I live in town in a cute little apartment in my current season. I love walking in the evenings just before the lights come on. This one particular night as I set off for my evening walk, the clouds grew dark, the wind kicked up and the rain began to fall heavily.
I stopped and began to turn around to head back to shelter when I felt “no” tug on my heart. So I kept walking in the rain. As I walked the thought came into my mind “even the storm is part of your journey, now own it.” I plundered that for a moment totally perplexed. It’s pouring down rain, thunder and lightning all around, how do I own this?
It’s raining. I don’t really want to walk in the rain. I love walking when the sun is shining, the birds are singing, people are out everywhere and it’s warm and beautiful. I mean seriously, who WANTS to walk in the rain? Am I right?
Then it hit struck me like a lightning strike. We all want, crave, desire and live for those beautiful sun shining days. We want to rush through the rainy days and find ways to pass the time quickly but the nice days we want to take slow and be fully present.
Then my heart filled with the thought again “even the storm is part of your journey, now own it.” Hmmmm, own the storm? The yucky, dreary, raining days? How can I possibly own it?
Then I asked myself this question. What is the difference between a stormy day and a sun shining beautiful day? Both days have 24 hours that I get the blessing to live. Ahhh, it’s my attitude that truly determines if a day I get the honor of living is good or bad.
Right then I owned it! I changed my attitude. Began to be thankful that even in this storm I am blessed. I am alive. I get to choose whether I enjoy this moment or let it be stolen away. I get to choose. The weather, outside circumstances and situations don’t get to choose. I do.
Every storm in our life has just as much value and beauty as the sun shining days. It’s all part of who we are. It’s a day our steps were ordered and we got to live.
All of our stories are unique and each moment of them will never happen again. They will not be duplicated for someone else. Our path is just that, ours. Our journey here on this earth can be beautiful regardless of the circumstances. Because we can choose to be thankful, change our perspectives and own the moment we are in instead of grumbling it away.
No matter what your journey looks like God called you to walk it out. Whether everyday is beautiful or mostly storms and rain, it’s yours. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. This moment is all you and God gave you the free will to bless it or curse it, to be thankful or grumble and complain, to own it or hide it away in shame. The choice is yours.
Philippians 4: 11-13 (Passion Translation) “I’m not telling you this because I’m in need, for I have learned to be satisfied in any circumstance. I know what it means to lack, and I know what it means to experience overwhelming abundance. For I’m trained in the secret of overcoming all things, whether in fullness or in hunger. And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty.”
Another favorite quote of mine is from Brene’ Brown “owning your story and loving yourself through the process is the bravest thing you will ever do.”
So let’s choose today to own our lives, even the storms. Be present in the moment. Choose thankfulness. Change our perspective. Love our journey no matter what it looks like because it’s ours.
At His Feet,