No dumping?

I had a much more humorous title for this blog, but I decided to take the mature route. Yeah, I guess I'm mellowing out now that I'm in my late twenty's.

Anyway, this isn't about smelly dumpsters, trash, or fecal matter, this is about a need that we all have as humans to spill our guts to close friends, family, or others we trust. We all need a place to vent. Like the Greek figure Atlas, we need to let go of the heavy burden of the world on our shoulders. Although the need is valid, sometimes our course of action to address that need is not. There are recent events that, ouch hallelujah, are causing me to enact "endurance" and "patience" in my life. In fact, not too long ago, I was trying to reach some of my closest friends, and counselors a.k.a my C.O.M. (Counsel of Many, see Proverbs) to discuss and even pray about things going on in my life. For some reason, I could not get a hold of anyone. I didn't realize that sometimes "You don't need to run to the phone. You need to run to the throne." I wanted so badly to just put it all out there, and have someone else be understanding, and empathetic to my issues. But that's just the point, there is Someone who knows exactly what's going on, and can make things right again. I really was not wanting to do that, and was running around the house like a chicken with my head cut off, when my sister stopped me. She asked me what was up, and although I still didn't get a chance to release, she prayed for me. Afterwards she said, "Jes, maybe you need to just put it all on Jesus?" Once again, not something I wanted to hear, but I knew it was exactly what I was supposed to do.

There is always a shoulder to lean on. There is always a place let go, when I "give it to the Lord in prayer." Man, is that hard to do sometimes. My dad once told me, "We're supposed to buddy up with the Lord, but sometimes it's nice to have someone in flesh and blood." If you're one of the C.O.M., and you know who you are, I'm not mad, I'm blessed. There are some things that are so deep, so personal, so gut wrenching, that they only belong between me and the Lord. There is a great and abiding peace, laying all matters before Him, and trusting that He will work it all out.

Over the course of three weeks, three different verses have lined up in perfect logical order.

"If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small."
-Proverbs 24:10

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."
-Proverbs 17:17

"A man who has friends must show himself friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."
-Proverbs 18:24

Is the pattern evident? Even if it is, please read the verses again slowly. When adversity comes, it's good to have a brother/friend. But it doesn't rise and fall there, because there is still someone greater than a good friend.

Alright, so here's me pretending to be the reader. Well, I see Jesse's got some logic with adversity. I follow that. But what point is he making with the whole brother/friend vs. greater than good friend?

My point is this, there is another level of closeness that goes beyond friendship, and family. This is generally reserved for spouses.

Pretend..."I think Jesse is on crack. That verse about sticking closer than a brother is obviously about Jesus, and I'm going to stop reading this already."

Please wait, and don't miss this. Yes, it is Jesus. We are His Bride. He is our Heavenly husband. That's the point I'm making. Why would I want to dump on my friends and family, when I can dump on Jesus? I mean, this is convicting. Do I think that He can't take it? Or even worse, do I think He won't do anything to help me? Wow. I think I just heard a blade wisp through the air, and cut right to the heart of the issue. The trials and temptations are really invitations to go be alone with Jesus. It's great to have people who are like family, or a brother/sister in arms who will battle life with you. But none of those people, can even come close to matching Jesus.

I am afraid of writing this blog. The last time I wrote, some really pressing things occurred immediately afterwards. But I'm going to write this anyway, because I believe Ralph Waldo Emerson is right when he says, "Do the thing you fear, and the death of fear is certain." I am experiencing growth pains as I follow the Lord. Please pray for me. I have not arrived, and I still think that God is absolutely crazy for thinking that I'm qualified to change tires, let alone, share the Gospel. Pride is something I need to guard against. The only thing I can take pride in is Jesus death on the cross for me. I have nothing, and I am nothing...without Jesus.

God bless us all, and let's take the opportunity that we have to spend time with the One who "sticks closer than a brother".

"From the end of the earth I will cry out to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed within me;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
Ps 61:2