As the season of Thanksgiving draws near, maybe you and those around you will take a moment to thank the Lord for your blessings. I certainly believe that the Lord takes pleasure in our praise, but can we truly comprehend the extent of grace and mercy the Lord extends to us? I believe that this truth will be revealed in its fullness when we get to glory!
It is easy to thank the Lord if everything seems to be going our way; when we are experiencing life from the mountain top if you will. While you are looking at the landscape from a mountain overlook, everything seems to be “right” with the world. There is a sense of clarity and majestic reverence! The air is refreshing and the trees seem to dance!
For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12 NKJV
Then all of a sudden you feel closed in and you can not breathe. Out of nowhere, you realize you are in a valley and you have no idea how you got there. A sense of hopelessness sets in and you have no clue on how or when you will get out! Anxiety takes over and your defense mechanisms become engaged.
Is it ok to ask God why? Absolutely! He is my Father and I can ask him anything!
Since you are now God’s children, he has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts. The Spirit cries out, “Abba, Father.” Galatians 4:6 ERV
How do we live life in the valleys? For some of us, the valley can seem to be our home for entirely too long! Every time that you think you are about to climb out, you get knocked or pulled back down! For example, in a four year span, I have dealt with a child that stayed sick more than well , I failed two clinical exams that has turned my two year nursing degree into a four year degree, experienced such loss through a natural disaster and walked through a season of depression and hopelessness with my teenager. How can I sit here tonight and give all praise to my God? You see we can become strong in the valley or we can wander in wilderness of self pity.
If we allow Christ to be our strength when we are weak, his power is revealed in us! It is his mercy and grace that keeps us upright when the valley seems endless.
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 HCSB
You literally have to submit everyday to him and ask him to be your strength where you are weak. Then when you have surrendered control, you are able to give him all praise and glory for your endurance! The focus is shifted from you to Christ. Then in turn you can help someone else in their valley.
Praise be to the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Father who is full of mercy, the God of all comfort. He comforts us every time we have trouble so that when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
I leave you with this song.
Until next time
inelshaddaisshadow.org 