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A few months ago, I faced a series of challenges that forced me to take a closer look at myself and my walk with God. The primary question I've had to ask is: how do I respond when things don't go the way I want?
While I wish it weren't the case, I've learned that my reaction to certain difficulties did not always meet God's standard. Rather than submitting to His will in faith that He knows why things are the way they are, I allowed discontent and frustration to fuel doubt and anxiety.
It was only the grace of God that enabled those two latter doors - doubt and anxiety - not to have the effect satan intended. The Lord gently placed His hand on me and softly reminded me to set my gaze on Him every single time. That way, fear and disbelief couldn't overtake me.
During this latest attempt by the devil to challenge my walk, I saw the truth of what Jesus said in John 10:27-29. Indeed, nobody can be snatched out of His hands. Not if they were placed there by God the Father. I watched as the enemy tried all sorts of tactics to make me question the truth of God and His word. Thankfully, all that did was drive me deeper into the arms of the Lord as I stood on His word.
I can't take any credit for the result. God used the trials to convict me all the more of His faithfulness. I saw just how He uses challenges for that purpose. He showed me that even when I behaved like Gideon - asking Him to jump through hoops to prove Himself (I don't encourage this, by the way) - He would patiently and gently reassure me that He alone was in control.
So, if you are facing challenges that make you wonder where God is in the situation, take a deep breath. God is standing right next to you. He's telling you all that you need to know so you keep moving forward with Him. Dial down the noise around you so you hear Him better. Don't let the trial convince you to close your Bible, stop praying, or stop worshiping in frustration. I can only imagine that satan would love that because it means that you, the sheep, are choosing to walk away from the Good Shepherd.
Instead, be intentional to seek God and go to His feet. Remember how Elijah ran from Jezebel? He didn't run to people; he ran to God. So do the same. Cry if you need to. Write down the issues you face and lay them before Him. Read His promises from scripture or whatever He's personally told you. Remind Him, but mostly yourself, of them all. Tarry in His presence with praises, yes, praise Him in your disquiet. These things should already be part of your lifestyle so that when the storms come, you continue meeting Him as you did before.
And if you don't already do these things, then now is the perfect time to start. Become intentional about your relationship with God today. That way, you will respond to the tribulations in a way that honors Him and the relationship you both built over time. God will help you, and you will receive His best, IJMN, Amen.
What are your thoughts? Please share them. And as you wait for fellowship, watch the video in the Altar Call and read these old posts:
