Giant Mistake.

Things are looking rough.

 So, I'm sitting here trying to get a final project finished before Sunday night. It's a HUGE portion of my grade for my Special Education Technology class, and I have to get it done or else I'll be in major trouble. I have Pandora radio on, trying something new for a change. Normally I have Grooveshark or, lately, Christmas music playing. I found a good station for Contemporary Christian songs, because I needed a lift - lately life has been pretty wild, and sometimes it's just obvious that Satan is using every advantage and chance he has to kick me where it counts.
I started thinking about this, and different aspects that Satan has been pushing in my life started coming to light. I've been tempted with thoughts lately, and my attitude has been less than ideal, and I'm losing my temper fairly quickly now. I've been blaming it on the hectic schedule that I've had lately, with trying to get time to study in, finishing projects, and getting ready for finals next week for school, and all of the other pressures from the outside, like trying to get hours at work which isn't happening, making it to church even though I have class Wednesday nights, and making time for my friends that I've been neglecting because of school. However, it really isn't any of those things, I think. I've been opening myself up to Satan's blows, because, first and foremost, I've been so "busy" that I haven't read my Bible. While this may not seem like a big thing, this is actually a HUGE deal. I normally read it every day, but I haven't because I've been "busy" like I said - with Facebook, trying to catch some sleep, studying, and all of that other stuff.
Because of this, I've started a "chain" of holes that Satan has definitely grabbed a hold on. I haven't read my Bible, like I said, and this led to me not giving everything I have to make time to pray. Sure, I say some short ones through the day and I say one at night, but like Francis Chan said at IYC (see my post on that here), if you aren't giving everything...it doesn't mean anything. We aren't talking to some random person when we pray. We're talking to the creator of the universe, that gave us life and controls everything.
When Satan finds one opening, you can sure bet that he's going to try everything to find another and use it. It's like a domino game - one falls, and shortly all of the others follow. So whenever this happens, it can seem like there's a huge cloud following you that you can't get rid of - like a giant mistake that will never, ever go away, no matter what.
As I said earlier, I had Pandora on when I was thinking this. Remembering everything that was going on - and how I wasn't handling it - automatically killed my spirit and mood. I felt horrible, and it was like I couldn't do anything about it. Just then, Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns came on Pandora. This song is probably known by everyone - it's one of the Sunday morning staples at my home church - and so sometimes it's just another song in the background. This time, however, the lyrics couldn't have helped more.

"Oh, what I would do to have the kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant with just a sling and a stone, surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors shaking in their armor wishing they'd had the strength to stand. But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me, reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed. The giant keeps on telling me, time and time again, 'Boy, you'll never win. You'll never win.'"

Hello, irony.
This was the absolute perfect song that could have come on at this moment. Why? Because not only does this verse capture everything that was going through my head at that time, but it also has a killer chorus that nails exactly the response that I needed - and the truth.

"But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story. The Voice of Truth says, 'Do not be afraid!', and the Voice of Truth says, 'This is for My glory!' Out of all the voices calling out to me, I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth."

Exactly.
This reminds me of the verse that I repeatedly tell my girls that I counseled at camp this summer. When things get rough, and it seems like everything is too hard, I remind them of Philippians 4:13.

"I can do all this through Him who gives me strength."

This verse is one of my favorites, because it reminds me that, no matter how big the challenge - or the giant - God will give me the strength to overcome it. It's pretty amazing.
Your NR challenge for this post is this - take a lesson from this story - and don't get me wrong! This isn't a "made-up post" that sometimes come on here or other people's blogs, where they use a story someone has told them. This is real. It's my personal deal. - and remember that, no matter how big your giant is, he's nothing compared to God.
There's the saying that I think is appropriate for this post. "Don't tell your God how big your storm is, tell your storm how big your God is."
I'll choose to listen to that, instead of making a giant mistake. What about you?
Are you in?

-Kimber.