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Refreshment in Refuge
by Gina Burgess
This morning I did not want to get out of bed. I did not want to study my Bible, I did not want to go to Bible study. I was in a blue funk. It has been cloudy and no sunshine for seemingly weeks now in the middle of winter--and it's not even cold outside on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Of course, (remembering last week's lesson) I still have a heart full of joy but very much lacking in the will to move mountains with my faith. It doesn't take any muscle power to just lay in bed, does it?
How marvelous God is to give us just what we need when we need it for encouragement and strength and boost when we feel our lowest.
We just cannot know or understand God's ways. We ask, and we receive. James says we have not because we ask not--or we do not ask for the right things in God's will. But we continue to ask and expect to receive. Then we ask, and then we receive. I don't know about you but it seems I tend to live in a results-motivated prayer life.Is it so bad to want to see results of prayer?
Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." Why isn't that enough?
We are told in many different ways, but most clearly through Paul to, worry over nothing, to pray about everything.
Philemon 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
So the mature Christian should be able to leave everything in God's hands and be comfortable with how He answers our prayers. It is rather difficult to just let go and let God. God showed me in no uncertain terms that His will is done for those who love Him. And sometimes... sometimes He is waiting on us to conform to His desires and to let go of our desires.
It all boils down to Trust. When we know our God has plans not to harm us, but for our good, then there is no way we can go wrong. It's just those trials and painful tribulations, and that dark valley of death that we know we must walk through that gets us all twisted into knots.
Has He ever failed me? Never.
Will He ever fail me? Never.
That must be enough. Take another breath. Live another day. See the sun, feel the rain and it will be for all our troubles are nothing to His power and His love.
Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD rejoices over you. He will quiet you with His love. Or as The Message puts it, Your GOD is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, he'll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs.
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Gina Burgess has taught Sunday School and Discipleship Training for almost three decades. (Don't tell her that makes her old.) She earned her Master's in Communication in 2013.
She is the author of several books including: When Christians Hurt Christians, The Crowns of the Believers and others available in online bookstores. She authors several columns, using her God-given talent to shine a light in a dark world. You can browse her blog at Refreshment In Refuge.
If you'd like to take a look at some Christian fiction and Christian non-fiction book reviews check out Gina's book reviews at Upon
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