“I Trust You”

Once upon a time I had this conversation. I hope that if you are reading this and feeling like the trials of life are too much to bear, then you will realize that this is what God has to offer you and He truly is in control. Bless Him even in your storms. You CAN make it through.

Why am I here?

I brought you here.

 But why? I don’t like it here. It’s different and frightening at times.

 There’s no reason to be afraid.

But I feel weak here. I have always been so strong. I can handle anything. I can’t handle this. This is way beyond my limits.

When you are weak, I am your strength. I brought you here to show you how to trust Me. You are indeed strong enough at times but I need to make some changes in you.

But why does it have to be this way? Can’t it be done differently? Isn’t there an easier way?

 If it were easy, you wouldn’t have any need for Me. You wouldn’t know what I was capable of.

 What did I do to deserve this?

 I am not vengeful. The only thing I give you that you deserve is My never-ending love. If you are to be all that I would have you to be, you must accept these changes. You will like the outcome. Just be patient. You are made for so much more, but I must tweak the things within you that will make you more like Me.

 It’s hard to let go of those things. Where is the old me?

 The “old you” was fine in many ways, but the new you will be so much better. The things that wear on your nerves will polish your soul. Like a diamond made perfect by tremendous heat and pressure, these trials will refine you.

 I don’t know if I can do this.

 Draw your strength from Me. Fully rely on Me. Press on, even when it is hard. Keep your mind focused on Me and on becoming more like Me. Stay active. Focus on those around you and not on what your mind is telling you to think or feel. Together we can do this.

What if I fail?

Don’t be discouraged or feel ashamed. I see the real you and I love you just the same. So do those around you.There may be setbacks but you will prevail if you continue to follow Me.

Thank you.

Continue to thank Me for all that you go through and the blessings will continue to rain down. It may seem as if you have been forgotten but you haven’t. Stay conscious of My presence and eventually you will learn to enjoy this journey that you are on. It will become easier and more peaceful. Peace is the greatest gift I can give to you.

I trust You.

That’s all I need you to do. I will take care of the rest.

 And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit – 2 Corinthians 3:18

“I Once Was Lost”

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God – Ephesians 2:8

When I was about 5 years old, maybe a little older, our family went to North Carolina to visit some friends. While we were there, my mom and I went shopping with her friend and her son, who was about my age. I had never been to this store and I was busy checking everything out, playing around and not paying much attention to where I was. I crawled under a rack of clothes as most kids do and stayed there for a minute or two.  When I came out of my hiding place, I looked up and realized that I couldn’t find my mom.  I couldn’t see over the racks of clothes to get a good view and I started to panic. I ran around in circles, frantically searching for her, screaming her name. Then I heard my friend say, “What’s wrong with you? She’s right there.” Sure enough, my mom was just a few feet away but I couldn’t see her for all that was in my way. For a moment I was lost and it was a scary feeling for a small child.

In many ways I still get lost. Not from my mother, but from the Father, the heavenly Father. There are times I lose my way and get distracted from Him. I feel stronger and start to think I can handle things on my own. That I’m strong enough to not need Him. Most people tend to feel closer to God when everything is going well, when they are on top of the mountain. Me, I tend to feel closer to Him when I am in the valley. I call on Him more and spend more time praying. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Most of the time those moments in the valley shape you into the person you are meant to be. But when things are going my way I typically pull away and forget that I still need Him in the good times as well as the bad. He will remind me of that when a bad moment comes along and I realize He is encouraging me to come closer. I must remember daily to let Him be my focus and everything else will simply fall into place. I will remember where I am and where I am going because He will lead the way.

Just like that lost little girl in the department store, sometimes I need to be found. I need to be able to turn around and have someone say “What’s wrong with you? He’s right there. He’s been there all along. You just forgot where to look.” He’s never far away.