Jeremiah 29:11 and "My Wish"

This song articulates very well what I hope in my heart that all my friends and loved ones find...that's pretty easy; after all, the Bible says that even a sinner loves his friends and family. The harder part is wishing these good things and happiness for people to whom you have offered yourself, only to be told that it isn't you, that you aren't even worthy of a shot for whatever reason. It's very hard to hear something like that when you don't know someone that well yet but happen to think they have great potential as an intriguing prospect, and it's harder still when you have become emotionally invested in someone to any significant degree.

There were quite a few times before I got things right with the Lord where I was hurting emotionally, and I had my friends around to support me, and they were/are all wonderful. There was something inside that no person could resolve, a gnawing emptiness, a lonely feeling, like trying to walk the highwire with no safety net...so when I fell, it hurt, badly. This kind of rejection is never easy to deal with, but I assure you it is even harder to cope when you have no one to talk to or turn to, no one to trust in. I am talking about the absence of God and faith here.

It never gets any easier, putting yourself out there and nothing happening...it feels rather like Bill Murray in "Groundhog Day" sometimes, lol. While I know it is no more a referendum on my value as a person or what kind of man I am than being turned down for a dance during a night on the town, "no" still smarts a bit. It's those times when I take comfort in passages like Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I know the kind of man I am and that God has made and shaped me the way He has for reasons only He knows, one of those being a perfect match for the special someone waiting for me. Much like my job search, I try to pursue my goals and dreams, pray about these things, and trust Him to open the doors when the time is right.

This Rascal Flatts song reminds me of Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance" in some ways, which is good because I liked that song when it came out and still do now because it inspires faith and motivation to persevere, even when things are hard and it feels so much easier to simply give up. It's not only my wish for my friends and loved ones, but for everyone, myself included. Here are the lyrics, so...ENJOY!

"My Wish"
Rascal Flatts, Me and My Gang (2006)

"I hope that days come easy and moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,

More than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it,
That your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more then you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
And you always give more then you take.

Oh More than anything, Yeah, and more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it,
That your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more then you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish."