Storms of Destruction May Lead to Brokenness

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

and he brought them out of their distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper;

the waves of the sea were hushed.

They were glad when it grew calm,

and he guided them to their desired haven.”

Psalm 107:28-30 NIV

Today I am remembering a storm that blew through the beautiful garden of my heart not so long ago. The sky was so blue and then out of nowhere the storm clouds began to gather. It was storm of massive destruction. The storm caught me off guard and pounded me with raining tears that could not be comforted. As the winds of this storm blew through my garden it uprooted trees that had been in place all my life. It turned over pots that contained memories that were precious. This storm of devastation left not only broken tree limbs but a broken heart.

I am happy to report that the storm has passed. I no longer have tears. God has healed my broken heart. It has not ended as I had hoped but I have forgiven. I so wish I could say that it has also been forgotten, but only God can take the sin in our life and cast it as far as the east is from the west, to be remembered no more. My memory still carries the scar from the experience but God has applied the balm of healing to my near fatal wound.

For me life was good. I had a beautiful home, a wonderful husband, good children, an amazing church, and did not want for anything that I truly needed. The garden of my heart bloomed with love, joy, and peace. Then boom! Out of nowhere Satan ravaged my garden and left emotional havoc on every pathway and in every nook and cranny! The sun went dark in my garden as I groped to find even one rose of love, or a daisy of joy, there was not a single peace lily to be found. Satan, in one fell swoop managed to orchestrate a storm in my life that smashed nearly every pot of beautiful flowers in my garden. This brokenness was more than I thought I could bear.

In the past, when I would sit with the Master Gardner, he would warn me to cut back bushes of pride. He had suggested that I trim away dead branches of selfishness that were found on the trees in my heart’s garden. He told me to thin out the tall perennials that waved suggestive messages of invasive control. My past had taught me to be judgmental and those thoughts had taken a tight hold in my life and had become root bound. I was warned that roots in that condition hinder further growth. The Gardner had shown me vines that needed trimming because they were not bearing fruit. Oh yes, I had been warned, there was still so much work that needed to be a done in the garden of my heart. Regretfully, I did not heed the warning.

Then one beautiful day the destructive storm pounded down on my emotions. My heart was broken as a result of this storm and a darkness I had never know before descended upon my garden. The good news was that the garden of my heart was not beyond repair. I looked up and allowed the light of Jesus to shine into my heart’s garden. You see, with Jesus in our life, life is never hopeless. When we look to him he begins the restoration needed to restore all that needs to be restored. He pulls up and casts out all that is useless and ugly and in its place he plants hope and peace.

There were many lessons I learned from that storm. I am certain that God used my lack of obedience to his suggestions as a spring board that began the process of breaking the things in my life that needed to be broken. I know that God is all powerful and is always capable of preventing these devastating storms of life. But sometimes God allows, and quite possibly arranges the details of our life as a means whereby we may be broken. I was beginning to understand that God is able to use the tools of loss and personal failure to bring about positive change in my life. I am amazed that God loves me enough to attempt to stamp out sinful behavior in my life. My self confidence always seems to push God away; however, personal need always draws me to him. I have learned that God created me and he knows my potential. He knows the plans that he has for me, plans that will give me a hope and a future. I am thankful that God loves me enough to continue to prune me even if it results in painful trials and destructive storms in my life.

When I choose to resist God he usually applies more pressure. My willingness to surrender to God lessens the pressure. I remember one particular struggle that seemed to hang around forever. After a very long time I ultimately surrendered my circumstance to God. I chose his will over my will. Past experience tells me that I usually do eventually surrender my will to God’s will. Lately, when I have been faced with a new storm in life I have been consciously praying, “God, I think I will go straight to surrender because I know that is where I will end up anyway.” The older I get the less I want to struggle with God. I am learning that there is no contest in wrestling with someone who always wins. I am finding that I’m getting too tired to fight. I am realizing that I crave the peace of God more and more. I am beginning to love God more than I love having my own way. Struggling with God always robs me of peace and joy.

As I look back on my life there is a strong personal timeline that tells me that God is not my enemy. This timeline marks for me God’s faithfulness in the past and his faithfulness today. Why then, would I struggle with trusting  him with the future? Even in my darkest of days God has positioned people, circumstances, opportunity, sermons of encouragement, and songs of praise to lift me up and set me free from the darkness of every storm. I know that God breaks me not to teach me a lesson but rather to give me a purpose. At the end of the storm I always find a rainbow reminding me of his faithful promises of love and that love strengthens my walk of faith and gives me eternal hope.

It almost goes without saying that many of the storms of life come because we live in a fallen world.  We often find our self in the midst of a storm as the direct result of another person's sinful behavior. Tragedy also comes from natural disasters. Those storms have nothing to do with our disobedience. Death is also an unexpected storm, yet without a doubt, although death is natural it still leaves us standing in the middle of a storm of change and grief. Today I am making a personal note that the next time brokenness comes into my life, I hope it will be from something that is beyond my control.  I don’t want to experience the natural consequence of brokenness because of my repeated failure to listen and obey God or my anger or unforgiveness, nor do I want it to be because of my pride or my need for control. I don’t want it to be because I forge ahead of God because I am too impatient or afraid to trust the one who holds my future.

Questions:

1. Has God ever changed you for his glory through the brokenness in your life?

2. Are you currently experiencing a storm of destruction in your life?

3. Is God asking you to surrender your emotions or your need for control into his capable hands?

4. Has God been faithful to you in the past?

5. Do you believe that God is all that you need and will be more than enough in the future?

Prayer:

Dear God,

Help me not to despise when brokenness comes into my life. Rather, help me to surrender my life into your gentle hands for redirection, comfort, and peace. I ask that you still every storm in my life. I know that you hear the one who cries out in their trouble. Father you are the one who guides me out of my distress. Father I believe with all my heart that you are able to still the storm to a whisper and hush the waves of this sea. I will pray and I will expect your calm to come to my life until this storm passes over. God, help me to be sensitive to your voice. I want to learn to obey you sooner opposed to later. Help me God to receive with joy the purpose that you have for me as a result of every storm. God, I want to thank you for all of the wonderful times in my life that you have positioned people in my life to help me, teach me, and to guide me in your ways. God, I even want to thank you for the times of brokenness in my life. Why do you love me so much that you would even bother? God, I know there have been relationships in my life that were in need of repair, but out of that brokenness you repaired me! Lord I have grieved, but as you promised, you comforted me with the oil of gladness for those who mourn. God, you know there have been many times in my life when I wondered how I would make it, but you God have always sent the needed bread. Thank you! Why me Lord? Why are you so good to me? You are all that I need and more than enough.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Why Do We Suffer?

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our troubles,

so that we can comfort those in any trouble

with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

Most of us understand that if we do a certain thing or behave in a certain way there will be natural consequences. Still, it is especially hard to understand why bad things happen to good people. The ugly truth is that sometimes individuals are in the right place, but unfortunately, at the wrong time. Other times the sin of another person affects us as well. Crimes occur just because evil has entered the hearts of humanity, and natural disasters come unexpectedly and are out of our control.

Understanding suffering requires us to take a walk back to the closed and guarded gate of the Garden of Eden. You do remember that it was because of Adam and Eve’s sin that we have temporarily lost the privilege of living in that perfect garden. Because through one man, Adam, sin entered the world and now we cannot enjoy what God originally created for our well being, safety, provision, and enjoyment. However, it is through another man, Jesus Christ, that we who love and accept him will gain permission to enter back into the perfect sinless garden of heaven when we exit this earth.

Therefore, because of sin, suffering is a part of this life. All of us need God to help us through difficult times. After Jesus conquered death and went back to heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to live inside of every believer. Before Jesus returned to heaven, he told his followers that in this world they would have trouble. Jesus promised that he would neither abandon nor leave us without instruction, comfort, power and peace. He told his followers that he must return to heaven so that his Spirit could come and live within the heart of every believer.

As a man, Jesus could not be everywhere at the same time. But, he promised his followers that after he returned to the Father, he would send the Holy Spirit to earth to be with all believers every moment of every day. The Holy Spirit would be available and on the job without a single interruption of time or space. The very Spirit of God would come and permeate, fill, and abide at the very center of our spiritual being. Our body would be his temple. The Holy Spirit would be our very present help in trouble.

Jesus kept that promise and we who love him are able to participate in a sweet fellowship that is known only to those who belong to him. This personal fellowship is hidden from the eyes of all those who do not seek to know their Creator and refuse to reach out in simple faith and ask Jesus Christ to come into their life. God has extended an open invitation to all mankind to participate in this “special” fellowship but at the same time this fellowship excludes all who refuse to believe.

We also know that God is able to make good things happen even in the midst of a bad circumstance. Even though suffering is a part of this life, it is wonderful to know that our suffering will never be void of value. Those who experience suffering often become more compassionate. Because of their experience, they are now equipped to understand, help, and comfort others who may be experiencing the same type of suffering they have experienced. "…the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

Through trials, we come to the realization that we cannot endure the hard edge of life in our own strength. We become acutely aware that we need God’s strength and comfort to get us through hard times. It is through suffering that we learn to trust God.

God also uses our suffering to build our character. God uses the trials in this life to shape us into His image. If we trust God, most of us exit our adversity as a changed person. Our faith becomes stronger, we learn to be more compassionate, more tolerant, more merciful, more patient, and we become a more trusting child of God. We also become a recipient of God’s faithfulness and love. It is for those changes and gifts we can always be thankful.

When we suffer, it provides an opportunity for God to show up in our lives. God’s faithfulness is amazing! When we share with others how God provided, comforted and sustained us, we become an incredible witness to the power and faithfulness of God. This type of witness always brings God glory. God also receives glory when we remain faithful during our trials. Yes, bad things happen to good people, but it is so wonderful to know that Jesus has prayed for you and for me “…Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you… that your faith may not fail.” Luke 22:32a NIV

God uses our unfailing faith during trials to bring him glory. God does not seek glory in the same way we humans do. God is not a prideful glory seeker. No, God seeks glory so that the lost world will recognize him. God does this because he is so in love with his lost creation. God wants to get us all back home safe and secure. For that reason, God uses our suffering for his glory. It is an opportunity for others to see that glory and desire to find and follow Jesus.

Even though it seems that some people never suffer I am sure they do. No one has the perfect life. God is always looking for opportunities to work in every person’s life and bring about positive change. God wants to bring about change in our life that will make us look more like him. God created us in his image and he does not want that image to be blemished in any way. We blemish God’s good name when we blame him for our trouble. When we refuse to trust God in our suffering, and when we live our life defeated by the troubles we encounter God is not glorified.

People who do not know the Lord may seem successful and happy but they are still searching for meaning in life. Men and women masquerade behind a false set of world values. Some shout, “Look at me, I’m successful, I have it all together, life is one big party!” Yet, behind closed doors, their life may be quite different. God uses even the trials of discontentment and loneliness, disappointment and rejection as a means of offering opportunity for people to come back into a loving relationship with him. Running back to the Father is the only way that anyone can enter the perfection of heaven and enjoy the Heavenly Father forever.

There are many reasons why we suffer. The unchangeable truth is that God cares about all that concerns us. Only a god void of love would allow us to breeze through life without pain and suffering. Our God wants us to know we are in need of him and he wants to rescue us for all eternity. Heaven holds many rewards for those who remain faithful during their times of suffering. God is faithful to us and we must in return be faithful to him!

Questions:

1. Are you baffled when good people suffer and those who do not honor God seem to be living life free of adversity?

2. Are you having difficulty understanding your current trial?

3. As you suffer will you dare pray, “God, make me better, not bitter?”

4. Can you name one good thing that has come out of your suffering?

5. Do you know someone who is suffering something that you have experience in the past?

6. Would you be willing to send a note, speak words of comfort to that individual, or maybe just listen as they share their pain?

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

There have been days that I could not eat or sleep and days that I could not get out of bed. Some days I did not even want to go on living. Somehow, you rescued me! I know you have suffered more than I have or ever will. Help me to get my eyes off myself and give me the strength and desire to comfort someone else who is in need. I thank you that your Word says that I need not go through this devastating trial alone. Help me to seek your comfort, wisdom and strength during this difficult time. Lord, I pray that my attitude will indeed bring glory to your name as I walk this road of suffering. Jesus, it is my desire to remain faithful to you. I pray that through this suffering I will become a better person. Please protect me and guard my mind so that I will not become a bitter person. Jesus, I choose to believe you are going to use my hard times for my personal good and your glory. Thank you for being a God of comfort and a God who sustains me each difficult day. Jesus, I am moved to tears to know that you are praying for me that my faith will not fail. This knowledge is one more reason I am falling deeper and deeper in love with you! Thank you that all that concerns me also concerns you.

In Your name I pray. Amen.

Trials Are Three Dimensional

“Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

Psalm 30:1b NIV

Today I am realizing that often I see my trial in only one dimension. I see it from a self-centered vantage point. What is this doing to me? What is this costing me? Why is this happening to me? Why did this have to happen? What is God trying to teach me? When will I stop suffering? Sometimes I am so busy suffering that I fail to realize that others who are close to me are suffering too.

God I know that you also have a part in my suffering. God you are loving and compassionate. When your children hurt you also hurt. You are sad because we are so sad. Today I am remembering that some of Jesus’ dearest friends were Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus. Jesus had been in their home many times. They had talked, eaten together, and Mary had worshiped Jesus by anointing his feet with a costly perfume.

Then one day Lazarus became ill. Jesus was not in Bethany, so Mary and Martha sent word for Jesus to come and heal Lazarus. The message was, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” Lazarus’ sisters had complete faith that Jesus was able to heal their brother, who they deeply loved. But to the disciples surprise and Mary and Martha’s shock, after Jesus received the news about Lazarus being sick he deliberately delayed his journey to Bethany two more days!

The truth was that Jesus could have healed Lazarus from afar just as he did the centurion’s servant. Luke 7:1-10 But instead Jesus chose to delay going to Lazarus. It was a delay of love. Jesus knew that healing Lazarus would be wonderful but he also knew that raising him from the dead would be glorious! And so Jesus waited. Mary and Martha waited. Lazarus waited and then he died waiting!

In John 11:11 Jesus is speaking to his disciples regarding Lazarus. Jesus referred to Lazarus their friend. Jesus said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.” Jesus was speaking of death, not sleep. When Jesus arrived Mary and Martha greeted him and reported that he was too late. Lazarus had died. Then the sisters begin to convey to Jesus in no uncertain terms their disappointment. Mary and Martha perceived that Jesus had failed them. The sisters were grieved to the point of tears that Jesus hadn’t bothered to show up in a timely manner and because of that fact, Lazarus had died. John records that Jesus then went to Lazarus and was deeply moved in spirit and troubled and in verse 35 John records that, “Jesus wept.” Plain and simple Jesus cried, not because Lazarus had died. Jesus wept because his friends Mary and Martha were hurting and grieving. Jesus wept because he had compassion. But then Jesus wiped away his personal tears because it was now time for him to shine. He was about to do what he came to do. It was show time! It was glorification of the Father time! Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” and he did.

Our trials are three dimensional. Of course, our trial involves us. Secondly, our trial involves others who care about us. Thirdly, our trail always involves our loving Heavenly Father. I think it is important for us to learn that we are not alone in our trials and suffering. We may feel that God is far away but in reality he is as close as the air we breathe and he weeps when we weep. His sweet Spirit resides inside of those who belong to him and he stands ready and able to help us in our time of need.

I must also remember that my trials work for my good. My trials are a beautiful sign of God’s love because he can use my sorrow and brokenness to create something beautiful in my life. It is through brokenness that God develop godly character within me. My trials offer a unique opportunity for God to orchestrate amazing things in my life. My personal desire is always for a favorable outcome to my problems, but a happy ending is not the issue; the issue is my surrender to God’s Sovereignty, his purposes, and his glorification.

God also uses my trials to accomplish his purposes. I have noticed that at the end of any trial God’s glory is the cherry on my sundae, it is the icing on my cake, it is the exact moment when I can finally surrender my will to God’s will the burden is lifted and I can now celebrate. I do not celebrate the sorrow but I do celebrate the fact that I have placed my sorrow in God’s capable hands. It is a holy moment when God shows up in all of his power and glory and my life is changed. My circumstances may remain but my wrong assumptions and bad attitudes are smashed, my anger melts, my fear is gone, and my chains of self pity and personal disappointment fall off.

After great loss, grieving is necessary for God to bring healing into our lives. During grief God is always near even when we cannot feel him. Slowly, we begin to feel God’s comfort as we move away from the tragedy. I don’t believe that God expects us to be able to be thankful for the tragedy that has left a hole in our heart, but I do believe that he wants us to eventually position ourselves so that we can give thanks for what we are becoming as a result of our personal loss. God always wants to fill the gaping holes in our life with himself and the end result is always his glorification and our healing.

When we are finally able to openly express genuine gratitude for God’s faithfulness to us during our trial God is glorified! It seems that God mysteriously allows others to recognize any positive attitudes in our life that speak of God’s love, goodness, and faithfulness. Often others make silent observations that are hidden from our eyes and ears. We may never be aware that another person has taken note of the way we are responding to God. Unbeknown to us, when our words bless God then he is glorified and his purposes are accomplished in the hearts of others.

Oh that I could embrace this truth at the onset of every trial. How wonderful it would be if I could understand this so well that I did not become angry, argue, and try to bargain with my Heavenly Father. How I wish that I would never spend a single day in the cellar of self-pity and depression. Oh that I would not panic but rather get totally alone with Jesus and stay there until I hear his voice. Lastly, to be able to quote in perfect surrender, the words of Jesus, “Father, not my will but your will be done.” But for me it is usually a process as I work through my brokenness and loss.

Today I can’t help but realize that God has a very huge part in all of my trials. I know that my trials affect me in a very up close and personal way. They cause me sadness, they leave me lonely, they create fear within me, and they often cause me both physical and emotional pain and suffering. But God’s Word says, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV

So when does the suffering end? When is the heartache over? When does God show up on my behalf? God does not show up, he is already there. We are the ones who must show up. We must join him in our suffering. We must allow him to minister to us and begin the healing process. God’s glory shines when all of his purposes are fulfilled. Sometimes I find that I must wait for God’s purpose to be fulfilled in the life of the one I love. In marriage, two have become one, so sometimes I must wait on my mate and he must wait on me. I suffer when my children experience trials, but I must wait for their obedience to God.

Others are always watching and they gain strength when they see we are trusting in the sovereignty of God. When all of God’s purposes are in place and all things are ready, then God shows up at another location and puts on a spectacular display of his heavenly glory. We may perceive that God is late in coming to our aid but God is never even one second late in delivering his glory! Our joy is especially sweet when we come to the end of a very long and dark tunnel. When we experience an answer to a long awaited answerer to prayer the answer is indescribably joyous! “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. “Psalm 30:1b NIV

I must remember that God’s glory is not contingent upon my happiness. Sometimes things do not turn out as I had hoped. Other times I couldn’t be happier! Answers that make me happy are indeed reasons for celebration. But the truth is I must be able to agree with Job and say, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” Job 1:21b NIV

Questions:

1. Does today find you in the middle of a trial?

2. Have you considered that you are not alone in you suffering?

3. Do you become frustrated as you wait for God to deliver you from your trial?

4. Have you considered that perhaps all God’s purposes have not yet been fulfilled?

5. Are you ready to trust God regardless of the outcome?

6. Have you ever witnessed God’s glory at the end of a long trial?

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

Today I am suffering because of ______________. I now know that it is important for me to consider that others may be suffering as well. I see that just as you were with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, you are also with me. It leaves me speechless when I realize that you weep with me. I confess that from my perspective here on earth I sometimes see death as the worst case scenario, when in fact; it is the beginning of an everlasting life of joy for those who belong to you. I thank you Jesus that my trials are not for punishment or to teach me to shape up! You said that trials would be a very real part of this life. Jesus, help me to remember that Satan is always ready to attack me and convince me that you have forsaken me. I pray that I would fix my eyes on you. Help me to know that what is seen is temporary, but what is not seen is eternal. God I confess that I am weak but I know that you Lord are strong. I pray that you would empower me with your words and your grace so that I can say with Job, blessed be the name of the Lord. God it helps me to know that I do not stand alone in my suffering. I thank you for family and friends that stand close by to listen and comfort me. Jesus, I absolutely love that you, are the third dimension in my suffering. Last but never least, Jesus, you are my comfort, my peace, my joy, and my hope. Thank you for weeping with me during these difficult days.

It is in your name I pray. Amen

The Waiting Room

“How gracious he will be when you cry for help!

As soon as he hears, he will answer you.

Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity

and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more;

with your own eyes you will see them.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left,

your ears will hear a voice behind you saying,

“This is the way, walk in it.”

Isaiah 30:19-21 NIV

Have you ever sat in a doctor’s office and waited? Have you ever sat in a hospital emergency room and waited? Have you ever called someone on the phone and they ask you to wait while they finish a previous call? Have you ever had to wait in a customer service line? Have you ever waited for food in a restaurant and thought that it would never arrive? Have you ever had to sit in traffic and wait for the road to open up so that you could continue on to your destination? Waiting is nerve wracking and it tries our impatience to the limit! We tap our foot, we watch the clock, we crane our necks, and then we take aspirin and antacids to ease our physical discomfort that is caused from the stress of waiting. Sometimes we even fall asleep waiting for our need to be met.

My question today is how in the world could God ever consider that waiting is good for us? Doesn’t he know that it makes people crabby, gives us headaches, sets our nerves on edge, tightens our muscles, and makes us feel unimportant? Waiting flips on our anger switch, makes us roll our eyes and gesture, and allows things to come out of our mouth that are less than godly? The fact is we pray and most of the time God says, “Wait.”

To me it seems like a contradiction that God would say that he will be gracious to us when we cry for help and that as soon as he hears, he will answer us. The truth is that God is gracious to us when we call. He hears our prayer immediately and even before we finish praying the answer is released in heaven. The answer may be "yes" right away! Or "no"... not in this lifetime, or it could be "wait" because all things are not ready.

I understand the yes and the no answers but I really don’t get the waiting. What things must be made ready? How can I make sure that I am ready for God’s answer? One way I can get ready is to make sure my will is aligned to God’s will.  I must also have an attitude that is willing to accept God's will for my life even if it is not what I had hoped for.

How I wait for God’s answer is also important. Do I wait peacefully or do I wait impatiently? God's Word says that my heart must trust and not doubt. My obedience is also important. Has God asked something of me that I am ignoring? If God says go, I must go. If God says stay put, I must stay put. If God says give, I must give. If God says pray, I must pray. If God says take a risk and trust me, I must be a risk taker. If God asks me to do something out of my comfort zone, I must obey.

The answer to my prayer may also be waiting for me at the end of my obedience.  I pray and while I am praying God releases his answer to my prayer. If I procrastinate or refuse to be obedient the longer it will take for me to receive God’s answer. Sometimes I wonder how many blessings I have missed simply because I neglected to obey.

It is quite possible that there are answers to my prayers that are setting on God’s heavenly shelves with my name on them. So what is the delay? Maybe it is my lack of obedience or my doubt that is holding things up.

We are to ask and then believe. We are to listen and then obey. Obedience requires listening for the silent gentle whisper of God and then acting upon what we have heard. If I am concerned that my prayer is not being answered in a timely manner, then perhaps I need to spend some time with God allowing him to speak to me through my thoughts, through his Word, or through new desires that he places within my heart.

Often God gives us a desire to minister or to serve. Sometimes there is a place that he is nudging us to go or a nagging thought to contact someone. When God puts people and opportunity in our path but we refuse to connect with that person or investigate the new opportunity we may be missing out. Yes, God is more than able to immediately drop what we pray for in our lap and sometimes he does, but most of the time he wants something in return for our asking. He wants to know that we love him enough to go out on a limb and trust him. Waiting on God provides the perfect opportunity for us to trust God. Go ahead, ask God for what you desire and then ask him what he would have you do next.

It is important to consider the fact that sometimes all things are NOT ready, especially if it involves another person. Each heart involved must be positioned for God’s answer. Often one person is ready but the other person is not ready. Events must take place, people's paths must cross, and opportunities must become available before God can deliver the answer. But make no mistake; all of our prayers are God's work in  progress! Each prayer has been received in heaven and God is processing each and every one of our prayers while we wait. So we wait with a smile on our face. We wait in quiet confidence and trust.

Even though I know that God goes before me sometimes I find myself in the waiting room of adversity and affliction as I wait. But God's Word tells me that I must stay alert because God may send me a teacher that will open my eyes, or God may whisper from his Word assurance and direction, but for sure God’s Word says that in due time, whether I turn to the right or to the left, my ears will hear a voice behind me saying, this is the way walk in it. The only thing that remains is my trust while I wait.

Questions:

1. Are you waiting on God for direction or for an answer to prayer?

2. As far as you know, have you been obedient to all that God has asked of you?

3. Do you regularly ask God for his wisdom and direction in your life?

4. Are you just asking and listening for the voice behind you?

5. If you are still in a waiting pattern with no direction from God do you find that you are waiting in peace or waiting impatiently?

6. Have you considered the possibility that God’s answer is contingent upon the obedience of another person, or perhaps the availability of a location, or for a door of opportunity to open?

Prayer:

Dear God,

I thank you that you are real and personal. I know without doubt that you hear my prayers. I do realize that some prayers cannot be answered quickly because they depend upon another person’s obedience.  I know that you do not force obedience on anyone and so I must wait in quietness and trust. Father, this week I want to consider the very real possibility that I may lack obedience regarding ___________. I have heard your voice from behind me saying this is the way walk in it, but I am fearful and I now see that I lack trust. I confess that I am afraid that you may ask something of me that I do not want to do, or you may have someone for me that I do not want, you may ask me to go somewhere I do not want to go, or you may have an opportunity that I think is too hard. I worry that I will not be up to the task of doing what you ask and so I continue to sit back in my “not so easy” chair and fret over unanswered prayer. God forgive me. Holy Spirit, please come to my aid and give me your confidence, your power, and your strength so that I will be able to step out in unconditional faith and simply trust you. I know that real trust never knows the future, real trust does not have all the pieces to the puzzle, and real trust does not demand all the answers ahead of time. Help me God to reach down deep within my spirit and choose to pick up trust and joyfully be obedient as I wait expectantly  for your perfect answer. I thank you that your perfect answer is on the way.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Tweaking

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?

Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

Indeed, the very hairs on your head are all numbered.

Don’t be afraid;

you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Luke 12:6-7 NIV

Fact one: I am worth more than many sparrows!

Fact two: Even though God is taking care of me, (which is a full time job) he still remembers and finds time for the common sparrows. His Word says that not one of them is ever forgotten.

Fact three: Amazingly, all the hairs on my head are numbered! Even when a few hairs fall out, God changes his calculation! Now that is a pretty insignificant detail. Really, who cares? Guess what, God does!

All I have to do is walk among the flowers in my garden and see that our God is a God of details. Don’t tell me that God doesn’t notice the microscopic details of His creation. He has taken great care in his creativity to make sure that no two snowflakes are alike. Every sunrise and every sunset are distinctively different. No two waves on the ocean are the same, no two people alike; every floral creation is amazingly unique to its stem. I am learning that God moves the insignificant details of my life right up to the top of his significant list. No matter how insignificant the details of my life are they still matter to God. Because of this enormous truth I can trust God with of all of the seemingly insignificant trivia that is a part of my daily routine and the really big stuff as well.

I confess that I am a ‘tweaker”. As I go about my day I close open drawers and doors. I straighten crooked pictures; I twist back into position chairs that are not straight. I balance lampshades that are tilted, and I level crooked blinds. I can tell you in a second if someone has picked up something on a table and set it down at an angle that is not to my specifications. My eyes beg for order. When I am having company for dinner I can tweak until the door bell rings as I adjust the lighting, straighten the silverware, align the glass with the plate, and pinch off any stray leaves that fall the wrong way in my floral arrangement. Some people call this obsessive compulsive, I call it tweaking! In my opinion this is a good thing, still other may not agree! My grandson also inherited this gene. If he gets out of the car that my daughter has parked crooked, he is tearfully upset because it is “too crook-ed-er”! What can I say, we are sick people.

But then today I realized that our God is also a “Tweaker”. Yes, he loves us unconditionally and takes us as we are, yet all of our days he will spend trying to shape us into his image. He does this by paying attention to the details of our life. God looks to see where are life is a little off center, a little crooked, and then he lovingly tweaks us back in place. Life is full of stressful bumps and problems that have the potential to knock us off-line. God stands ready to help us soar above the daily intermittent storms and experience his peace. God is also there to help us stay focused and to correct us when we become “too crook-ed-er”.

Some days I am a walking, talking poster child for stress. I long for order, simplicity, relaxation, rest, peace and perfection. On those days my life seems to be in need of major tweaking. Today, God has reminded me that even in the most gorgeous garden there is a need for constant care and tweaking. I am aware that a gorgeous garden can become a shameful disgrace when there are weeds that need pulling and flowers that need to be deadheaded. There are always bushes that need to be pruned, vines to be trimmed, dead tree limbs to be cut and discarded, fallen sticks to be picked up, grass that needs to be mowed, and lawns that needs to be edged and manicured.

Today it is occurring to me that my life is very much like a garden that needs constant attention. I am in desperate need of the Master Gardner to tweak the insignificant of my life so that my life will not become out of control but rather become more beautiful for his glory. “And we …are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV When I give God the insignificant and the significant issues in my life I am allowing him to change me from some glory into more glory. This glorification process will not be complete until I arrive in heaven. It is this sanctification process that is preparing me for heaven. “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 NIV I want to allow God to carry the good work  he began in me on to completion. I believe that one way this can be done is by giving God all of my concerns, both large and small, and allowing him to tweak my life as he sees best. I have found that my prayer life is so important because it is during prayer that God changes me. He gives me understanding and wisdom that changes my attitudes, takes away my fears, extinguishes my anger, and calms my emotions. During prayer I learn lessons of compassion, mercy, love and forgiveness. Prayer time is essential for tweaking!

Questions:

1. Do you believe that God cares about the insignificant details of your life?

2. Do you trust God with the insignificant details of your life?

3. Do you recognize that your life may be in need of tweaking?

4. What are the benefits of God tweaking your life?

5. Are you ready to spend some time in prayer and give God an opportunity to do some necessary tweaking as he adjusts your attitudes, changes your heart, gives you compassion and grace, and heals your raw emotions?

Prayer:

Dear God,

This day I want to embrace the fact that you love me with an everlasting love. Your compassion and mercy are new and fresh every morning. God, I want to hold close the knowledge that you care for every insignificant and significant detail of my life. Today God, I come to you for tweaking. God I give you my fear of _________, my control of __________, my unbelief regarding _________, and my desire for ______________. I hand you my need for __________, and I ask for your peace regarding _____________. God I thank you for caring about my life and all the details of my day. Create in me a pure heart and a right spirit. Tweak the selfish attitudes that are clinging to the walls of my heart. Take away any damaging fear or anger that lives in me. Restore a right spirit within me by adjusting my damaging attitudes, change my thinking to your thoughts, restore your compassion and grace within me. and heal my raw emotions. Fill me with your love as you tweak all that is unpleasing to you. Please change me from some glory, to more of your glory, for your glory!

In your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

God Loves the Impossible

“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind.

Is anything too hard for me?”

Jeremiah 32:26 NIV

It is a beautiful summer morning in North Carolina. I’m pretty sure that today it will be a hot one! But today, in the garden of my heart, the season is spring! In my mind I anticipate a comfortable spring day as I head for the garden in search of new green plant shoots pushing their way through the winter soil. As I walk I just can’t help singing! “Oh what a beautiful morning, Oh what a beautiful day, oh what a beautiful morning, everything’s going my way!” In the distance I spy some beautiful yellow tulips raising their heads to the sky as they welcome the morning sunlight.  It  occurs to me that this is a wonderful way to anticipate answers to my prayers. God, it is a beautiful morning, I lift my head in praise because I believe with all my heart that everything that I pray for is going to come my way!

If I really believe this then why do I allow Satan's lies to influence my thinking and make me falsely believe that some of my prayers are impossible and will never be answered? God’s Word teaches exactly the opposite. “…How gracious he will be when you cry for help. As soon as he hears, he will answer you.” Isaiah 30:19  It is possible I might feel uncertain because I fear the results. I want the outcome of my prayers to be according to my will not God’s will and I fear he will not agree with me. On the other hand, I often view God's delays as a "no" instead of a delay of love. I must be willing to wait for God's perfect timing. Most of the time I want the answer and I want it now! I must confess there have also been times when I wondered if God even heard my prayer.

I also think that many times I don't believe that my God is big enough to get the job done. All of these scenarios really do seem like big problems but actually, they should be of no concern to me at all! To live more positively regarding answers to prayer I must investigate what God says about prayer. I must simply believe that God loves “the impossible” and that he is up to the task of answering all of my prayers in one way or another. I must believe that all of his answers will work for my eternal good.

I have pondered why I would want something I think is good if God has something better? God’s word says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

I have also contemplated this question. Why  would I want an answer immediately when God knows that “now” is not in my best interest? “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 NIV God determines our steps because he alone knows the future. God’s delays are often delays of love designed for my protection, my spiritual refinement, and his glory.

God’s Word is very clear on two points. One is that God does hear our prayers. Point two is that the answer is released in heaven even before we finish praying. “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” Isaiah 65:24 and “Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder.” Genesis 24:15a NIV (Emphasis mine.) Additional reading Genesis 24:1-27.

Another point of consideration is why would I even bother to ask God if I don’t believe he is great enough to get the job accomplished? “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” James 1:6-8 NIV (Emphasis mine.)

You see, the message here is that God hears me and releases the answer for every prayer I pray while I am still praying. However, God says nothing of when he will deliver the answer. It is good to know that the moment we pray and even before we finish praying the answer is released in heaven, but not necessarily delivered. We can take comfort in knowing that our request does not lie around in God’s “in box” forgotten because other requests keep piling up on top of our request. No, before we even stop praying God takes our request and stamps on it “done deal!” and places our request in his “out box”. It is also good to remember that God doesn’t even own a box marked “impossible”. “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 NIV (Emphasis mine.)

Satan also likes to try to convince me that it is my fault  my prayers are not answered. He suggests that my personal prayer performance is lacking because I do not pray hard enough or as frequently as I should about the situation. He also suggests that maybe I need to drum up a lot more faith! As a result, I chide myself because my imperfect prayer life is so lacking. I scold myself because my faith must not be strong enough to get God to answer my prayer or I would already have the answer. If that truly is the case, I wonder how big of a truck I need to haul my faith up to God’s throne room. Do I need a five ton dump truck or do I need a semi? What if I’m just one faith point shy of an answer?

But thankfully God’s Word simply says surrender your concerns and your prayers into my capable hands. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 NIV Casting our cares and our prayers straight into the lap of God is  the only work we need to do. “… I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed…Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20a - 21b NIV (Emphasis mine.)

The small seed of faith simply believes that God is able to answer our prayer. We must also believe that the answer will be God’s best possible answer for our life or the life of the one we are praying for. The answer may be completely different than what we had hoped for because God sees the whole picture. But we can be at peace as a result of trusting that God will answer our prayer according to his perfect will. God promises us that he will work for our eternal good and for the eternal good of all concerned. Jesus’ prayer in the garden was not answered according to what he desired here on this earth, but rather the answer came as the perfect answer for the good of humanity. Most importantly, God answers prayer in a way that is designed to bring him glory. It is hard for me to remember that answers to prayer are always more about God and his glory then it is about me. I seem to get that truth backwards most of the time.

Sometimes God answers our prayer in a way that pleases us to pieces! Just picture God walking toward you with a great big grin on his face because once again he has done the impossible! God is getting ready to bless you and his  glory is shinning all around his answer. The answer is such a “God thing” that you can not doubt that the “impossible answer” came straight from God’s hand and not yours. Never in your wildest dreams would you have thought of this answer! Now you are smiling, laughing, you are beside yourself with joy because this answer is amazing! The Bible is full of God doing the impossible! When God shows up with the answer he will come because the time is perfect. He will come when all things are in place and ready and not a moment before. His answer will be wrapped in love and blessing.

Praying for those we love to come to know Christ can be discouraging. It is important for us to remember God does not force himself on people, the choice is totally theirs. All we really can do is pray that God will call that individual. We can also pray that he would put people in their path to show them the way to Jesus. We can pray that God will speak to them through someone or something that they love. I have seen this happen over and over again. God is faithful to work in the life of unbelievers because believers pray. The Holy Spirit convicts them and shows them their need because people are praying. Remember, even though you may see no evidence that God is at work in that person’s life, he is! God goes to work on your prayer even before you stop praying. Sad to say, we may never witness the complete answer to many of our prayers during our lifetime. I am so thankful that God's delivery of the answer to my prayer is not contingent upon me breathing. Many answers to prayers are accomplished after the one who has prayed has gone on to heaven ahead of the answer. We can always be sure God was on the job doing his part yesterday, he is on the job today, and he will be on the job tomorrow. We pray and God is faithful to draw, yet accepting Christ is always up to the individual.

And so we pray. We present our request to God. We ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse and purify our prayer according to God’s perfect will. We immediately visualize that before we even stop praying God has begun to answer that prayer. We wait day after day. During this time of waiting our prayer begins to change. We no longer focus on the asking. Now in faith believing we began to focus every day on thanking God for the answer that has already been released in heaven and  is on the way. We thank him because he has heard our prayer. We thank him because he is working in our behalf and on behalf of all those we love. We claim God’s answers not for the result we desire, the delivery date or the place of the answer, but rather we live in trusting knowledge that our prayer will be answered when all things are ready. We surrender and commit the final answer to God’s will and we wait in wild anticipation for the perfect surprise that he will choose to answer our prayer! We simply relinquish our control of the outcome into his hands.

I tell you that there has been no greater boost to my personal prayer life than praying this way. Praying with patient expectation always cements my trust. Praying in quietness and trust takes the burden off me and places it with God, where it belongs. In the past I have become exhausted trying to drum up faith and begging God for answers. Then one gloomy day God said to me, “Paula I have a better way. I simply want you to ask and then believe that I am more than able to accomplish what you have committed into my hands. You see, Paula that is trust!”

Believe it or not, when dealing with the impossible, God does not need any of our good ideas as to how to accomplish the answers to our prayers. However, he does need our prayers. God needs our prayers because prayer changes us and because God releases his power when believers pray. Remember, nothing is impossible for God! His mighty answers to our prayers are on the way. Lean into his everlasting arms and be amazed!

Questions:

1. What are the top three things you pray about the most?

2. What prayer do you consider to be your most impossible prayer?

3. Have you ever considered thanking God for his answer that has already been released in heaven and is on the way?

4. Do you believe that prayer changes things?

5. How does prayer change you?

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I know that you are totally capable of answering all my prayers. Forgive me when I doubt your power and label my prayers as impossible. Forgive me when I try so hard to control the way you answer my prayers. Forgive me when I grow weary in praying the same prayers over and over again. Forgive me when I demand immediate answers to my prayers. Search my heart God and show me how I can surrender my prayers into your competent hands. Help me to begin to pray prayers of thanksgiving for the work you are doing on my behalf and in the lives of all the others that I am praying for. God, I pray that you would replace my doubts with trust. Give me your peace in my prayer life. I thank you God that you are not a deaf, uncaring, unloving god, but rather you are a God who loves me and dares to answer the impossible. Help me to remember that the way you answer prayer is more about you and less about me. Father,  I know you are more than able to answer all of my requests according to your perfect will, even when I don’t understand your timing or your purpose I will choose to trust you.

It is in your Son’s name I pray, as I wait in great anticipation for your perfect answers. Amen.