Do you ever struggle with doubt and wonder where God is? Wonder if He sees, if He knows what’s going on in your life?
The other night I had a fight with doubt.
If I were a meteorologist, I’d tell you it felt like a category 1 hurricane, with some mild flooding, and an impressive tsunami of emotion to top things off. The next morning the aftermath nipped at my heels, trying to pull me back down into the fears.
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Have you ever noticed that religion can teach us how to hide?
You can hide your sorrows behind “God is good.” You can hide your anxieties behind “Casting all your cares.” You can hide your burnout behind “godly Christians spend and are spent for Jesus.”
But when you hide, eventually a deep ache grows inside. You may masterfully squash your longings and shield your true feelings, but sooner or later the real you leaks out–or risks being silenced for good.
It was a gorgeous day – the kind that practically begs to be enjoyed. The sun shone brilliantly and all of the leaves in the front yard waved and beckoned in the breeze. This was the kind of perfect Saturday people pray for, and I’d been hoping for this day for a long time.
Oh, I had big plans–plans I’d been making for days. Plans to conquer and create. Plans to let the clock run unheeded. Plans to be outdoors from dawn to dusk. My eager anticipation had reached the unfathomable heights only an 8-year-old mind can concoct.
But sadly, on this oh-so-perfect day, instead of climbing trees and conquering imaginary foes, I was curled up on my favorite blanket in the hallway by the bathroom. Continue reading →
Isn’t it interesting how words come to mean something?
Like “Babe,” for instance. When I was little it meant a tiny infant. When the movie came out, it meant a pig. And when I got married and heard it from my hubby’s lips, it meant me!
Somewhere along the way “grace” has gotten a reputation for being soft, fluffy, and comfortable. Kind of like being snuggled by so many adorable puppies.
But grace is much more than that – especially when she travels with her companion, Truth.
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