Have you ever faced a season so difficult – gut-wrenching, even – that you wondered how you would ever come out on the other side?
Perhaps you’ve faced financial hardship, relational breakdown, a tragic phone call, or a medical crisis. When the reality of the situation sets in, it can be hard to imagine what’s next. While the world carries on around you, time appears to be standing still in these moments.
I don’t know about you, but turning to God in praise in these moments has not been my first reaction. I am really good at wanting to be the author or my story, and I prefer to write the narrative. Major life disruptions, heartbreak, and swirling uncertainty would surely not be woven through my self-created chapters. I want to celebrate in victories, not strife.
But, in this world, we will experience troubles. Jesus told us so directly in the book of John. But, he also told us this was not the end of the story.
I saw a verse so powerful recently, it stopped me in my tracks. I want to place this in a visible location in my home so that I can read it daily, because I need to remember this truth every hour. According to the NIV, Psalm 91:4 states, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”
Aircraft are designed to fly passengers and cargo on blue sky days and through storms. Sophisticated technology allows the plane to operate properly, and wings are crafted to allow the aircraft to safely reach the intended destination. Isn’t God aiming to do the same for us?
It can be hard to see where God is working in our story. But, life experience is showing me: He is there. He is there in the day and the night and in the midst of the hardest days.
How do I know this to be true? Because, even though I have wrestled with my own independence, I have felt the coverage of feathers. I have found peace in moments where peace would not typically exist in my heart. I’ve seen circumstances woven for the good and stories written in a way that I could never, ever explain.
Friends, this is a journey for me. I simply cannot predict what’s ahead in the days to come. And, despite my best efforts, I expect my flesh will still struggle at times with looking for comfort and answers the world can provide.
But, I want to look for heavenly refuge and I want to praise God even in the storm. I want to rest under the wings of a King. I want to submit to Thy will, not my will.
Will you join me there?
Rooted in Grace and Grit 