We all have those periods in our life when things happen that leave us feeling discouraged, defeated and without hope. Events overtake us and we find ourselves angry, frustrated, hurt and alone. We can often feel like God has deserted us.
We've been praying and praying for a certain situation for many years to no avail. Nothing has changed. We begin to beat ourselves up and turn on those closest to us. "Why Lord, why haven't you answered my prayer. I've been a faithful servant. Why haven't things changed" we ask Him.
I believe the answer to that lies in God's perfect timing. We just don't know what His plans are and how he is going to accomplish them. It is our job, as his faithful servants to believe. Believe that He knows exactly what He's doing. Spend our time in prayer and supplication. Spend our time praising him for what He's going to do whenever He decides to act.
Our lives work intricately together as part of His master plan. We don't know how all the pieces fit together, only He does. And believe me, He knows exactly what he's doing. That doesn't mean it's easy. Far from it. It is one of the hardest things in the world to sit back and let someone else take control of the situation because we think we can do a better job and a job that is much quicker. I mean, after all, we know all the details of the situation that is bothering us, we've been intricately involved from the beginning. No one else knows everything like we do, right?
That may be what we are thinking, but don't forget that the God of the universe knows every single little detail of our lives, each one of us. He hold us in the Palm of His Hands. He's watching from above, and he's seen everything that we've seen. He's cried right along with us during the toughest times of our lives.
I remember back in 1997 when I was going through my health crisis and the doctors were stumped. They didn't know what I had. I had been to doctor after specialist doctor, had test after test and still no answer from the men "practicing medicine."
My Dad was a huge source of strength during that time for all of us. He told my understandingly worried husband, " Steve, God created Nicki, you, me and everything and everybody on this earth, You think he can't take care of a little problem like this? Nicki's life is in his hands. We have to just keep praying."
Boy, was my Pop right. So often, we think WE have the answers to the problems we run up against in life. When really, often, we are clueless but we are just too proud to admit it. We are in way over our heads but we still think we have the best ideas. WRONG!
The Lord wants us to turn whatever is bothering us over to Him. He doesn't want us to worry or be fretful about things we can't control. Of course the great verse from Matthew 6:25-34 about worrying is one we all know well:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
It's so true, isn't it? Can we add one hour to our life by worrying about anything?
Matthew 11:28-30 also reminds us to rest in Him.
James 1:2-4 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
We've been praying and praying for a certain situation for many years to no avail. Nothing has changed. We begin to beat ourselves up and turn on those closest to us. "Why Lord, why haven't you answered my prayer. I've been a faithful servant. Why haven't things changed" we ask Him.
I believe the answer to that lies in God's perfect timing. We just don't know what His plans are and how he is going to accomplish them. It is our job, as his faithful servants to believe. Believe that He knows exactly what He's doing. Spend our time in prayer and supplication. Spend our time praising him for what He's going to do whenever He decides to act.
Our lives work intricately together as part of His master plan. We don't know how all the pieces fit together, only He does. And believe me, He knows exactly what he's doing. That doesn't mean it's easy. Far from it. It is one of the hardest things in the world to sit back and let someone else take control of the situation because we think we can do a better job and a job that is much quicker. I mean, after all, we know all the details of the situation that is bothering us, we've been intricately involved from the beginning. No one else knows everything like we do, right?
That may be what we are thinking, but don't forget that the God of the universe knows every single little detail of our lives, each one of us. He hold us in the Palm of His Hands. He's watching from above, and he's seen everything that we've seen. He's cried right along with us during the toughest times of our lives.
I remember back in 1997 when I was going through my health crisis and the doctors were stumped. They didn't know what I had. I had been to doctor after specialist doctor, had test after test and still no answer from the men "practicing medicine."
My Dad was a huge source of strength during that time for all of us. He told my understandingly worried husband, " Steve, God created Nicki, you, me and everything and everybody on this earth, You think he can't take care of a little problem like this? Nicki's life is in his hands. We have to just keep praying."
Boy, was my Pop right. So often, we think WE have the answers to the problems we run up against in life. When really, often, we are clueless but we are just too proud to admit it. We are in way over our heads but we still think we have the best ideas. WRONG!
The Lord wants us to turn whatever is bothering us over to Him. He doesn't want us to worry or be fretful about things we can't control. Of course the great verse from Matthew 6:25-34 about worrying is one we all know well:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
It's so true, isn't it? Can we add one hour to our life by worrying about anything?
Matthew 11:28-30 also reminds us to rest in Him.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
He wants us to stay focused on Him and Praise Him through the storm, thanking him for what we already know he is going to do. A great verse from the book of Psalms is Psalms 50:15 …call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."
The main thing that will help any of us in the middle of any crisis is to stand strong with the Lord. He is faithful and He will not let you down. He will take your circumstance, whatever it may be, and turn it around for his glory if you let him. One of my absolute favorite verses in the bible is this one from the book of James:
Cry out to Jesus in your distress! Listen to Praise music, read bible verses, pray and believe that He is going to deliver you or your loved one from the storm. Everything will be just fine in God's perfect timing. Stay Strong and Believe that He has everything under control.
My verses for today are above in red.
My prayer for today:
Lord Jesus
Help me, Help me to depend on you when the storms of life come. Help me to spend my time praising you, believing in you and your perfect timing. Let my life Glorify you in the midst of any trial I face.
I pray,
Amen
