Dear ones, life can be gloomy. Yesterday was bright, cheery skies and it seemed to uplift my mood and energize my spirit. Today it’s gray with stratus clouds blocking any vision of our sun, though we know it’s there…. somewhere.
I was chatting with some beautiful ladies over tea/prayer time this week at my house. We prayed for some of the neighborhood women, for God to intervene in their situations: cancer, marital strife, depression, etc. The prayer to “heal all their pain and take it away” is one many of us have prayed for ourselves or others. However, I have been learning not to pray quite that way anymore. Let me clarify: God’s spiritual healing in our lives is truly what matters in the light of eternity; I have found and seen that His greater work in us is accompanied by TRIALS of all kinds. RAIN comes before the RAINBOW.
The way we seek God can be so superficial when life is rosy, easy, and uninterrupted. Even though I don’t always desire it at the time, when my days are spent with sick and/or cranky children, God can character train ME (and them) like never before. This winter I have felt like staying healthy has been the exception to the rule in our family! Each time it happens I always hope and pray it is a “speedy recovery.” However, it has happened so many times and in most cases the kids didn’t get better until 4 or 5 days after their symptoms. I have now learned to ask Him:
GOD, what would you like to teach my children and I in this time about who YOU are?
What do YOU desire to do IN me and through me?
Some people I know struggle with depression, one especially after her husband passed away. The world will try to provide some form of temporary comfort and relief usually in the form of therapists, antidepressants and distraction therapy. Distractions are why advertisers are rich: Go and BUY your happiness or comfort in your favorite store, restaurant, hobby shop or vacation package. Gardening, shopping, reading, and socializing are not crimes in and of themselves, but when done only to numb the pain or take us away from confronting our deepest fears and struggles, we won’t experience God’s PURPOSE. Yes, I think there is a divine PURPOSE for WHY we go through each situation, and yet we just want to jump back into our previous routine as if we’re invincible to the world yet left untouched by God. Oh how true and devastating this is to God’s heart.
Friend, remember Our Creator has a right to shake up our lives because He is why we exist, and He desires for US to know HIM. I urge you to change the way you pray: DON’T PRAY AWAY THE PURPOSE. Suffering is supposed to bring us back to Our Father, to dependence on Him as our anchor, our foothold, our rock. If you love God and want to know and love Him more, spend time WITH Him. Don’t distract others or yourself with hobbies or interests before dealing with the real issue of soul care with Jesus.
Heavenly Father, I pray that this spring and summer would bring marvelous times of new memories with YOU! May each walk, run or bike ride we take remind us of WHO You are and drive us to talk to You as we would a friend. We were made for relationship with You, and all we can take to heaven is other people. Press these truths on our hearts and use US to testify of Your presence as the driving purpose in our lives, not any other human distraction. Amen.
The song below is my theme song lately, and I pray it blesses YOU today. RUN BACK TO YOUR FATHER, dear ones!
A few of the lyrics are below:
“Back to the table
Back to my home
Back to my Father who never lost hope
For the first time in ages
I know what to do
With my arms wide open I’m running to back to You!”