“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
“Trust God in the hard times. It’s easy to trust God when things are going well but it’s a little harder when we don’t understand what He is doing.” This has been told to me my whole life. Actually I’m sure I’ve given the same advice to others. However, I am going to be the first to admit that I do not practice what I preach all the time. I’m going to be super honest. Usually when I’m going through a “rough time” I push God away. I’m “too angry to talk to God” (I’m sad to say those words have come out of my mouth). It’s not that I necessarily want to handle it on my own, but rather am angry at God. Don’t know what He’s doing or understand why. And so I shut Him out of my life. Yeah, I know how to say the right things to others so they think that I’m trusting God, but on the inside, I’m turning my back on Him.
I’ve never understood what it meant to fully rely on God until 3 1/2 weeks ago. I’ve never understood what it means to feel so helpless, broken, and weak. I remember a few weeks ago after Bible study, I was just sitting in my car crying out to God. Being super honest with Him about how weak and broken I was. How completely helpless I felt. And He was there. He’s crying right along with me. Wiping each and every tear. And carrying me through this valley. I didn’t know that what I posted a few weeks ago on “walking through the valley” was going to be a blog post I wrote for myself and be an encouragement for myself just a few weeks later. That was a God thing as well.
It’s easy to ask God “why.” What would He do this and why would He do that. And do you know what? I may know someday but I also may not. But I have a choice. I can trust God through whatever He is doing in my life right now or I can push Him away. I’ve done the 2nd option way too many times and it doesn’t make me feel any better. Makes me feel worse actually. So I’ve decided to take option #1. In my brokenness to cry out to God. To let Him carry me. To pour everything I have into Him. To trust Him and rely on Him when I feel as though I can’t go on. And do you know what? Each and every time I’ve felt like I can’t go on, God has put someone in my life. Whether it’s a phone call or an encouraging text message or a random stranger tell me he’s praying for me (yes, that has happened… a few times actually). Each time I’m down, God reminds me He is faithful. That He has a plan and a purpose. That He wants me to draw near to Him during my weakness. And that’s all I have. I can’t do it on my own. I know without a doubt I can’t do it by myself. So I have allowed God to carry me through. Does that mean it’s easy? Absolutely not. But He brings me comfort, peace, and rest. And even though He hasn’t answered any of my “why’s”, He is faithful. Continues to remind me to trust Him in whatever the outcome may be. That all of this is a part of His plan.
Let Him carry you through the valley’s of life. The hard times and the struggles. And let God use you. If life were easy, we wouldn’t need God. And I need God with everything I have right now. He who promised is faithful.
“The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.”
Psalm 29:11
Anneli
So true, Anneli! Thanks for this post :) You're so right that He does know what is best for us and He pulls us through whatever we're going through if we just let Him. He works everything together for our good if we give Him control and our trust. Was the picture taken in China? It reminds me of the Langfang area when we were going to Sarah's orphanage.
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