LIFE IS LIKE A YO-YO

Life is Like a Yo-yo

Life is like a yo-yo. There are always circumstances and situations in life that cause us to go up and down. If we are controlled by our emotions or anything of the flesh then we will go up and down too.

 Things in my life lately have been so up and down. In order to be an overcomer, I have to continually go to the Lord for His peace which passes all understanding. I can’t let the circumstances in my life rule me. I need to let the Spirit of God rule me. “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” (Col 3:15)

Being thankful is another key. If we are thankful, then it changes our perspective away from our self and to the Lord. I have found that when things in the natural don’t look good, and I dwell on those things, I get depressed. But when I let my mind dwell on God’s goodness and have a thankful heart, God fills me with joy in the midst of the trial. He is so good all the time. God is Sovereign and in control of everything. 

I need to fix my mind on the things God shows me. If I am to have the peace of God, I need to keep my mind stayed on Him, and I need to trust Him. There is always sin affecting us , but there is always the grace of God. So instead of focusing on the difficult things that come as a result of sin, I need to look to our glorious Savior and His wonderful grace. When I dwell on the gospel I can see more clearly. Jesus died to bear the sins of the world! As Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp say in their book Relationships A Mess Worth Making, “His cry on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is a cry of broken communion among the members of the Trinity. The perfect, eternal love relationship between Father, Son, and Spirit was ripped apart to allow us to be restored to God and reconciled to one another.” That is amazing grace! When you see that, everything changes. 

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;

          Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
          Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
          Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light

 4 And the man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see. (Ezek 40:4)

3 You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.

4 Trust in the LORD forever,

For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength. 

(Isa 26:3-4)

My goal is to keep my mind on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. Then I won’t be going up and down like a yo-yo, when circumstances in my life go up and down. I will walk in the spirit and not in the flesh, regardless of the circumstances.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

(Phil 3:12-14)

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 

(Gal 5:16-17)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Gal 5:22-26)

          In order to keep my mind on Jesus and walk in the Spirit, I have to keep my mind filled with His Word and my heart filled with praise and thanksgiving to Him, who is able to keep me from falling.

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom 12:2)

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Col 3:12-17)

          Jesus tells us in His Word that in this world we will have tribulation, but He has overcome the world.  If we are to overcome this world, our trust and faith needs to be in Jesus Christ alone!

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:1-5)

Life is like a yo-yo, unless Jesus is your life.

                   Blessings to all.

  Laura