Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. – Psalm 42:5

This life of chronic illness and disability causes us to search hard for the middle ground each and every day. Sometimes it causes us to stand in the gap and reach for just one simple accomplishment. Maybe that accomplishment is showering or dressing or spending 10 minutes in the Word. Seems like so little, but for us it is indeed a huge accomplishment.

But let’s face it, many of our choices require an “all or nothing” decision. And 90% of those decisions must be met with a resounding, “Nothing.”

Hard not to be downcast when this is our reality each day, isn’t it?

Answering with “All”, will only cause crashes and disappointment. Giving our all always makes our shortcomings so much more glaringly obvious. But oh, how we long for all… how we reach for it with every fiber in our being.

As I was pondering this today, God reminded me of something wonderful. It’s about the word, “nothing.”

It’s here, in this verse that speaks about Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross! – Philippians 2:6-8

Not some teacher or Mommy. Not a writer or a singer or a homemaker. Not any of those things that mean so much to me, that I try so hard to make my identity. No, this is the Lord. The Lord, the One and Only Creator and Savior of Heaven and Earth. Only He could embrace nothingness, take it on, wear it like a badge of honor. Only He would want to.

Each day, as I make the small and the big choices… as I face the decisions where there is no middle ground, only all or nothing… I will do my best to remember that when “nothing” is embraced for the greater good, more can be accomplished than we can imagine.

God takes on our willingness to submit. He fills what seems empty and He molds what seems to have no form. And if we hand our “nothing” to the Father, He can use it to spread His Word, to shine His light, to defy all logic and swoop in to save.

I have no idea how, I really don’t. But I have faith that it can and will be used for His glory.

I’ve only got “nothing” to give today, Lord, but I’m turning it over to You.

Dear Lord, thank You for being the perfect example that You are. Help us to remember that You alone can make the best surprises out of even “nothing”. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…

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May God Bless You,

Shelly