemaak, die lig rondom my moet donker word, dan is dit nie donker vir U nie. Vir U is die nag so lig soos die dag en donker is vir U soos lig. Psalm 139:11-12, Bybel vir almal
Verskoon tog dat ek terugkeer na Psalm 139. Maar ek voel die psalmdigter se woorde is hier so gerusstellend en waar.
Een van die dinge wat ek die afgelope drie jaar keer op keer geleer het, is dat baie dinge fases is. Seisoene. Dikwels net tydelik.
Met 'n kleintjie in die huis is 'n mens soveel meer bewus van die fases. Slegte slaap hou nie vir ewig aan nie, selfs al voel dit so. Tandekry – gaan verby. Gewoontes – goed of sleg, hou nie noodwendig vir ewig nie.
So is dit met alles anders ook. Om aan te pas en gewoond te raak aan nuwe werksomstandighede vat tyd, maar iewers begin jy jou voete vind. Jy en jou maat sukkel dalk om mekaar te vind. Daardie misverstande kan uiteindelik opgeklaar word.
Ja, soms is daar tye in die lewe wat nie lekker is nie. Soms is daar aspekte in ons lewens wat net nie is soos wat ons dit sal wil hê nie. Daar is tye wat dit voel asof 'n mens in die donker tas, veral as jy nie seker is hoe om die situasie beter te maak nie. Dis asof jy net deur die moeilike fase moet druk, ongeag wat.
Kom net deur die week. Oorleef net die dag. Druk net deur die volgende maand. Kop af en fokus net op wat gedoen moet word om anderkant uit te kom. Voel jy ook soms so? "Surviving, not thriving". Dis nie noodwendig hoe 'n mens wil voel as jy eintlik voluit wil lééf nie, né?
Herinner jouself daaraan dat God daar is, ook in dié tye. Die deurdruk-tye. Die kop-af-tye. Dit is tydelik, maar God se teenwoordigheid is nie. God se teenwoordighed is konstant, en Hy sal ook in die ligter, lekkerder tye steeds daar wees.
Gebed: Here, help my om in die donkerder fases van die lewe vas te hou aan die feit dat U daar is vir my, my steeds omvou en my sal dra. Amen.
Charlea Grey
The Lord worked for 6 days to make heaven and earth, the sea and everything in it, but on the 7th day He did not work. That is why the Lord has blessed the Sabbath day and said it must be a holy day. Exodus 20:11, The Bible for the Deaf
Looking back at this month’s devotionals so far, I’ve noticed a word that the word “overwhelmed” keeps popping up. It’s actually a bit sobering to realise that I’m clearly in a life stage where I regularly feel this emotion.
Someone once told me that one of life’s biggest challenges is that the period where we work the hardest on our careers often overlaps with raising young families.
Of course, I know not everyone reading this has young kids. Maybe you remember that chaotic season, but it’s long gone. Maybe there are other things that overwhelm you and leave you feeling stretched thin.
Whatever your circumstances, we all need time to fill our cups.
With our family expecting another baby soon, the past few months have been filled to the brim and wild as can be! At one point, we were racing from one thing to the next every weekend, and by Monday, I was extremely tired. Work starts again and a new week with its own challenges begins, and you just have to keep going.
I quickly realised that I can’t help my family fill their cups if mine is nearly always empty.
God knew right from the beginning that we’d always need time to rest, breathe and be still. We can’t just keep going full steam ahead, no matter how ambitious, busy, capable or successful we are. Everyone needs time to breathe.
Give yourself and your loved ones that time. Make time to be still with God, to rest and just be together.
Even God decided to take a break.
Prayer: Thank you, dear Lord, for reminding us that we, too, need to stop, be still and rest. Help me to recharge my own batteries at your feet so that I can face life with renewed joy and energy. Amen.
Charlea Grey
Die Here het ses dae lank die hemel en die aarde gemaak, die see en alles wat daarin is, maar op die sewende dag het Hy nie gewerk nie. Daarom het die Here die Sabbatdag geseën en Hy het dit 'n gewyde dag gemaak. Eksodus 20:11, Bybel vir almal
Wanneer ek terugkyk na die dagstukke van die maand so ver, kom ek agter daar is 'n woord wat dikwels hehaal: Oorweldig. Dit is eintlik vir my ontnugterend om te besef dat ek baie duidelik in 'n lewensfase is waar ek gereeld oorweldig voel.
Iemand het eenkeer vir my gesê dat een van die lewe se groot uitdagings juis is dat die tyd wat ons die hardste aan ons loopbane werk, presies is wanneer ons jong gesinne het.
Nou ja, ek weet ook dat nie almal wat hier lees, jong gesinne het nie. Jy kan dalk daardie chaotiese tyd onthou, maar dis dalk lankal verby. Daar is dalk ander dinge wat jou oorweldig en soms dun gesmeer laat voel.
Maak nie saak wat jou omstandighede is nie, ons het almal tyd nodig om ons koppies vol te maak.
Met die dat ons gesin binnekort nog 'n baba verwelkom, was die afgelope paar maande voller as vol en wilder as wild. Ons het in 'n stadium elke naweek van een ding na die volgende gejaag en teen Maandag was daar niks van my oor nie. Maar dan is dit tyd vir werk en 'n nuwe week wat sy eie dinge bring en 'n mens gaan net aan.
Ek het gou begin besef ek kan nie my gesin help om hul koppies vol te maak as myne gedurig omtrent leeg is nie.
God het heel aan die begin al geweet dat ons altyd tyd sal nodig hê vir rus, asemskep en stilword. Ons kan nie net volstoom voortploeter nie. Maak nie saak hoe ambisieus, bedrywig, bekwaam of suksesvol ons is nie. Almal het tyd nodig vir asemskep.
Gun jouself en jou geliefdes daardie tyd. Maak tyd vir stilword by God, vir rustig raak, vir saamwees. Selfs God het tyd gemaak vir 'n blaaskans.
Gebed: Baie dankie liewe Here dat U ons herinner dat ons ook moet stop, stilword en rus. Help my om my eie batterye by u voete te herlaai, sodat ek die lewe met nuwe lus en energie kan aanpak. Amen.