Do you ever feel like an emotional "Roller Coaster"? One day this way, one day that way? Have you ever thought how could God love me now after I did this, or felt this way, or__________? Or maybe the thought of I thought I already fought this battle and learned this lesson in life, why am I constantly fighting this same battle? Well, I have! You know we are part of a church that's motto is "Real Life, Real Community, ...Casual Atmosphere, Serious Faith", we are challenged with being Real, Genuine, Authentic with each other and know that No perfect people are allowed! Now I am truly thankful for that. So I guess what I am saying I am letting the "real me stand up"!
This life lesson God is trying to get through to me is seemingly so simple, yet for me it seems to be so hard and there are days I get it and days I don't. I think for many years I had the head knowledge of the truth, but God is wanting me to really "experientally know" the truth. That truth is : God is my source of strength, period! He alone can satisfy, not God plus my husband, or God plus my "happy children", or God plus my clean house, or God plus a growing thriving business, or God plus everyone happy with me or God plus having plenty of money in the bank or... and the list could go on.
This week as I have gone through my "roller coaster" ride, God is so faithful. He revealed himself through several ways but the main one is through his word. The first scripture that He showed me is Ps. 94:18-19 "When I said, "My foot is slipping, Your love, O Lord supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul." As I went through my day I kept this scripture handy and I began to play uplifting praise music, God truly supported me and brought consolation to my soul.
God also revealed himself to me as he so often does through my sweet loving husband who loves me at my worst. He gave me words of encourgement, put no expectations on me to be "perfect", he wrapped his arms around me and prayed for me and put me in God's hands knowing that he can not fix me. I thank God for the unconditional love my husband has for me as our marriage is really supposed to be an example of Christ and His bride (the church). My husband would never feel like he is a true picture of Christ and the perfect love He is, but that is the picture that Christ paints of us. Eph. 5:23 -25 says, "For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24) But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. 25)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; "(if you look this scipture up in your bible read all the way to end of chapter, it is really good).
The third way God revealed Himself to me was through a devotional thought a friend forwarded to me, that her boss sent to her. Wow, now that is a chain to go through to get His message to me, not counting the chain that it took to get to her boss. I am not sure who to actually give credit to for these words, but some of the encouraging thoughts through the devotional were. "Do Not Let any set of circumstances intimidate you. The more challenging your day, the more of My Power I place at your disposal." That really hit home to me as one of the scriptures I look at almost daily says, "And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me." 2Cor. 12:9
And finally, as I am reading in my devotional time today, God spoke to me through Psalm 91:1-2 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!" The words, "My God in whom I trust!" , basicically once again sum up this lesson of life God is trying to teach me, when it is all said and done, and as I go through out life it all begins and ends upon God. He is my source, my provision, for everything I need, emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally, He is it, no questions asked, it is Him alone! Don't know how many other ways I can say it, I just pray that I learn this lesson and let it totally consume me to where I live it not just have the "head knowledge know it"!
Pray that those who read this may experi
entally come to know this truth as well! For Thou hast been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; Is. 25:4
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