Heartbreak Hill

This is a little intermission from the "Three-Letter Word" series.  I will return to it soon.

I don't know about you, but I was really moved by Coach Januzzi's chapel today.  Wow.  I began to think, how do we respond to a message like that?  What does God want to do in your life because of what you heard? 

I'd say we could start by considering: what 'heartbreak hills' are you facing right now?  Do you have some cruddy relationship issues going on?  With a friend, a family member, a boyfriend or girlfriend?  Do you have an absense in your life that is really difficult?  Maybe you lost a relationship or there's one you wish you could have, but never seems to happen.  Are you struggling with feeling good enough, smart enough, talented enough to make someone happy with you?  Have you faced some injury or setbacks in your life recently?  Maybe you can't even name your 'hill', but you just feel like something is not right in your soul.

Whatever it is, thank God for it.  I don't mean "like it."  This kind of Thank You is one done in faith.  In essence, you're saying, "God, I don't know why this is happening to me, but thank You for what you CAN do through this to make me more of who You long for me to be."  Let us never think that every 'heartbreak hill' is from God on purpose.  But we can believe that He will USE all those hills for good.  Like Paul said to his friends in Rome "all things work together for good, to them that love God and are called according to his purpose."

Keep a heart of honesty with God about your struggles, just like Coach Januzzi did.  And with a humble heart begin to say, "God make me new and change me as You carry me through this.  I hate this situation, but help me see how I can learn, even from this."