This past week was good. God and I decided that together. I think we're going to theme all the weeks of this year. Week One was "Clean and Create" week. Week Two was "Prison Break" Week. #obessed And Week Three was "Good".
That might sound unimpressive, or like it's nothing to be excited about. But I think it's beautiful.
For the first time in what seems like forever, I am truly content with where God has placed me in my life. I trust Him. THAT'S HUGE.
I don't know about you, but rarely is contentment a description of my state. Usually I'm whiny or insecure or worried or grasping or feeling like I'm lacking something. And all of this is directly related to trust. If I was truly trusting in God, I would remember that His timing is perfect and that He loves me, so there's really nothing to whine about. If I was truly trusting in God, I would know that my security comes from resting in Him, and that His embrace is always there waiting for me. If I was truly trusting in God, I wouldn't worry, because I'm His daughter and He's holding me. If I was truly trusting in God, I would remember that He's always giving, that I don't have to grasp, I just need to take time to sit and receive. If I was truly trusting in God, I would stand firm on the truth that life is a journey, and He is in me and with me and for me, and the Way and the destination and my Helper, and that I'm exactly where I need to be - with Him.
But we forget these things - so we end up discontent and failing to trust.
Why, why do we forget?
A lot of reasons I think.
We don't forget alone, but there's always hope, because we don't remember alone either.
So often, somehow, we are deceived into living our lives with filters that taint God, and warp Him into this manipulative, controlling, heart-less being, who just wants to tell us what to do and make us miserable. NOT TRUE.
NOT TRUE.
We were made in love by God, to share in the blessed life of God. All God wants to do is to love us and bless us. It is in loving us that He blesses us, and in blessing us that He loves us. Everything He does is to bring us this love, even if that love is masked in suffering. I've had my fair share of suffering. But God works all things for good for those who love Him. Why? Because He loves us, and those who love Him, let Him love them, so they're able to share in His goodness, even through suffering.
We're meant for adventure and joy and embrace and love and blessing - all flowing from God, and so often, we forget that. We forget, or choose to forget. We fail to trust Him, and then we just end up unhappy.
I know that's been a problem for me. For years and years, God and I have wrestled over trust. It's been quite a journey. I put up so many walls, after being wounded by others. Those walls were to protect me, to keep anyone getting close, even God. I did all of this without even realizing how isolated and lonely I was becoming, without seeing all the damage I was doing within my own heart. It all became cold and iron and dust and rubble. Mainly rubble. God showed it to me one day. So much destruction. I've looked for pictures to try and capture what my soul looked like in that moment, but nothing does it justice. The closest things I can find though, are pictures from after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. All gray and desolation and destruction. And then, me, right in the middle of it.
But, that state of suffering was only the beginning of the story.
As soon as I brought my brokenness to God in prayer, as soon as I opened up and let Him in, He started working. And I was scared, because I was vulnerable again, after all that time of hiding. But in the middle of this exchange, God flooded me with peace, because He was already working a healing within me. It was beautiful, and it was only the start.
And that's why this past week was so good. I was truly able to say, for the first time, with faith and confidence - "God, I trust You." And I was able to truly experience that trust, through my resting in God and being content in His presence. And I was able to live joy in a new way. It's been beautiful, and it's all rooted in trust.
This faith and confidence, this rest and contentment, this joy and beauty, this trust - it's for all of us. It's love and blessing that we were all created for, that we won't be whole and satisfied without. We were made for God. Our hearts were made to trust in Him.
If trust is something you're lacking in, ask the Holy Spirit to come show you why, to speak truth to you, and to come and increase your trust. And then wait on Him, rest in Him, and journey with Him - that trust might be present in your life again - and God would be able to fill your heart with His love and blessing.
Praying that the goodness of God would reign in your hearts, and that you would be given the grace to trust, and get caught up in the embrace of God.
That might sound unimpressive, or like it's nothing to be excited about. But I think it's beautiful.
For the first time in what seems like forever, I am truly content with where God has placed me in my life. I trust Him. THAT'S HUGE.
I don't know about you, but rarely is contentment a description of my state. Usually I'm whiny or insecure or worried or grasping or feeling like I'm lacking something. And all of this is directly related to trust. If I was truly trusting in God, I would remember that His timing is perfect and that He loves me, so there's really nothing to whine about. If I was truly trusting in God, I would know that my security comes from resting in Him, and that His embrace is always there waiting for me. If I was truly trusting in God, I wouldn't worry, because I'm His daughter and He's holding me. If I was truly trusting in God, I would remember that He's always giving, that I don't have to grasp, I just need to take time to sit and receive. If I was truly trusting in God, I would stand firm on the truth that life is a journey, and He is in me and with me and for me, and the Way and the destination and my Helper, and that I'm exactly where I need to be - with Him.
But we forget these things - so we end up discontent and failing to trust.
Why, why do we forget?
A lot of reasons I think.
We don't forget alone, but there's always hope, because we don't remember alone either.
So often, somehow, we are deceived into living our lives with filters that taint God, and warp Him into this manipulative, controlling, heart-less being, who just wants to tell us what to do and make us miserable. NOT TRUE.
NOT TRUE.
We were made in love by God, to share in the blessed life of God. All God wants to do is to love us and bless us. It is in loving us that He blesses us, and in blessing us that He loves us. Everything He does is to bring us this love, even if that love is masked in suffering. I've had my fair share of suffering. But God works all things for good for those who love Him. Why? Because He loves us, and those who love Him, let Him love them, so they're able to share in His goodness, even through suffering.
We're meant for adventure and joy and embrace and love and blessing - all flowing from God, and so often, we forget that. We forget, or choose to forget. We fail to trust Him, and then we just end up unhappy.
I know that's been a problem for me. For years and years, God and I have wrestled over trust. It's been quite a journey. I put up so many walls, after being wounded by others. Those walls were to protect me, to keep anyone getting close, even God. I did all of this without even realizing how isolated and lonely I was becoming, without seeing all the damage I was doing within my own heart. It all became cold and iron and dust and rubble. Mainly rubble. God showed it to me one day. So much destruction. I've looked for pictures to try and capture what my soul looked like in that moment, but nothing does it justice. The closest things I can find though, are pictures from after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. All gray and desolation and destruction. And then, me, right in the middle of it.
But, that state of suffering was only the beginning of the story.
As soon as I brought my brokenness to God in prayer, as soon as I opened up and let Him in, He started working. And I was scared, because I was vulnerable again, after all that time of hiding. But in the middle of this exchange, God flooded me with peace, because He was already working a healing within me. It was beautiful, and it was only the start.
And that's why this past week was so good. I was truly able to say, for the first time, with faith and confidence - "God, I trust You." And I was able to truly experience that trust, through my resting in God and being content in His presence. And I was able to live joy in a new way. It's been beautiful, and it's all rooted in trust.
This faith and confidence, this rest and contentment, this joy and beauty, this trust - it's for all of us. It's love and blessing that we were all created for, that we won't be whole and satisfied without. We were made for God. Our hearts were made to trust in Him.
If trust is something you're lacking in, ask the Holy Spirit to come show you why, to speak truth to you, and to come and increase your trust. And then wait on Him, rest in Him, and journey with Him - that trust might be present in your life again - and God would be able to fill your heart with His love and blessing.
Praying that the goodness of God would reign in your hearts, and that you would be given the grace to trust, and get caught up in the embrace of God.