HE COMES TO OUR RESCUE
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. ~Psalms 27:13-14
I am still in awe at the goodness of God. Still amazed at how He works in our lives. To the world, it seems like our lives are left to chance, but to those that believe, we see Him in every detail.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God ~ 1 Corinthians 1:18
God is loving and compassionate to His children. He longs to rise up and come to our rescue, but not always in the way we think or expect or hope. But He always comes. He sees so much more than the here and now. He sees the big picture. He sees eternity. He sees our hearts and our souls.
Over the last several months, I have been frustrated. I have been tired. I have asked God questions, trying to settle issues in my soul and in my mind. I have asked God, "When will this season end? How much longer? When will you heal me completely? How are things going to work out or come together? Do you hear me? Do I need to pray differently or fight this from a different angle than what I am doing now?"
But these questions did not come from a lack of faith. Actually, they came from a heart that is fully convinced that God is real and His Word is true. I believe He only has to send His word, just speak it, and we are healed. I believe in His miracles, signs, and wonders. I believe that nothing is too hard for Him; with Him nothing is impossible. If I didn't truly believe this, I would not have asked Him those questions. And because I have found His great big love for me, I can ask those questions without guilt or fear.
Too often, we think we have to "say it just right" when we talk to God. We think maybe we are doing something wrong or not praying "right" when our prayers seem to go unanswered. And there is definitely a time to check our hearts and repent and then there is a time to keep pressing on. And I was willing to jump through any hoop that God had to offer to see a change in my situation, but that's just the thing....there are no hoops. He gives directions and wisdom and His Word to follow and to speak. And yes we need to obey to stay under the shadow of His wings. But there are no hidden agendas. There are no tricks. God is about our hearts and His kingdom; not our grammar or even our comfort.
How do we trust in a God that sometimes seems so random, distant, or a God that seems to pick "favorites" at times? And you know what I am talking about! I cannot say it enough, you have to learn His word. By doing that, you will begin to hear not only His voice but also His heart. Through His Word we learn the truth that He is not random, distant, nor does He pick "favorites". We learn of redemption, forgiveness, acceptance, and unfailing love. We learn of a powerful God that always wins. He always has a plan and it's never about "us". It's about our souls and those around us. Through His Word, we learn to trust His heart and not the plan. Truthfully, most of the time the plan, or how God brings things about, seems really botched up. But when we know Him and His Word, we see His heart is always for us.
Over the last year, my family and I have experienced the love of God in powerful ways; ways that make it impossible to stay the same. It has been healing and peace in the middle of yuck. It has been meals, phone calls, texts, cards, a cup of hot coffee brought to my door. It has been my babies taken care of when I go to the doctor and needs met and prayers answered in ways that have left us speechless. All of that is experiencing God and His goodness and love! To love in action is powerful. It gives hope. It reminds us that God has not forgotten us.
We have found so much beauty in the ashes. We have found more of Him and less of us. We have gained confidence in His Word and confidence in His love. We have seen the meaning of family and so grateful that our hearts have been full because of them. We have found friends that have touched us in ways we will never be able to repay. We have found that God provides in the least expected ways out of His glorious riches, not ours or the worlds. We are gaining confidence that He is faithful.
So this is what I want to leave you with...keep following hard after God. Don't give up on Him because He will NEVER give up on you. Don't doubt His love for you by circumstances or situations. Those are times to look for Him and you WILL find Him. Get to know Him and His love for you! God spoke to my heart not long after transplant these words..."Keep following HARD after me and when this is over, you will have gained more than you have ever lost". I have to agree!
It's because of that promise that we keep going- we KNOW there is an end. We know there is a purpose and a promise waiting. And every single time I have felt like I didn't have an ounce of fight left in me, God would create a situation of hope and renewal. Be encouraged. You will get to a place where you can say, "Remember when..." God is truly your biggest fan. You are His heart. You are His big idea. A beautiful creation from the heart of our Father. He loves you and believe it or not, He longs for you to love Him right back!
- This post was written by Shae Compton. Shae is a writer and online blogger who attends our Bluefield Campus.