Most people in my life know my family is experiencing a challenging season…I am experiencing a challenging season too. It’s LITERALLY a matter of life or death and I’m working hard at keeping faith in God.
Keeping faith in God is hard right now.
In spite of what the doctors are saying, I choose to believe in life. I am hoping against hope and trusting God more than doctors.
My goal in keeping faith in God is simple: I want…no, I need to look for God’s hand (His blessings) in the current tribulation.
I also want to glorify Him now in spite of what is going on – very hard to do.
That’s not all! I want to walk through this trial worthy to share my experience and testimony with someone else in the future.
Sure I want to fall apart. Boy, do I want to! But, I can’t. I need my faith resolute and stubborn. I’ll save my moments of collapse for my personal prayer times.
This posturing – this way of thinking – encourages me to stay pinned in praise. It forces me to regulate my atmosphere through this dark time in my life.
It also helps me focus on the timeless, miracle-working power of the Lord.
Worship activates my faith and minimizes my fear. I’ve posted about that time and time again. Now, it’s my turn to ‘walk it out’.
Staying in a place of praise reminds me His banner over me is love and that He is forever with me – no matter what.
Tonight, after a rough evening at the hospital, I thought I might find some comfort in a hot cup of tea.
Everyone in my home was asleep. The house was quiet. Then, I heard a faint, soft whimpering as I stirred my tea. A few seconds passed before I realized it was me! My heavy heart was releasing itself without my awareness.
This fascinates me. Think about it, if my pain can subconsciously release itself without my knowledge, then so can my praise.
I pray that my love, passion, and connection to God is so strong and deep-rooted that I will praise Him, adore Him, and worship Him without my natural mind even knowing it, analyzing it, or qualifying it.
I can go even further! May my spiritual reflexes be so in tuned to His heartbeat that I speak His words, love the way He loves and walk in the confidence of knowing He is in full and complete control of everything.
It is then- when you and I abide in Him – that His love chases us down and overwhelms us in peace. We will get “caught up” in comfort – not even fully aware of it. Yet, experiencing it just the same.
Sometimes, His love will enrapture us with a supernatural fervor. Other times, He will lead someone to bless us naturally…as He did today. I was blessed with a beautiful bouquet from a family of friends I love very much. I was caught up and wrapped up in joy and gratitude.
The atmosphere changed and shifted.
No one may actually send you a bouquet, but the Lord is near in your hardest times. He’s already got the gift of comfort, strength, and power waiting on you. Think about that gift and shift the atmosphere to praise when life becomes too much, ok?
Whichever way He chooses to comfort you, rest assured, God’s close enough to you to bring enduring peace and shift your atmosphere from sorrow to worship!
He loves you so much. He’s going to carry you through this. Keep your atmospher praise-worthy.
Here’s what is getting me through:
- Permission. I give myself permission to feel whatever I feel at the moment. When you’re hurting is not the time to wonder if your reactions are “right” or “wrong.” It’s survival mode. Allow yourself to just “be” and let the Holy Spirit carry you through.
- Eat! As you go through your rough season, the last thing you need to do is compromise your health. Find nourishing food to “push” down if you have to do so. You will need physical strength to go through this trial. Take EmergenC or something to keep your immune system going.
- Decompress. Allow yourself time to decompress and just “be” during your hard time. Just like I got alone with my cup of hot tea, you get alone and just chill a bit every day. Give yourself time to relieve the pressure and simply be in still, quiet moments to cry, pray, think, or even stress out a little.
Do you have any other suggestions on how to keep the faith in hard times?
Update: It’s been almost 10 years since I wrote this post. My brother was told he’d die within 2 weeks of me writing this. He’s still alive, strong and working. God is the ultimate Decision-maker. Never forget, Christian Sister!
