It seems so absolute petty, and so very vain. And as I told someone sarcastically this week “I’m sure it compares with the starving in Africa.” But today it is a struggle.
My knee accident and treatment continues to be a major issue in my life. Mainly because it’s so discouraging. I have so much I want and need to do in the ministry and in life and not being able to walk with grace, and sometimes at all, really throws a kink in that plan!
We had a very cold rainy weekend and it through my arthritic body into a tizzy. It threw a temper tantrum like a toddler. It wasn’t going anywhere! I made it to church Sunday morning (in flats!) Oh the horror! J And didn’t make it at all Sunday night. Actually didn’t make it off the couch. Monday morning came and my hopes of being better were greater until midafternoon and I derailed again with knee pain. I only lasted two innings into the tee ball game and had to come home.
My beautiful beige high heels that I longed to wear to church on Sunday morning taunt me from the corner while my “sensible flats” smirk with glee. I know it sounds so petty. But what it is, is discouraging. How did I get here and what am I going to do about it?
It isn’t so much about the heels, which I’m truly not that vain, I just like them, but it’s more about the fact that life is taking a toll on my ministry work. And though I know that it didn’t catch God off guard, and perhaps He truly is trying to slow me down before another heart attack, but I feel that it’s Satan trying to thwart my efforts. And I must fight back!
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” PHIL. 4:13
That’s the verse that was on my mind this morning as I thought about those sensible shoes. I don’t want to be sensible. I’ve never been sensible in my life, ask anyone who knows me!
I want to jump and watch the Holy Spirit’s net catch me from afar knowing that I walked in faith. In pretty shoes! I know it doesn’t compare to the problems in the lives of other people who are facing tragedies. I know it’s silly. But faith is faith. For silly shoes, or surgery. I have to be able to trust my Lord.
Now He may say. “Shari, it’s just shoes, wear the flats.” And if He says that I’m fine and I’ll be grateful I can walk, there are people who cannot. But if He says, “those shoes look marvelous darling.” I’m going to be ready.
This is my point for you and me today. The Word of God is truth from the first word in Genesis to the last word in Revelation. And “all” means “all.”
But “through” also means “through.” I have to do it all through Christ. It’s from Him that I’m going to receive the strength, and that strength may or may not be in my knee, it may be in my Spirit.
When people quote Philippians 4:13 they’re often doing it through the flesh and not through the Spirit. Because they want something so bad, they believe it’s what Christ wants too, and that may or may not be the case.
So what I understand from my silly little drawing this morning is I can do ALL things that Christ wants me to do. Including wear shiny shoes if that be His desire.
Does Christ think about shiny shoes? Well He adorned the angels in shiny attire, I truly think it matters. But what matters most is that I keep priorities in check.
Shiny shoes mean nothing, if Christ isn’t in the story.