When you feel outnumbered! I drafted this several weeks ago before this pandemic which is currently wreaking havoc on our lives. Given the numbers we’re hearing on the news lately, I would venture to guess that we’re all feeling outnumbered.
This reflection was written based on a song I recently heard. As I listened, I felt empowered! In fact, I was on my way to court to argue a case against three “goliath” adversaries. I was outnumbered for sure. But through this song, as I usually do, I imagined God speaking to me and I was reminded WHO was on my side – on that day and always.
Here’s how my day started out. A consoling, energetic feeling arose in me as I drove. I was excited for the day, driving, enjoying the scenery and counting my blessings. There was a sense of awareness present. An awareness of everything that was going on around me. A presence, His Presence! Then BAM! Just what I needed to hear through a song. A new anthem!
The song is called Outnumbered by Dermott Kennedy. Find the song facts here.
Here’s what I thought as I listened to the lyrics:
Don’t tell me this is all for nothing
Don’t tell me this is all for nothing – His dying on the cross and rising.
I can only tell you one thing, On the nights you feel outnumbered Baby, I’ll be out there somewhere– He’s always with us.
I see everything you can be, I see the beauty that you can’t see – we have what it takes no matter how we feel or the lies we tell ourselves. His grace is enough!
On the nights you feel outnumbered, Baby, I’ll be out there somewhere– if He takes us to it, He’ll get us through it.
Necessary suffering
I could have showed you all the scars at the start, But that was always the most difficult part – All of our trials and difficulties could have been laid out before us but that wouldn’t help us grow. Sort of like a tough love, as much as it hurts Him to see us suffer it is a necessary part of our preparation and purification. It’s how we learn and begin to become who we were created to be.
See, I’m in love with how your soul’s a mix of chaos and art
And how you never try to keep ’em apart – He loves when we understand our strengths and weaknesses, our goodness and sinfulness and humbly accept it all.
I wrote some words and then I stared at my feet
Became a coward when I needed to speak – As God He could have fought and won against His accusers but He remained silent for our sakes, for love of us.
Tough love
I guess love took on a different kind of meaning for me
So when I go just know it kills me to leave – just as it must have hurt His disciples to watch Him leave, it hurt Him just as much, if not more.
To all the stars that light the road don’t ever leave that girl so cold, never let me down, just lead me home – a command to our guardian angels to watch over us just as well as He does.
Be still and know…..
But there’s beauty here that’s yet to depart, there’s still a song inside the halls in the dark, I’ll come for you, if you just stay where you are, And I’ll always hold your hand in the car – we need to acknowledge the beauty and life inside us. God created us and thus we are ultimately ALL GOOD. He’ll come again, but let’s focus on now, remain still, consent to His Presence. He’s just one call away.
And there’ll be days when it’s difficult, But I ask you to never leave behind the reciprocal, we’re past that. Love is not designed for the cynical so we have that, we can have that – yes, difficulty will come, but never forget to count your blessings in the midst of the muck. Never lose faith in the Truth; the love that is beyond human understanding. Remember that all things work for good for those who love Him.
Patience is a virtue
How long can you wait for the one you deserve? Light on, never let it out, never let it out
If I’m gone, if you ever leave I hope that you learn
To fight on, to fight on – “the one” is not a person but a situation. a “break.” Keep the fire burning, never give up, keep fighting. If we ever feel He’s far off (our fault not His) He hopes we remember His example. GET THROUGH IT, DON’T COWER, DON’T RUN! FIGHT ON! FIGHT ON!
We all experience difficulties in life – work, health, etc. but He’s never too far. As a matter of fact, at the moment we’re all experiencing the same difficulty (more on that in a later post) but our blessings certainly outweigh them all!
I recently read about the idea of viewing a difficulty or depression as something “entrusted” to you as opposed to viewing it as something negative. Doesn’t that totally change the perception? Something entrusted to you. How will you take care of it, how will you handle it. Will you be a good steward of it?
How are you faring in the midst of this pandemic? Are you finding it difficult to handle? Are you bothered by the change in your routine? Is an extended period of time with your family frustrating you? Think of all these opportunities as things entrusted to you. Change your negative perception to something positive. The opportunities have been given to you to rework. How can you make them better? Prayer, fasting and almsgiving – the three facets of a good Lent. We’ve been given an opportunity to make it the best Lent ever. Are you missing the point?
Don’t waste this awesome opportunity of stillness and solitude. Use it to evaluate where you are personally. What have you been entrusted with and how will you get through it? Remember, when you feel outnumbered, baby He’s out there somewhere! Fight on! God bless you.
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