Here at Sharelife.me we share struggles, triumphs, and the Father’s love. We are here to be open and honest and not sugarcoat anything. Well, my friend, that’s exactly what I’m here to do. I myself always prefer it when people give me real-life examples. I want to do that now for you.
Here is the synopsis of the last two months of my life.
– I discovered that both of my parents are most likely not saved, or if they are, they have strayed from the truth.
– My father has been struggling himself, which is hard to watch, and I won’t go into detail about this for his sake.
– Finances are tighter than ever.
– I wrecked my car on Valentine’s Day, receiving two tickets because I had an expired tag and lapsed insurance. Later we found out a part was stolen from the car while it was at our house.
– My relationship was in shambles, and possibly couldn’t be fixed.
– School wasn’t a priority for me anymore. I was almost dropped from a class because I couldn’t keep track of everything at once.
– I was signed up to go on a trip to New York, and I had no idea how I was going to pay for it.
– The stress of my family having only one car was starting to get to us.
– Lastly, I felt so much distance from the Lord. I just could not find time to sit down and read my Bible, and I was feeling the repercussions of that in every aspect of my life.
In Habakkuk, the prophet asked why God would let His chosen people fall to the Babylonians. It seemed as if the enemy was winning. But Habakkuk knew to trust the Lord and that He would prevail!
I want us to look at Chapter 3;17-19,
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:17-19 NIV
Here are the counterparts to what I previously stated.
– I have seen my parents grow in faith. I see them trusting the Lord for provision. I also daily see my dad pray. I see them seeking! Hallelujah!!
– While my dad is still going through some depression, he wakes up every day with a better outlook. I also see the benefits that our conversations about the Lord and the Bible have on him.
– We have the car back, and court dates have been rescheduled to give us time to get insurance, a tag, and find that new part. This was a BIG win.
– God reminded me of my identity in him. I was created in His image and not in the image of my relationship. Now I feel this overwhelming peace that I know can come only from God.
– As far as school goes, I’m not saying everything is perfect, but I am still striving to do my best!
– I’m back from New York. The trip was paid for, though I’m not sure how other than God.
– We still have only one car, but this break from school and at least one week of online classes relieves some stress.
– I now understand what it means to say He SATISFIES me. I also have all the time in the world and a newfound love for scripture and all it says in it.
God’s hand is moving. I was and still am amazed at what God is doing through each of those situations. Before that, all I could see was the bad. I had no hope. My world was crashing down. But in the midst of that, I had to trust God. Trust has always been something I’ve struggled with. But the more I trust, the more the Lord shows me why He is trustworthy.
At the time when this Scripture was revealed to me, it was exactly what I needed. I opened my Bible and there I began to see and understand things… For me, it was, though money is tight, and I felt like I couldn’t help my dad… YET, I will rejoice. Though I don’t have a car anymore and have caused stress in my family… YET, I will rejoice. Though I’m feeling heartbreak for the first time… YET, I will rejoice, etc. I will PRAISE God my Savior because He is TRUSTWORTHY.
One of the definitions of “Yet” is “Nevertheless; in spite of that” So despite, (insert situation) I will still rejoice.
In the midst of life where the world around you seems to be winning, SEEK the Lord. He is still in control. He will ENABLE you. As my pastor says, “The will of God will never take you where the grace of God cannot keep you.”
So, in my ramblings, I hope and pray that at least in whatever storm you are in, you can use this Scripture as a prayer to repeat over yourself and others.
Take a listen!! Graves Into Gardens (Live) (featuring Brandon Lake) Elevation Worship