Camera Cord

I have lost the cord to my new camera. 


It's not a new camera exactly, but it's what I prayed for and that the Lord provided through a sweet family in the church. I offered to pay for it but they gave it to me for free. They had an abundance and they gave. 


But now, I am praying the Lord will help me find the cord. I am a blogger and picture taker. I connect one thing to another and the camera was enabling me to get back to what I love to do. 


But the cord is gone. We have looked and looked, it's a small house, not to many places to look.


I recognize the answer might be no. I might not get that cord back, in which case, I will not be able to download the pictures that I took for the blog. I have so many projects going and this is stopping everything FLAT. 


The other day during Bible reading, Elisa mentioned that we are all so quick to get out of our struggles. Our main goal is to pray and have faith that the Lord will solve the problem and we will be happy again. 


I thought that was very insightful. It's a true perspective. I know this cord loss and further, my ability to create loss, is certainly not eternal. It's not even serious, but, it's an example of a struggle. The struggle is accepting this situation in my life with thankfulness. To not try to get out of it. I have done what I can do in this here and now. Now I have to decide where I will go from here. 


I decided I will thank God for the loss of the cord. I will not try to get out of it by stressing and worrying. By praying over and over "Dear God, please help me find that cord" I will be still. I have asked God to show me what He has for me to learn through this, or if He would, just give me peace that I can trust Him with all things. 


Sounds easy enough, it's just a dumb camera cord after all. 


But it's a start. 


It's a baby step towards fully trusting God in all circumstances in my life. To letting go of my need for happiness. 

I hope this isn't to simplistic. I know folks have REAL LIVE struggles and this cord thing is insignificant compared to them, but there is a bit of truth in this too, even the real struggles, the really hard things are meant to be shared with the Lord and we are to thank Him in ALL things.


Maybe the Lord is hoping for us to just hold His hand and wait. To look at Him with trust. Not to run for relief. Maybe the answer is ... as Paul writes ... 


I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, Romans 1:18


... something bigger then we can see with these saline eyes ... my hope is not in the relief to my struggle but rather in my fellowship with our God and Father. Our happiness, or joy will be complete in Him. 


I can attest to that. I have lost a lot in the past few years. It's been  tough, but I have never felt more loved or closer to the Father then I have since going through those struggles. God put me in a place where I did not get to have what I wanted. Even though what I wanted certainly appeared to be good and healthy things! 
The answer was no and that was that. With His strength I was enabled to accept the things I could not change. 
I still hope I find that cord. If I do I will let you know, but if I don't, I will be disappointed, but it will not be what defines me. My losses, even the things that would have been good and healthy to have, will not determine my life. 

By His enabling grace .. I will thank Him in all things. 

My life will be defined by His grace.