Live from Life

Have you ever felt like you were wearing a mask?

I am usually very joyful and happy. I smile on the phone when no one is looking. I smile a lot. (The wrinkles hold that smile longer now too.)

When things are not right in my world and circumstances close in, am I wearing a mask if I walk around smiling and full of joy? Well that depends.

I heard someone say the other day that denial and faith look a lot alike. They do. So what is the difference?
Denial covers the circumstances by ignoring them, numbing them, or leaving them.
Faith covers the circumstances in prayer, intercession, and the promises of God.

So, how should I live? No matter how the circumstances, if we are Christian(this is a must, since the peace that we have as Christians is not known by those who do not know Christ), then we can choose daily to live out of the "not crushed" life, rather than the "pressed down" circumstances. For the Christian, it is a choice because we have access to the Father of Life, who has promised us... well look at it...

2 Corinthians 4
⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.  ...

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

What a Promise! What a God! That He would give us life like this. 

Lord, may my face, my heart, my mind, my actions be lived from Your Life in me. May my head be lifted by the not crushed part, may my back be straightened by the "not in despair" truth, may my lungs be filled with the "not abandoned" awareness, may my song be sung by the "not destroyed" tune. O God, my Father, I am Yours, You are mine. That is all I need. You are all I need.

James 3:18,
Camelot