When you choose a picture to represent yourself to the world (like in Facebook) what do you pick? My guess is that it would be one of the following:
- your best, current shot
- something funny
- something memorable
If you look on my
Facebook or even the few pics on this website, you're going to find what I have just described. You will never see the photo shoots of moments where I was bottomed out or in despair. And yes, I have been there... I guess it's mainly because the thought never occurred to me that it might have been a moment to capture. As I wept in front of my brother & his wife's caskets, I didn't think to 'take a picture'. In the horror of my dad's death, the thought of getting the camera never entered my mind. When good friends rejected me, I didn't ask them to stop & pose... Those were moments I didn't want to frame and wished never happened. Scenes I'd rather forget.
Life is not like the picture. A picture remembers what we have chosen to.
That's why I love reading what David has to say in the Psalms. I can totally relate!! He wrote about the stuff in between the photo-shoots!
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
For many years I have asked God to heal me. Now you may be surprised at that, but when I was a young teenager we discovered that I had a twisted spine. The label the medical community puts on it is scoliosis... For the most part it never really hindered me from doing what I wanted. But, as time marches on, I have had to battle the effects of imbalanced muscles caused from the curve. I have been through seasons of migraines, muscle spasms and chronic pain and each time God has healed me ... but not when I wanted Him to.
I have examined this from many angles, but today I was listening to someone that I admire greatly and who has much to say about this subject of healing. Her name is Joni Eareckson Tada and she is a quadriplegic (she has a new audio-book that is being released and you can download the 1st hour of it free at
https://christianaudio.com). Joni said something that surprised me, but that I can totally relate to. She quoted Psalm 37:4 and said that as much as she desires to be free from the wheelchair and the present pain, she has a greater desire to know God & to grow in Him. Joni is allowing God to work good in her despite (or is it, 'to spite') what the enemy has thrown her way.
My heart totally concurs. I started to recall all of the times that I went up for prayer, with absolute faith to be healed
(and each time in response to God's prompting for me to do so, I might add). I have continually come away from each of those experiences with God answering a deeper need, a greater need every time. My back is still curved. He eventually healed me from the migraines & spasms. But again, my back is still curved.
My greatest quest in life is not to have a straight back, although I won't argue if it comes. My greatest quest is to know God's peace, to really trust Him, to have His mind, to be so intertwined with His presence that I am truly one with Him. My 2nd greatest desire would be to reflect & wear Him well to my family... and to you.
I'll stop here. If you are in a hard place, trust God to deliver you. If He does not alleviate your physical circumstances, trust Him. Do not let the enemy gain control of your mind & your spirit.
- Take charge (guard) of your heart PROVERBS 4:23.
- Submit to God and rebuke the enemy JAMES 4:7.
- Delight yourself in the Lord. Worship Him. Trust Him. He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. He loves you. LAMENTATIONS 3:22-24
- Allow Him to work His purposes out in your life. PSALM 57:2
I am praying for you.
And I bowed down my head and worshiped the Lord and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, Who had led me in the right way... Genesis 24:48
I've just finished reading the story of Abraham's servant going to find a wife for Isaac (I'm glad times have changed!), and was so impressed by this man's reliance on God. He asked God for direction, was thoughtful in discerning it, and gave immediate credit and worship to Him when the answer came. No wonder Abraham could trust his servant with this huge task!
It's caused me to reflect on my own life and recall the several times that God has obviously directed me and our family over the years. A lot of these instances resulted in significant course changes for us. I remember the moment that Bruce & I knew we were meant for each other, the time when we knew we were to go to Israel, the way He led us to one of our homes, the purchase of a property for our church, etc., etc. I can also remember some instances that surprised us, but God has shown that He was closing a door (I think it was right on our foot!) only to open another one.
Do you remember such times? Why not take some time to write them down and worship God for His intervention in your life. Encourage someone else by posting a brief comment here to give testimony of God's faithfulness in your life.
Train me, God, to walk straight;
then I'll follow your true path.
Put me together, one heart and mind;
then, undivided, I'll worship in joyful fear.
From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord;
I've never kept secret what you're up to.
You've always been great toward me—what love!
You snatched me from the brink of disaster!
God, these bullies have reared their heads! A gang of thugs is after me—
and they don't care a thing about you. But you, O God, are both tender and kind,
not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quit.
So look me in the eye and show kindness, give your servant the strength to go on,
save your dear, dear child! Make a show of how much you love me
so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed,
As you, God, gently and powerfully put me back on my feet.
Psalm 86:11-17 MSG
