My family has gone through many crises over the years.
I look back and remember when my cousin was in a bad motorcycle accident. After that, during my high school years and college years, I watched all of my grandparents go through medical issues and ultimately losing three of my grandparents during high school and my fourth grandparent during college. We spent many days caring for my grandparents, visiting them, taking them to appointments, and many days spent in the hospital for a few of them. These were hard years, but I wouldn't change any of the time I spent with my grandparents. I miss them so much. They were my cheerleaders and I knew they loved me 100%.
In more recent years, I have watched my immediate family be affected by divorce. I have watched the ripple effects of hurt relationships. It has hurt on deep, emotional levels.
Then the world experienced a pandemic in 2020 and everyone has been affected at some level because of that. Life has been hard.
Just a few weeks ago, another relative ended up in the hospital for an unexpected medical issue. This relative has a long road ahead and it is unknown what that road will look like. This was completely unexpected (not that we expect crises...). It was unexpected because it was a person I would have went to if I had a need, someone who has been there for my family over the years. It shook me on a different level. It reminded me that we are all human and nobody knows the time we have left or what might happen to us or to those we love. It reminded me that life is short. It reminded me to live life to the fullest.
I don't share all of this with you because I want you to feel sorry for me. That is, honestly, the last thing I want. (I do, however, appreciate hearing that people care!) I share this because life is hard and I don't want to sugarcoat that fact. And I also want to draw on the fact that God is good, in the midst of life is hard. And God's strength will shine through my weakness.
You see, in the end, this is not at all about me, but about God, and about how He has carried me through it all.
Lessons I have learned and am working on:
Life is hard. God is good.
As I mentioned above, this has been a strong theme. The VBS theme in 2019 was "Life is wild. God is good." with the focus on one of the days being "Life is hard. God is Good." It was something I needed to hold on to, just as much as those kiddos who attended.
In my weakness, God is strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9 says: "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Worship in the midst.
There are so many scriptures about worship in the Bible. We are called to rejoice always (1Thessalonians 5:16), to enter into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise (Psalm 100), and more. We can fight the spiritual wars through worship, worship in the form of prayer, song, etc...
Job, in the midst of trials, still blessed God, "And he said, '...The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'"
We see many other passages about worship:
"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope" Romans 5:3-4
"I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1
A couple songs come to mind, too:
Praise You in This Storm - Third DayI Choose to Worship - Rend Collective
I will praise you through the fire
Through the storm and through the flood
There is nothing that could ever steal my song
In the valley you are worthy
You are good when life is not
You will always and forever be my song
Oh, we choose you, Lord
In the middle of our dark
Over every fear, over every lie
Oh, we stand our ground
We make our choice
You're our sun in the darkness
We choose you now
Be grateful.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says to "give thanks in all circumstances." Not to give thanks for all our circumstances, but in all of them. Meaning that even in the midst of trials and crises, we can still thank God because He is a good God, and He is always with us.
Show up.
Some of the most meaningful moments have been when people have unexpectedly shown up for our family. I have also been blessed when I have listened to the Holy Spirit's promptings and God has called me to show up for others.
It may look like praying for someone God lays on your heart. This seems so simple, but I believe it is so powerful. Over the last year especially, I have been working on listening to the Holy Spirit's prompting. One of the ways I've found is to just simply pray when I start thinking about someone. Sometimes it is just a simple whispered prayer, other times I have felt the need to do some real battle for someone in prayer.
A few weeks back, I was heading to the grocery store with my mom. I had a family on my mind. A day or so before, I heard on the radio that one way you can help a mom/family is to just say, "I'm at the store. What can I grab for you?" instead of saying, "If you ever need anything, let me know." I felt like that was what I was supposed to do just that in this situation. I said as much to my mom and she said she had felt the same thing on the drive in. It was amazing how the Holy Spirit prompted us both. While there have been many times I have pushed that still small voice aside, I am glad I listened that time and am learning to listen more.
People over things
This is something that our family has said for quite a while. But it is also something I need to remind myself of over and over again. When things, to-do lists, schedules all seem to take priority, we need to re-shift our priorities, back to God first, but then to the people He has placed in our lives.
To God Be the Glory.
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31
Walking the Christian life is not easy, no one ever promised it would be. In fact, in James 1, it says "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds." It doesn't say if, but when, for we will face trials. But I like how this passage continues... "for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness..."
May we be steadfast in Him. May our
strength come from Him. May He get the glory. May our lives be a testimony of
who He is and may we point others to Jesus in all we do and say.
God is good.
