Truth Always
So, yeah, I know, I know. This church-raised girl knows all of the right proper church answers for sadness and hard times. I've heard them, I've learned them, I've even said them myself. But sometimes, when the season of darkness lasts longer than I've got church answers for, a girl grown can find herself wondering what she's to do now.
What now? In spite of my attempts to be strong and endure, I can't help but wonder what the faithful do next. What do I do when the hard seems to keep going on and on and on and just when the tiniest speck of light starts to shine through, another dose of hard pours itself out. A blessing comes, more hard. Another blessing peeks through followed by more nasty on its heels. How many years can a trying season last? How many decades of trials go by before that promised breakthrough shows up anyway? Exactly what is the game plan supposed to be here? Does anyone, other than God Himself, know? No? I didn't think so.
A miracle comes. One here. One there. More and more miracles encourage my weary soul. Hope begins to sprout the tiniest blade of green in the dessert landscape ravaged by trial and sorrow. All over the rugged terrain of me blades of hope begin peeking out from the cracks and rocks. It starts looking as if all might truly be well at last. Nope. More of the hard spills out. Still more follows threatening to freeze the hopeful sprouts beginning to grow.
A pattern begins to emerge. Hope. Attack. Weep. Remember Truth. Stand fast. Truth outshines the darkness. Hope. Attack. Weep. Remember Truth. Stand fast. Truth heals the wounds. Hope sprouts and is watered by grateful praise. Hope. Attack. Weep. Remember Truth. ... It's like this Holy pattern never ends. My flesh and soul want a once and for all finish. A huge breakthrough of epic proportions designed to end sorrow and sighing forevermore surely must be on its way. Isn't it?
Wait. Exhale. Remember Truth. Focus. Read the Words. Read them again. Hold them close. Exhale the pain, the sorrow, and all of the lies. Inhale the precious truth that sets free. Release the trauma, release the deception, release the stress attempting to lay claim on my mind. Breathe deep of the never-ending all-powerful forever Love Who is God. Sink deep into the rest of knowing I AM loves and holds and cares.
Sins, failures, mistakes used to be. This is a fact. But facts are changed by Truth. And Truth says:
What now? In spite of my attempts to be strong and endure, I can't help but wonder what the faithful do next. What do I do when the hard seems to keep going on and on and on and just when the tiniest speck of light starts to shine through, another dose of hard pours itself out. A blessing comes, more hard. Another blessing peeks through followed by more nasty on its heels. How many years can a trying season last? How many decades of trials go by before that promised breakthrough shows up anyway? Exactly what is the game plan supposed to be here? Does anyone, other than God Himself, know? No? I didn't think so.
A miracle comes. One here. One there. More and more miracles encourage my weary soul. Hope begins to sprout the tiniest blade of green in the dessert landscape ravaged by trial and sorrow. All over the rugged terrain of me blades of hope begin peeking out from the cracks and rocks. It starts looking as if all might truly be well at last. Nope. More of the hard spills out. Still more follows threatening to freeze the hopeful sprouts beginning to grow.
A pattern begins to emerge. Hope. Attack. Weep. Remember Truth. Stand fast. Truth outshines the darkness. Hope. Attack. Weep. Remember Truth. Stand fast. Truth heals the wounds. Hope sprouts and is watered by grateful praise. Hope. Attack. Weep. Remember Truth. ... It's like this Holy pattern never ends. My flesh and soul want a once and for all finish. A huge breakthrough of epic proportions designed to end sorrow and sighing forevermore surely must be on its way. Isn't it?
Wait. Exhale. Remember Truth. Focus. Read the Words. Read them again. Hold them close. Exhale the pain, the sorrow, and all of the lies. Inhale the precious truth that sets free. Release the trauma, release the deception, release the stress attempting to lay claim on my mind. Breathe deep of the never-ending all-powerful forever Love Who is God. Sink deep into the rest of knowing I AM loves and holds and cares.
Sins, failures, mistakes used to be. This is a fact. But facts are changed by Truth. And Truth says:
- I am forgiven.
- I am free.
- I am new.
- I am loved.
- I have been chosen.
- I am seated in heavenly places.
- I am bought with a price.
- I am strong of mind.
- I am full of power.
- I am healed.
- I am whole.
- I am complete in Christ.
- I am not who I used to be.
- The old me no longer exists.
- God delights over me with singing.
- My steps are directed by God.
- I hear His voice.
- Who I was at 16, 17, 18, ...23, 25, 27, ...39, 40, 41,...47, 48,...is not who I am now.
- I have been saved! By Grace. Through faith. Not of works. It is the gift of God!
- I am growing glory by glory more and more into His image.
- Every day I am changing and becoming more like He made me to be.
- I am created by God to do good works He planned in advance for me to do.
- My days have already been planned and prepared for by God. Every. single. day.
There is more SO MUCH MORE!!! The list of Truth is larger than the trials ever will be. The goodness of God overshadows every trace of terror, sickness, and sadness. My eyes see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness. Never has He left me or forsaken me. Never has he abandoned me to my enemies. Never has the evil one triumphed over me. Never. Never has wickedness won. Never. Always God is victorious. Always. An ever present help in time of trouble He always is. Always.
As the Sword of Truth eliminates the lies of the evil one, the bubbling over ever-flowing river of Truth that has been planted deep within my heart is flowing through my body, soul, and spirit in a soothing flood of God the Word. The One who promised indeed is faithful. Love never fails. Never.
So, here this church grown woman sits no longer asking what now. The answer to the question is the same as before. The same as it always has been. God. God who changes not. The yesterday, today, and forever God. God is. In the beginning God. At the end God. Forever and always into eternity God. Nothing more. Nothing less. God.
The words of Psalm 84:5,6 say it so well. "How enriched are they who find their strength in the Lord; within their hearts are highways of holiness! Even when their path winds through the dark valley of tears, they dig deep to find a pleasant pool where others find only pain. He gives to them a brook of blessing filled from the rain of an outpouring." Verse 7 continues with "They grow stronger and stronger with every step forward until they find all their strength in you, and the God of all gods will appear before them in Zion." This pattern of standing in truth is like the digging deep mentioned in the verses above. Always God. God Always. God is truth. Truth is God. Always Truth. Truth Always.