Trials and God’s Provision
Though it’s totally unscripted and not at all polished, I pray you hear real life thoughts on God’s Word and how to authentically apply it to our lives.
In His service, Becky White
Audio Only – Isaiah 45:2
Redeemed
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is there anything too difficult for Me?”
– Jeremiah 32:27
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.
Psalm 107:2
Several years ago, I had the honor of speaking at the Westerville Area Resource Ministry’s (W.A.R.M.) annual Prayer breakfast. I was asked to simply, “Share your story.” The room was brimming with pastors and ministry leaders, as well as the mayor of Westerville. I was keenly aware that my only qualification to speak to the crowd before me was the Lord Jesus Christ and what He had so graciously accomplished in my life. No diplomas on the wall or letters after my name. So, with knees shaking but a heart bursting with gratitude, I stepped up and shared with authenticity, my story of His redemption, for a wretch like me.
My prayer was to do that in such a way that those much more “qualified” than I would be moved to worship the One who gave His life for each of us. To recognize that the ground is level at the foot of the Cross (to borrow from Billy Graham). That included those whose story is nothing like mine or those whose story paralleled my own. We are all in need of The Savior, Jesus Christ.
I am sharing this 20 min video with you today, because today, May 14th, marks the day I gave my life to Christ, 45 years ago.
It’s my continued prayer that the Holy Spirit uses it to to encourage those who are praying for someone who is far from Christ (can you say, hot-impossible-mess?) or if you yourself are that hot-impossible-mess. He is more than able to redeem and restore. Anyone. Never stop praying.
20 minute video of my story (It begins at apprx the 37 min mark.)
In His service and for His glory… Becky White
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When the Sea Doesn’t Part
[Urged on] by faith the people crossed the Red Sea as [though] on dry land…
Because of faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encompassed for seven days [by the Israelites].
Others had to suffer the trial of mocking and scourging and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death; they were lured with tempting offers [to renounce their faith].
And all of these…won divine approval by [means of] their faith…
Hebrews 11:29a-30, 36-37,39a AMPC
Sometimes, our faith in the Lord and His Word parts the Red Sea of impossible situations. Sometimes our faith in Him causes the Stone Wall of adversity to crumble at our feet. Talk about mountain-top, arms lifted in praise and worship outcomes! I like that kind of faith outcome, don’t you? And if I’m honest, that’s what I expect as an outcome of faith. Isn’t that the point of faith? To change our circumstances? Maybe.
Recently, while reading the New Testament book of Hebrews, I stopped in my mental tracks as I read and reread chapter eleven. My eyes lingered on the almost too-familiar verses in this “hall of fame” chapter on Biblical faith giants. I could almost hear the STOP, and REWIND sound effects in my mind as my fingers traced the words. Tucked into this list of faith-walkers were others, whose faith outcome included words like “suffer” and “trials” and “imprisonment.” Holding those verses up to the light and talking to the Author of those words, I asked how this could be. Is it possible that authentic, Biblical faith can produce such an outcome?
Yes. It seems that sometimes, faith in God and His Word don’t necessarily lead to miraculous intervention. But instead to an ever-deepening trust (faith) in Him, regardless of the outcome. A level of trust that looks the vilest circumstance directly in the eye and still says, “Lord, I trust You. I have no idea how this will end, but I know You are faithful and worthy of my trust. You have promised to cause all things to work together for good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose.”
Over the years, I have faced seas that did not part, and walls that did not miraculously come down. I bet you have too. Yet, it was during those bitter-sweet times that I experienced the presence of God unlike any other. Rather than my circumstances changing, He chose to change me, and draw me into a closer relationship with Him out of sheer necessity. Have you found that true in your life?
It’s in those dark moments that we have a choice to make – will we hold Him tight, even as the tears fall, and choose to trust Him? The famed preacher, C.H. Spurgeon once said, “To trust God in the light is nothing – to trust Him in the dark, that is faith.” Is there is a circumstance casting a shadow of darkness over you, or someone you love? Even if through tears, will you choose to trust Him? Whatever the outcome? No matter what it looks like, He has a plan and purpose for all He allows to graze your life.
To trust God in the light is nothing – to trust Him in the dark, that is faith.
C.H. Spurgeon
Father, though my heart longs for a miracle, I love You more than any desired outcome. Help me rest in Your faithful goodness, even as I continue to pray in simple faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus
Click here to purchase a hard copy or download a FREE pdf of the devotional, Stony Paths learning to trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life.
You may also purchase Stony Paths, learning to Trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life, by visiting Lulu Publishing or Amazon.
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Wounds that Heal
Can he have followed far who has no wound nor scar? – Amy Carmichael
…to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. – Isaiah 61:3
…In my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. – Psalm 18:6 NLT
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy. Psalm 30:11 NLT
All of us have scars or wounds of some kind. Some visible to the outside world and some not. It’s part of being human. The real question is, what do we do with those wounds? Or rather, what do we allow them to do to us? And will we let them go to waste?
As of this writing, nearly 45 years ago, (May 14th 1980) at about 6:20 am … My three- day-old baby girl died, exhaling her last, precious breath.
Tracing the memory back in my mind’s eye, I can still smell the fragrance of her newborn baby skin and the softness of her delicate hands and fingertips as they curled around my finger. The tragedy and guttural pain of that day is seared in my mind and memory – leaving a scar as real as any branding iron. Her short life ended in part due to my drug use and poor nutrition – and being barely 15 years old, I gave little thought to the life growing inside me. The pain of her death was made even worse because of the guilt I felt in her passing. I vividly recall holding her now lifeless body and whimpering through tears, “Look what I’ve done…” There are no words to describe the anguish a parent feels when a child dies, which is magnified beyond measure when our actions were part of that outcome.
I share that very personal and deeply painful memory because through her death, I cried out to God in desperation. And He heard my cry .
He hears your cries as well.
Desperation is a gift that comes wrapped in pain.
The nurses were so kind to allow me time alone in a room with a rocking chair, and my precious little one, who I named Tiffany Anne. In that room, I held her, rocked her and cried. Buckets of tears. Finally, I told God, “If You’re really there, and I’m not so sure You are … but if You are… would You help me? Wherever she is, I want to be someday and I don’t know how to get there ...”
45 years ago, I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. I had no idea what I was doing, but our God is true to His Word, He promises that if we seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him. I found Jesus Christ alone in a hospital room at Children’s hospital, as I cradled my little one.
While there were no magic wands to wave away the series of bad choices I had already made, or would continue to struggle with for years to come – He has faithfully walked with me through it all. Walking out in real life the Truth that He does indeed “Cause all things to work together for our good and His glory.” Romans 8:28. And as C.S. Lewis so accurately put it, “God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain.”
As you and I struggle through our own wounds-that-heal scenarios – I’m reminding you as I remind myself – He is no less faithful today as He was 45 years ago… Not to necessarily remove our trials but to walk us through them. And wonder of wonders, if placed in His hands, bring good from them along the way. To bring beauty from the ashes.
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Genesis 50:20 NIV
My Father, Your ability to turn ashes into beauty is beyond words. You enable Your children to walk through the fire of trials and emerge without even a hint of smoke. Astounding. I worship You in the beauty of Your holiness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus.
To watch a short video of my story, click here.
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Why Are You Cast Down?
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. Psalm 42:11
Why am I cast down? (Some translations read, depressed or disturbed, while in the original Hebrew the words carry the meaning of being bowed or crouched down.) If you’ve ever felt the weight of your very soul being crouched down and bent over in despair you can relate to the pain embedded in these words. In fact, I bet you can literally feel his words. Notice with me that the Psalmist is asking his own soul this penetrating question. “Why? Why are you in despair?”
It’s important that we probe our own soul with such questions. Asking, is this just a nebulous feeling of depression that’s always running in the background of our mind? The enemy loves to play that trick on us. Never really knowing the why of our ache, means we can’t find the answer to our ache. Others of us know exactly why we feel disquieted and cast down. Life has hit us between the eyes with a heartbreak or some cavernous regret or betrayal, or an unexpected loss or grief. We can quickly put our finger on the why.
He then goes on to tell his soul what to do. “Hope in God.” Which makes me think that he recognized his hope was in something or someone other than God. Oh my… Have I been there! Hoping in the perfect circumstance or a specific outcome or even a person (including ourselves!). Nothing and no one, deserves our trust or should be the foundation for our hope, other than God Himself. When hope accidently edges toward a hoped-for outcome or a person, etc., depression or emotional ache or despair will inevitably result.
The Psalmist ends by reminding himself that the future is brighter than his soul is feeling. “I shall yet praise Him, my help and my God.” Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that this moment is not the totality of our life. This season or this trial or this feeling. We have a future and a hope found in the God we serve. In fact, that hope extends beyond this temporal life, into eternity. I don’t know about you, but that is so encouraging to me, because some of the issues that pain my heart, may never change. And because of that, I need hope that goes beyond a temporary band aid of let’s-all-hold-hands-and-think-positive-thoughts as we sing Kumbaya. I need real hope. And so do you.
So, let’s ask ourselves the tough questions. Why am I cast down? And what/who have I placed my hope in? Then remind your self that there is a brighter future than you’re feeling right now. No matter your circumstances. Trust in Him. He will not fail you.
Suffering will push you into the arms of God.
– Joni Eareckson Tada
Father God, Help me slow down long enough to ask my soul these questions. Questions that You already know the answer to and have already made provision for. Would You give me the ability to hope in You even if and even when a situation feels as if all hope is lost, I will hope in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus
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Audio Only – Comforting Others
Using our pain for His glory
1 Corinthians 1:3-5
Though it’s totally unscripted and not at all polished, I pray you hear real life thoughts on God’s Word and how to authentically apply it to our lives.
In His service, Becky White
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Bowed Down by the Load of Life
The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down.
The LORD helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads.
Psalm 146:7-8 NIV Psalm 146:8b NLT Psalm 145:14 NLT
The first thing I notice in these verses is that it is THE LORD who does the work. He is the One active on our behalf. The Lord sets free. The Lord opens blind eyes and The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down. Verse 8 wraps it up with this beautiful sidenote – the Lord loves the righteous. (Of course, the only righteous ones are those who are cloaked in the righteousness of Christ.)
Though you may, or may not be, behind the steel bars of a physical cell, each of us can be prisoners of our past, or regret, or addiction or bitterness, or loneliness.
While we may not be physically blind, are there not moments (or years?) when we are blinded by grief or unforgiveness or emotional ache, or blinded to our own need for the Savior?
And who among us has not been, at some point, bowed down by the trials of life? Or as one translation puts it, “weighed down” beneath the load of real life? This is the snippet that caught my attention as I read and reread it this morning. In my mind’s eye, imagining a heavy load, literally bowing the back of a person struggling to simply put one foot in front of the other. And it is to you I want to speak.
Probably because I have walked many miles with heavy loads, I am most drawn to those bowed down by the weight of life. Some loads I have needlessly put on my own back; other loads have been placed there by someone else’s choices. Regardless of how the load came to be, the answer is the same. I must. You must. Look to the Lord God to enable us to *carry it. He Himself will bear the weight, as we walk in trusting obedience to Him. Not that He will remove the burdens of life, but that He Himself will carry us… and our burdens. Lifting the weight of it from our tired shoulders. Because He loves us. Simply astounding.
The sweetest prayers God ever hears are the groans and sighs of those who have no hope in anything but his love.” – Charles Spurgeon
Father, I confess there are times when the weight of the load of life seems more than I can bear. It’s then that You remind me that, apart from You, it is more than I can bear. Cause me to quickly release the weight and rest in Your sovereign care. Come what may. In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
*There are some weights that He intends us to throw off, rather than carry. We need to seek His wisdom, through His Word and prayer, to know the difference.
Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus
“Upholds”
סוֹמֵ֣ךְ (sō·w·mêḵ) Verb Strong’s 5564: To prop, to lean upon, take hold of
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Sausage Scenarios
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Some of the challenges we face in life can be compared to making sausage. (Bear with me on the analogy!) A plump, grilled bratwurst tastes delicious, but you definitely don’t want to watch the creation process! Just trust that the maker knows what He’s doing as you wait for the end result.
But if you’re anything like me, when I’m faced with difficulties, I often make the mistake of “watching the process” a bit too close. I notice all the ingredients, all the prep work, all the grinding, and the pressing into the casing sleeve…and then the heat of the fire… And I begin to lose heart. Lose focus. Lose hope.
Recently, as my mind lingered long on a particular sausage-making trial, I said a quick prayer of, “O Father…You know what they need, please help.” Looking down, my eye caught a worn and stained post-it note taped to my desk with these words, “Your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” And “Do not grow weary in doing good…”
O, Father! How I needed to be reminded of that Truth! Help me trust You and not give up.
That little post-it note Scripture enabled me to snap back to a Christ-centered, God-is-bigger-than anything-we-face reality. A reality that doesn’t ignore life’s trials but rather, puts them in perspective. The truth is, we all have trials to walk through, but if we stare too long at the “process”, we will lose heart. Lose focus. Lose hope.
What is your sausage scenario? Have you stared long at…
Your pain
Your health
Your loneliness
Your children, or your lack of children
Your spouse, or your lack of a spouse
Your career challenges
Your disappointment
Your list of what if’s
Your Prodigals
Your loss
Your grief…?
It’s okay. Admit it. But don’t stay there. Look up from your sausage-trial and back to your God. Ask Him to help you refocus, to snap back to a Christ-centered reality rather than staring at your sausage scenario. He is at work. He is faithful. His Word is true.
“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God you’ll be at rest.”
Corrie ten Boom
Father, Please help me to refocus onto You rather than the impossibility in front of me. Even as I do all I can – praying and serving, enable me to rest and trust You and Your word more than what I see and feel. Thank you Lord! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Written by Becky White for my Lord Jesus
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Black Saturday
Below is a link to a short video from the Eyewitness Bible series regarding the Saturday after Jesus was crucified. It brings to life what we’ve read in the pages of our Bibles.
God’s blessings on you as we contemplate what the Lord Jesus Christ endured on our behalf.
“Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2
And,
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Directions
Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
While the following true story is now a distant memory for me, its probing question is just as valid. Will I trust God and His Word more than my own insight and understanding? Will I allow my “feelings” or “felt experiences” to trump God’s inerrant Word (the Bible)?
Will you?
Not being very familiar with the freeway and how to navigate from one part of our city to the other, I asked my husband for directions on how to get from a friend’s home to our church. Hanging up the phone and assured that I understood his directions, I confidently merged onto the freeway. However, it only took a few moments before my heart began racing as I thought, “This doesn’t look right, I think I’m going the wrong way!” Quickly and with a bit of panic, I tried to recall his exact words. I was sure I heard him right, my question now became, did he speak correctly!? I reminded myself that if I needed to, I could just turn around (which I definitely considered!). But, knowing that my husband is literally a living, breathing GPS, I trusted that although I appeared to be going in the wrong direction, he knew what he was talking about. I could trust his directions, even when it appeared wrong. Minutes later, I could see the outline of familiar buildings and knew I was headed in the right direction. Whew!
There will be times when we must make the same, step-out-in-faith, choice to trust the Lord and the Truth of His Word, even though our senses are screaming otherwise. (Reminder, His instructions will never contradict His written Word). He who declares the end from the beginning, is the same One who Has promised to lead us and guide us with His eye upon us. Sitting enthroned above all, His perspective is without flaw.
Let’s trust Him, take Him at His word and relax in His everlasting arms. He will guide us safely to the destination He has chosen for us. We can trust His “directions.”
God’s Word is truer than anything you think, feel or see. – Linda Dillow
My Lord Jesus, enable me to not only listen for Your still-small-voice-directions, but also to trust what I hear! As I read Your Word and listen to Your Spirit, grant me the ability to trust You rather than my fickle feelings or human reasoning. You are worthy of my trust. I love You Lord! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus
If you have never acknowledged that you are lost in your sins, now is the time. Today is the day. Tell the Lord that you admit you are a sinner and by the power only He can provide, you are willing to turn from them to Him. Accept His offer of payment for your sins and receive Him as your Savior today. He loves you so… If you prayed this prayer, or would like to talk to someone, please click here for more info or call 1-888-Need-Him.
Devotions for Difficult Days 