When You Hit Rock Bottom

Have you ever noticed that often times we wait until the last minute to get something done? We humans, that is.  Even we Christians.  It’s easier to ignore something that is uncomfortable and pretend that it will go away by itself.

• Extra weight - we’re too busy to eat properly or exercise. Food is a stress reliever: a treat for when we’re happy; solace when we’re sad; something we need, but have little time to really enjoy. This cycle creates gradual weight gain that can become quite a taxing physical burden before we are even aware of it.  It’s not until we go into that closet to put on our favorite jeans and they won’t even zip up that we really become cognizant that we’re in trouble. That’s when we shape up and become aware!
• Marriages - That same busyness creeps into our relationships and can really do some damage. If we’re both working full time and have extra curricular activities, often times there isn’t a lot of “quality” time with each other. And when we do have that time we’re so tired from our days that vegging in front of the TV is easier. The necessary bonding doesn’t happen with our spouse and we start to lose that connection. We are no longer two as one.  I believe the term is “Married, living single.” Hopefully at some point the bells start ringing in our heads and we become aware that our relationship isn’t what it needs to be to remain healthy and God pleasing.
• Finances - Who has time to keep track of their spending when they’re commuting down the hill 5 days a week and running around with the kids to their soccer/baseball/football games on the weekends? It’s enough to get the bills paid late at night and keep food on the table. Whatever cash we have on hand on Sunday is going to have to do, because we have no clue how much we really can afford to give.  We’ve gone into debt to buy braces for the kids, tires for the truck, or those plane tickets to go back and see the relatives.  We’re working to pay our debt and the extras just compound this situation. It isn’t until we lose a job, or the Holy Spirit whispers to our hearts, that we realize we’re in a world of financial hurt…and we start to make changes.

I could go on. There are lots of areas where lack of attention and care creeps in and deteriorates what was wonderful at the beginning.  But, I think you get the picture.

We have one of those areas at our church.

Our day school started out as a joyous outreach from the hearts of some beautifully caring Christians.  It blossomed under the love and care of those Christians. More members joined in maintaining and growing this fertile garden and it matured into a fine educational establishment.

Then, somewhere along the line, the care and concern became complacency and apathy. It didn’t happen overnight. It was like one of the situations I mentioned above. Maybe we were too busy worrying about our own Church finances. Maybe the original caretakers left and the new ones didn’t have the same love invested in it. I know that by the time I arrived at our church, there was a definite separation of church and school. We no longer considered it something we cared about and tended. It was something that drained our finances and didn’t hold its own.

Married, living single.

There’s an old Wynonna Judd song that I used to sing (even though it was too low for my soprano voice) called “Rock Bottom.” The lyrics popped into my head when thinking about this situation.  There’s wisdom and hope in them:

When you hit rock bottom you’ve got two ways to go: Straight up or side-ways.
I have seen my share of hard times and I’m letting you know: Straight up is my way.
Things are tough all over, but I’ve got good news:
When you get down to nuthin’ you’ve got nuthin’ to lose.
I was born naked, but I’m Glory Bound and a dead end street is just a place to turn around.
When the sky is the limit up on Easy Street, rock bottom ain’t no place to be.
Rock Bottom ain’t no place for me. No no…

I attended the School Board meeting on Tuesday. And it was a wonderful joy to behold!

     The interest and excitement.
  
        The willingness to dig in and get things done.
 
             The rebirth and renewal that needed to happen a long time ago.

My life experiences have shown me that many times it takes getting to the bottom…to the point of realization that something needs to change…before progress and growth can happen. 

I think the school has done that. It’s hit bottom and now is primed and ready to grow and mature and be better than it was before.  And I’m excited to see our church have a renewed hope and interest in this wonderful outreach and ministry partner.  I think we’re going to both be stronger because of this experience. Stepping outside of ourselves and joining in a cause is a wonderful and Spirit-filled experience.  We are about the Lord’s work and it feels good!

Lamentations 3:18-33 (New Living Translation)

 18 I cry out, “My splendor is gone!
      Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!”
 19 The thought of my suffering and homelessness
      is bitter beyond words.
 20 I will never forget this awful time,
      as I grieve over my loss.
 21 Yet I still dare to hope
      when I remember this:
 22 The faithful love of the LORD never ends!
      His mercies never cease.
 23 Great is his faithfulness;
      his mercies begin afresh each morning.
 24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance;
      therefore, I will hope in him!”
 25 The LORD is good to those who depend on him,
      to those who search for him.

Dear Lord - Thank you for the beautiful opportunity that we have, in Ramona Lutheran School, to share your love and joy with our community and with each other.  Please help us to give our hearts completely to your work, Lord.  You are our inheritance and our hope! Thank you for putting us in a position of complete dependence upon you, Lord. If we search for you and lean on you completely we will truly be blessed. Only through you and your vast love can we succeed at anything we try. You have plans for us. Please help us to stop getting in the way and let you take us there! I love you so very much. Amen.

Blessing and peace,

Leah

P.S. Many of you reading this don’t attend my church and aren’t a part of this new beginning, but I bet there are areas in your life that may be suffering from neglect and needing renewal.  I pray that you will hear the Lord’s call and ask Him to help you begin that rebirth process.  Rock bottom is just a place to turn around.