May 3, 2016

God Controls It All

For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come
and will not delay.

-- Habakkuk 2:3

They are repaving the highway where we live. Traffic is a mess. I know that eventually it will be worth all this aggravation but the time between now and then sure is frustrating.

Life can be like that. The journey is sometimes messy and hard but we know that one day it will be worth it all. One day we will be in heaven with Jesus and we won’t care about all of today’s drama.

This presidential race has really gotten ugly. Oh, politicians always throw out accusations and point fingers. But this year it just seems so much worse.

The news broadcasts show protests and it scares me. Certainly, we have the right to peaceful protests. Our country is founded on freedoms such as that. But when emotions run high, things have a way of getting out of control quickly.

It seems like our country, our world, is falling apart. History tells us this isn’t the first time. Maybe we feel it more deeply because we see it so clearly on the news and on social media. There’s no hiding anymore.

Maybe I have no patience for the drama on the political stage because of the drama in my own life. Maybe the fear line blurs. I have no control over my life just as it we have no control over what will happen on the national stage.

Yes, I vote. I always vote. But ultimately it is anybody’s guess as to who will win and who will lose. And who knows about the political bloodbath that will take place in the coming months. I dread it all.

Then I remember this verse from Habakkuk. God’s promises reign. No matter who wins the election, God is in control. No matter what anyone else does, God has already won the battle.

I will probably always get impatient with this time between where I am and where I know I’m going. My heart longs to be home with Jesus. My mind knows my time is in His hands.

So I will go forth as best I can in this troubled world, seeking to be His light no matter what happens around me. And, for today, that is enough.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Walk In Faith

For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
-- Romans 1:17 quoting Habakkuk 2:4b

I like a map when I travel. And a GPS. And a little experience from having been there before. It just makes the trip less stressful when I know where I'm going, how long it will take and exactly how it's all going to happen. Too bad life isn't like that.

Most of the time I am surrounded by darkness and struggling to keep my sight focused on the light in front of me. Temptations loom to the right and to the left. Satan knows all my buttons. I cling tightly to God's hand, trusting that He knows the way and won't let the enemy snatch me away.

Trust is hard for me. I've been betrayed too many times to look at anyone and immediately believe they're straightforward and true. I need proof that comes with time and experience. God has given me both. I marvel at His patience as He tugs me Home.

These days I walk strictly by faith. I get nervous and irritable. I want details and timelines and some sort of proof that all will turn out okay. Instead, I get a steady voice urging me to quiet myself and trust God. Follow the light. Believe. And I do. I just want to know the plan. Now.

I almost hear God laughing as I write this. Truthfully, it's probably better that I don't know. Because honestly there are some places God has led me that I really would never have gone had I known what lay ahead. Pain. Rejection. Shattered dreams. Nope. I wouldn't have traveled those roads if I'd known what I would encounter.

But the funny thing is that during all that stormy weather, I drew closer and closer to God. I learned to cling to Him in a way that I never had before. I came to depend on Him first and always. In many ways, He's the only One I trust anymore. I look to Him for guidance in all things. I know His wisdom comes from love and I trust that.

So I walk by faith, even when I cannot see the way and do not understand the plan. I walk toward the light, trusting that God has me clearly in His sight.

Monday, December 6, 2010

It All Comes From God

"See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright -- but the righteous will be by his faith,"

-- Habakkuk 2:4

It's so hard to sit back and wait patiently when someone is stomping all over your feelings and your life. It's what we're supposed to do. Trust God to take care of it in His own time, in His own way. I've said it numerous times before. And I believe it. But believing doesn't make it easy.

I get so upset when people proclaim their Christianity with one sentence and with the very next one they make an ugly comment about helping the poor. We don't want to share. We don't. I don't either so don't think I'm pointing fingers here. It's just that it's what we're supposed to do. Share. Give not just from abundance but give until we feel it hurt.

Funny thing, too, about sharing. The more I give, the more I want to give. Sounds silly, even to me. But it's true. I enjoy doing things for other people. I can't do a lot. My budget is small and my income erratic at best. But I talk to God and then I give. And I give. And I always seem to have enough for what I need. Just like He promised.

Sometimes I get scared. I do. I want to hoard what I have for that just-in-case day that might come again. I want to somehow find a way to control my financial destiny along with control everything else in my life. Why I would think I'd suddenly be able to do that after all these years beats me, but the feeling is there. Ridiculous! I'm not in control. Don't laugh. You aren't either.

God is in control. We don't determine how much money we make or our health or the people in our lives. We don't. Some folks think they do. They see themselves as master manipulators who control their bank accounts and the people  in their lives. I know someday they'll learn what all of us learn: Everything can change in the blink of an eye and we can't stop it.

So I do trust God. He's been there with me through that disaster zone that was once my life. He saw me sail confidently over the waters and He watched me when death and depression destroyed the person I thought I was. He was there to help me and comfort me when no one else had the time or desire. I owe Him more than I can ever repay.

Don't get puffed up and full of yourself when you're successful. And don't get too hard on yourself when things don't seem to be going your way. Trust God. Lean on Him. Let Him guide you. If you've got plenty, then give some of it away. Show compassion and understanding to others who don't have enough. And if you're struggling, hang on. God sees you and He'll help you if you just trust Him. God's blessings are for everyone. We need to remember that.