Tag: Life

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Scared Straight

Dear sisters,

The fake cobwebs, tombstones, and ghouls have already begun to appear in our housing community in Puerto Rico.  Families, seem to compete on who can have the scariest decorations, not to deter the kids, but to bring fun to their neighborhood romps.  How often do I slip behind a door or slink low to scare my husband when he comes home from work?  Why do we do these things?  We think it’s fun to make people jump as it gives us a moment of control over them. Horror movies do the same, they manipulate our emotions in order to get a certain response from us that they dictate. Our trust in what we have known as truth has been twisted and the result can be shivers down the spine, goosebumps, or even verbal screams.

That idea of known (or even perceived) truth being skewed is what scares me. When God asks me to trust Him over my own perceived truth, that’s when I shiver, get goosebumps, and even scream.  When you boil it down, it means that He is calling me to trust Him and His word over my perceived truth of having control in areas of my life.  Can I trust Him for my salvation?  Absolutely, no doubt.  I have no fear over that.  Can I trust Him with where He sends our family through my husband’s job? Absolutely.  I have no fear with going to any duty station as God has control over that, I accept that I don’t.

But…what about me submitting to my husband when I think he is wrong and I am right?  Can I trust the Lord with the husband He has given me? Shivers.  What about my kids?  Can I trust the Lord with their hearts and minds as I see them wanting their own ways rather than obeying me?  Goosebumps. How about me befriending THAT person? The Lord knows how I feel about them…can I trust Him that He will protect me through the heartache or embarrassment that may come?  Shivers. And just recently, can I trust the Lord when cancer and sickness consumes those that I hold dearest? Screams.

This is the scariest thing the Lord has asked of me.  To trust Him in all things, not just my salvation.  Trust is when I rely or place my confidence in someone or something.  I tend to rely on myself, to have confidence on my own abilities, education, or gifts.  I don’t trust the Lord when I have confidence in myself.  I doubt Him when he says to trust Him with my marriage, kids, family, health, or even my schedule.  My perceived reality of control is skewed.  The way I think life should work is challenged and often my response is fear, not trust.  Yet I am reminded of Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Trusting in the Lord with my day to day life is the scariest thing He asks of me.  I have to remind myself that He made me, promises to take care of me, is good, is for me, and has me.  It is not a blind trust as He has proven Himself trustworthy not only to me, but for millions before me.  So sweet sister, as your perceived reality is skewed as the Lord calls you to trust Him rather than your perceived truth, you may shiver, have goosebumps, or scream, but don’t let that keep you from acknowledging Him to make your path straight. He will.

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Muddles and Puddles

My dearest sister,

I am well aware of your love for Christ and for your desire to serve Him wholeheartedly. The love for His saints and the passion for His word are abundant and overflowing from your heart. I am writing to encourage you in your waiting upon the Lord as you seek to know His will in the matter of your service to Him.

Our Father in heaven has given us a glimpse of His heart when He has said in His word that “the testing of your (our) faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work (full effect), that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:3)

So often sister you and I have spoken of how we longed for that patient spirit that waits with the comfort of our hope which is in Christ. We have spoken of how easy it seems for us to hope in Christ for our eternity yet to lose sight of that hope in the muddles and puddles of our daily life. We become impatient. God sees and knows our hearts (way better than we do) and He longs to change them; testing the genuineness of our faith is one of those ways. He promises us there will be growth and the fruit will be patience. The exciting thing is that it is like multiplication! When patience is born within our hearts it begins it’s perfect work (maturity) and multiplies bringing forth completeness. This completeness or as the ESV calls it “lacking in nothing” suggests to me that our hearts become full. Much like our stomachs do when we have eaten a seven course meal. We become full to the point of declaring “I couldn’t eat one more bite!”

Something I know is that God’s purpose for redeeming those who are His is to change (transform) them into the image of His Son, our precious Savior. (Romans 8:29)) That Truth coupled with knowing that God is patient (Jeremiah 15:15, Romans 15:5) His Son is patient (II Thessalonians 3:5) and His Spirit is patient, leads me to believe that even if I cannot muster patience from my soul, I can call out to Him who is the giver of all good gifts( James 1:17) and humbly beseech Him to grant me a portion of His patience. Our King is a good King who longs to hear His children and to give them their heart’s desire when that desire is in accordance with His will. Serving the Most High King is His will (being a compassionate helper, a keeper of the home, raising godly children, teaching younger women to love their husbands……and more) as you move to be a doer of His word in those muddles and puddles of your life, He will prepare you (grow you, complete you) to serve Him in the fashion that He deems best.

So, I will close my letter to you my dear sister with this: I am praying for your heart to desire what God desires, to be a doer of His Holy Word which will prepare you for whatever and whenever He calls you out in service to Him even if it stops at the muddles and puddles of life, and that He will find you faithful (full and complete) because your patience has had its perfect work.

Much Love and Admiration,
Susan