Instead of praying for patience...pray for the presence of God.
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
EVER HAVE ONE OF THOSE DAYS…ALL WEEK LONG?
Life can be exasperating.So many decisions – so much responsibility; we are faced with choices and they can be overwhelming.
Yet…there are warnings for every day living that come in many ways, words and wonders.
For instance, here are some one liners that come to mind:
·Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched ·Don’t put all your eggs in one basket ·An apple a day keeps the doctor away ·Don't put the cart before the horse ·If it ain't broke don't fix it ·I never promised you a rose garden ·Keep your portfolio diversified! Etc. Etc. Etc.
Though we can be tempted to give up under trying circumstances, we are reminded in Psalm 23 that I do not need to want for anything for He is there with us.
We would do good to remember Job in our times of trial.Though our worries and concerns may not equal that of Job (I pray that you never reach that level of despair], God still holds us dear and every need, every care…every hurtle is known to him.Should you ever question what God is able to do read Job 38:4 – 37.
God is control of all that He has created; Job 38 is a conversation between God and Job.The human side of us questions God even when we know that He is on the throne – and God has an answer: 4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? 6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone- 7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? 8 "Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, 9 when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, 10 when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, 11 when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'? 12 "Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, 13 that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? 14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment. 15 The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken. 16 "Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? 17 Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? 18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this. 19 "What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside? 20 Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings? 21 Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years! 22 "Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail, 23 which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle? 24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth? 25 Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm, 26 to water a land where no man lives, a desert with no one in it, 27 to satisfy a desolate wasteland and make it sprout with grass? 28 Does the rain have a father? Who fathers the drops of dew? 29 From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens 30 when the waters become hard as stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen? 31 "Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion? 32 Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs? 33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God's dominion over the earth? 34 "Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water? 35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, 'Here we are'? 36 Who endowed the heart with wisdom or gave understanding to the mind? 37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens [NIV]
God is an awesome God!
Take heart in knowing that nothing happens to us without our Lord knowing and loving us through it.
Those ‘bad hair days’ pass quickly; they are the days that are filled with minor frustrations but nothing earth shattering.On the other hand there are formidable times that seem to drag on and on.They test our strength and character and even our faith.
It might be easy to blame others for our bad times or blame God for the hurts in your life.It is hard though to look at ourselves and see our own sin that causes so much of our problems.
Women are smart, caring, hard working creatures who are fixers of things.We love deeply and will protect those we love at all cost and in every dire situation.We don’t often back down when it comes to the needs of our dependants and we refuse to let the world – or Satan himself – interfere with the security of our families – but oft times we forget about ourselves.
It displeases God when we care so much for others that our testimony and time with him is altered to put Him in second or even last place.
All those things and people we care about…God cares about and it is his desire to walk with us and even go before us in order to keep matters under control.
Have you lost the joy of your salvation?Have you become so busy that you don’t remember what it feels like to be on the receiving end of a heavenly hug?
Quiet your heart and let God quiet the waters.As a believer you have the Holy Spirit in you to get you through those difficult times…don’t underestimate the power of the love of Jesus Christ.Take advantage of His word.Read it; meditate on it; and listen for God’s instruction.You may find it in his written word…you may hear it in your mind…you may feel it in your heart but He will direct your path.*
*In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths – Proverbs 3:6
Walking in Peace / division of C.O.P.E. Women's Ministries Sue Puff, author
