Pressed that I May Press

Have you ever felt pressed? This week I have and it's not necessarily a bad thing ... I will share a few good examples in a bit but for me it was negative thing. In part it was my fault which left me disappointed in myself. I had failed at something, rightly been called out, the situation was dealt with but there were a few lingering jabs made. It stung. This week also marked 11 years since the passing of a sweet friend from a freak accident at the age of 21. I also burnt my hand while at my parents this past weekend and came home with double pink eye ... boo hoo hoo! I couldn't even enjoy a good cry over any of this because all I could think about was the massive amount of germs that would be seeping out of my eyes. But to put it all in perspective, I was given the opportunity this week to readjust my priorities, show my mom the awesome healing properties found in Vitamin E oil, clean my eye makeup brushes and this weekend I get to purchase some new makeup! :) Things are starting to look up. I also was able to share that I was accepted into grad school and will begin the process of pursuing my M.Ed in Mental Health Counseling this Fall.

This morning the last part of my devotional really got the wheels in my head turning and I felt the Holy Spirit whispering to my heart. Here is the last part of Streams in the Desert ... July 23

"Many people owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties. Charles H. Spurgeon

When an organist presses the black keys of the great organ, the notes are just as beautiful as when he presses the white ones. Yet to fully demonstrate the capabilities of the instrument, he must press them all. selected" 

The word pressed immediately brought to mind 2 Corinthians 4:8-10. Paul writes, 

"We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies."

If we are truly in Christ then even in our suffering Christ is gloried. How? By our reactions, actions and attitude. How we handle situations where we are pressed is our choice. Sometimes the best option is to "disappear" for bit ... take a break from social media vs. airing the grievance for all to see ... turning the TV and Netflix off or putting down that current fan fiction novel and pressing into the Word of God. I can tell you from personal experience you will find more answers there and through prayer than you will from texting your best friend ... and let me tell you my best friend is one of the godliest people I have ever met. But even she is limited (as am I) in the comfort that she can give. Without fail I need to seek the comfort of the One who deals in the Supernatural and the natural before seeking the earthly comfort found in my friends and family. I humbly suggest that when we are being pressed that we press into Jesus.

What happens when we press into Him? We find the Hope of Help, Healing and Heaven. ( Hello alliteration!! Can we say Southern Baptist preacher's daughter?)

1. The Hope of Help: When we are pressed one of the best ways to press into Him is by helping others and giving back to the Lord the blessings that He has bestowed upon us. However, it doesn't stop there ... Luke 6:38 says,

"Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full - pressed down, shaken together to make room for more (!), running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back."

The Lord is a gracious and will not leave you in despair. Give of the resources that you have be it time, talent or finances. Then rest in the promise that He will return it to you above and beyond your imagination.

2. The Hope of Healing: Whether it's spiritual, physical or relational when we press into the Lord we find the strength we need to take the next steps towards healing even if it's crossing over into Heaven. Sometimes we realize we are the one who is wrong in a relationship issue and must seek forgiveness or we need to be the one to offer forgiveness. Other times we are called to repentance. And sometimes we find the peace needed to go through with that high risk surgery.

I can't help but to think of the woman who pressed into the crowd to touch the hem of Jesus's garment as He was on His was to see Jairus's sick daughter. 

"As Jesus went with him (Jairus), he was surrounded by the crowds. A woman in the crowd a suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no reason cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. 'Who touched me?' Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, "Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.' But Jesus said, 'Someone deliberately touched me for I felt healing power go out from me.' When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. 'Daughter,' he said to her, 'your faith has made you well. Go in peace." Luke 8:42b-48

Friend, do you need to touch the hem of His garment? Do you need someone to press in with you? My email address is melodyfaithm@gmail.com I would be honored to pray with and for you. Let's go in faith before the Father expecting Him to answer and understanding that the answer will come in the way that is best for us not necessarily by our standards or what we are asking for.

3. The Hope of Heaven: You may have found that life has been knocked out of you a bit by the recent events that have happened in our country and in our world. This is certainly understandable. It is in times like these that when we press into the Lord we are reminded that this world is not our home. That for those who have a personal relationship with Christ we have an eternal hope. One that cannot be shaken or stolen away from us. Ever. Even if your current trials that you are experiencing seem to be too much then go back to 2 Corinthians 4 and know that your sufferings though they aren't like the persecutions experienced by our brothers and sisters overseas still help us to identify with Christ. However, the time may very well be coming where we are persecuted for our faith even here in America.

"Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." 2 Corinthians 4: 11-18

Beloved ... let's press into Jesus for all things as he is our Hope in and for all things!

I love you all!

Blessings ...

- Melody Faith