You can hear much clearer if you listen. Sounds simple, right? Then why are we so quick to interject our thoughts and propose solutions? We do this in our everyday lives, but we more often do it to God. We ask Him for patience or strength. We pray for a miracle. We even give Him our struggles, but then we have to wait. We’re not good at waiting, especially when we feel our time is running out, or things aren’t going the way we thought they would. The act of being still is incredibly difficult for many of us and, of these things, I am the biggest offender.
I spent some real raw, down and dirty time with God yesterday. It’s a practice I would highly recommend, though I know I don’t do it often enough myself. As my pastor stated on Sunday, in his message on what lurks Behind the Curtain of our lives, sometimes you need to get R-rated with your prayers to God. Tell Him like it is – He already knows anyway.
So that’s what I did. Right here.
I sat with God and we had it out. He heard me and He listened, and when I was done, God said:
1. You’re forgiven. You don’t have to carry the weight of who you’ve been. You’re a treasure in my arms.
We all suffer. We all have our struggles that seem, at times, all-consuming. Here’s the truth and the promise:
After you have suffered a little while, the God of all Grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you (1Peter 5:10)
It is through the suffering and through the pain that we are made stronger and are equipped to deal with whatever circumstances come our way.
For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (James 1:3)
We are able to persevere because God never leaves us, but rather He promises to bring us through whatever He brings us to. James 5:13 reminds us, when we are suffering: pray and when we are cheerful: sing praise.
2. Do not worry about tomorrow; just give it up to me.
There has never been a time when God did not somehow get me through by providing what I needed in that moment. It may not have been my idea of the perfect provision (not big enough, not good enough) but it was always enough to sustain me until I could get to a better place. We take this for granted so often. Everything we need is available to us if we are faithful and if we ask out of a clean conscience and a pure heart. But that’s where we all fall short, isn’t it? Let’s be realistic. We often worry or doubt because other people have failed us in the past. God does not fail us, we fail Him. His promises should resound with us so that we may never forget:
If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it (John 14:12-14)
And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (1John 5:14)
We need to ask for wisdom in our time of need, but ask for it with faith and not doubting (James 1:5-6). It is hard for us to place that kind of faith in anything because our worldly experiences have universally fallen short. It takes courage. It’s the ability to do what God says, when He says, regardless of our fear, because it is often our greatest fear that God can turn into the path to our greatest opportunity (2 Timothy 1:7). He makes all things work together for my good.
3. Reach out, don’t reach within. I’m at the door if you’ll just let me in. I’ll never leave or let you go.
I have tried more times than I can recount to do things my way, in my own strength. Every time, I have failed. We think we’ve got it all under control until the ground begins to crumble beneath us and then we ask God why. We come to Him at that point in our crisis, but never up front, seeking His advice and direction. We have to recognize that we can do nothing on our own (John 5:30).
For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me (John 5:36)
We are cautioned against attempting to live in our own strength and we fail to realize that our own self-importance will override our discernment every time.
You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions (James 4:3)
We need to be mindful and guard our thoughts because we often ask out of an impure heart.
4. Be still and know that I am God.
God gives us the power to accomplish whatever He has called us to do, and when we seek first what He wants for our lives, we are unstoppable. It takes faith. It requires that assurance that something that hasn’t yet happened – will. We need to seek wisdom and the scriptures tell us that:
Wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere (James 3:13-17)
If we are not careful to check ourselves for bitter jealousy and our own selfish ambition, we will invite disorder into our circumstances. We often feel limited by our circumstances, but it can be the things we think restrict us that God can use to set us free. We need to ask God: “Now what?” “What are you doing in my life?” The power is right there, waiting for us. We’re often too busy trying to save ourselves to listen.
In case you’re thinking you’ve heard this all before, most of what I heard was through music on my way to that “thoughtful spot” where I met with God yesterday. It wasn’t until I got real with Him that those lyrics began echoing in my mind. Through reading scripture, prayer, and simple reflection, God filled in the rest.
Pray bigger. God can take it.
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