Holding On

2 Corinthians 4:14-17 – We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! (NLT)

Within one week, three members of our family went through various tests and major health concerns. The past few months since then have gone by in a flurry and a blur. I became so preoccupied with life events and family health issues that by the time I realized it, five months had passed me by. Looking back, I have been going through the motions of everyday life, and for the most part, doing all the tasks that have been requested and required of me as a mom, wife, and employee, probably to the point that no one else has even noticed that I haven't been myself. I am sure that the cracks have shown on a few days, but mostly, I have existed.

Some of us can juggle more events in life than others. For me, writing had stopped; even reading and praying began to slow down. I had lost my joy within. But what I am trying to share is how God is in this for us each and every step of the way.

I prayed many quick and short prayers, and even though I knew in my heart that God was there, I sensed a slipping of my connection with Him. I prayed because I knew that it was the right thing to do; I believed because I knew that it was the right thing to do; I did all the right things because I knew that they were the right things to do. What I had been failing to do was to be open and listen to what God wanted me to hear. I had reverted back to ways of self in which I believed that I could do it on my own, and I became disconnected from God.

But God is faithful and just, and when I was at the end of myself emotionally and physically, He reached out again. As I sat during my quiet time reflecting on my week, the three family members, and their health concerns, I felt such an amazing peace that only Jesus can give us. Still, many health questions remain unanswered and will likely remain that way for some time. I felt such a peace that the answers we could have received could have been much worse. It was then that I realized that I had been living in the "fear of the much worse scenario". Once this light was shown to me, the heaviness was lifted, and I began to rejoice. I placed all my fears and concerns at the cross for Jesus to handle.

If you can relate to my spiritually dry experience of joylessness and exhaustion, pray for God to reach out to you with His peace and the strength that comes from Him, rather than trying to do it all on your own.

Philippians 4:6 – Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (NLT)

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the abundance of truth that is found in Your Word. Help us in times of turmoil to hold onto these truths. We do thank You for all that You have done and will do in our lives. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.