I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him.
Psalm 34:4,6a NKJV
The thought for the following devotional came to my mind while in deep thought during my commute home from work. Mentally rehearsing a conversation in which a (very) good-intended friend asked me about a long standing challenge in my life. Struggling how and what to answer, not because I didn’t have an answer, but because I was sure my answer would sound trite or possibly even callous. And most definitely not “super-spiritual.” So, with that as the back-drop, I shared with them and now you, how I face, and more importantlty, keep facing… day after day, year after year, the painful reality confronting me. Maybe you can relate.
First and foremost, we must admit the hard reality in front of us. Though it’s tempting, we dare not deny the truth. A cancer diagnosis, an unwanted divorce, addiction, family estrangement or financial collapse, the list of possibilities is endless. But we dare not camp there. No pitching tents and staring at the problem round a camp fire of emotional pain and woe-is-me thinking.
We must face it. But we must not live in it. Knee deep in the mire of I-cant-believe-this-is-happening mind set will destroy us and will sideline us in our walk with and service to our Lord.
In my own hard-reality circumstance, I have learned (continue to learn!) the danger of staring at the problem rather than my Lord and His promises. Becoming overwhelmed and unable to be of use for anyone or anything as I allow myself to be overcome by the reality of the absolutely heartbreaking situation. As facts mount, I fall for the enemy’s trap of leaving God out of the equation. He made made heaven and earth, surely He can handle my challenges. And yours. (Psalm 146:6)
No, I’m not ignoring the truth or hiding behind Christianeze expressions that pretend a problem-free life can be had with “just the right prayer.” Neither am I finding peace in a bowl of my favorite peanut butter ice cream (yes…I’ve done that a time or two). By His grace, I face the raw reality head on and then turn to my Lord, my precious, faithful Lord, and commit “it” to Him. Sometimes several times a day. But always handing it back to Him.
God’s Word doesn’t promise His children a problem free life, but He does promise to remove the sting…the fear of “it.” As we choose, and that’s a tough one, to stare at Him and His faithfulness rather than our pain, or laundry list of questions, the sting of fear and “what if,” melts away. Knowing that He holds our lives in His hands, no matter the outcome, provides a calm peace, in an anything but peaceful and calm circumstance.
As C.H. Spurgeon has so eloquently put it, “The sovereignty of God is the pillow on which I lay my head.”
Whatever your crisis, or crisis of someone you love, face it and then hand it… to your faithful and sovereign Lord.
“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race set out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…so that we will not grow weary and loser heart.” – Hebrews 12:1, 2a and 3b
Father God, I choose to trust You with this unspeakable challenge in front of me. Thank You for Your faithfulness no matter the outcome. How I love You Lord! In Jesus’ name, I pray amen
Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus
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