Be Brave

Life often is hard and unforgiving. I watch and read the news and wonder, why? Why so much pain and suffering? How can people be so cruel? I wonder, though I do not like to admit it, God why so much pain? Then I think of my own pain. The struggles, the everyday fight with in, and fight to be all I can be. I question, if I can be completely transparent, wonder the same about my life. God how is this right? How can this God loving woman question? I do, and sometimes it's because life seem to be just to much. More betrayal then I thought a person could or should for that matter experience. Stress and unmet expectation of life that cause me  pain and actual sores in my mouth from worry. Then I question and dare to ask a sovereign God why. Why is all of this happening? Haven't I gave you all of me? Haven't I sacrificed my husband so he can serve you? Have I not given all of me to others who give me nothing in return? Lord, why? Why pain? Why hardship? God is this another lesson I need to learn in life? Its hard. I know the answers to these questions. He is sovereign, and He does know what is best for me, and he does have a plan for my life, but it hurts. So, I study, I pray, I lift my hands and worship, but no relief. I was losing hope. Hope is powerful it keeps us going, but I was losing mine and then as if lighting struck in my very home my hope was restored.

It was 5:30am and I was all snuggled up in the recliner. My coffee sat smoking on the end table as I tuck my knees up underneath me and pulled the blanket up tight. I drug my tongue across the inside of my cheek and was reminded of the painful sores in my mouth. The sores that came from all the worry of the days before. Bad news, heart breaking stories of friends lives turned upside down accompanied by uncertainty in the work place. I sat in that chair and took a deep breath laid my hands on my Bible and whispered softy, " Lord, please, I need you. I need your breath from heaven breathing on and in my life, please. I know you, I know you are faithful and true. I am broken and in need of you, please." I opened my Bible and began to read from Romans. I came across a familiar verse and then lighting. Complete revelation. I called on the Lord he heard my cry and answered me.

Romans 1:16-17
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will LIVE by faith." (emphasis added)

My heart sored and I did a little dance right there in my living room. My soul leapt at the words of God that are so alive. Yes, I believe God came for all. Yes, I know righteousness is found in God alone. However, I had not been LIVING in faith!

Maybe my lack of faith was because the lenses that I view life out of were muddy. Life was pouring, I mean a thunderstorm with the ability to flood all in its way. I had the wrong perspective. I had allowed the storm off life to build up like mud on my glasses and therefore cause me to stumble and fall. I sat there like a two year old kicking and screaming for someone to come and get me. When all I had to do was run. Run to the one that I knew was there. Run to the voice that was calling me, run to the one that has ALWAYS been true. The one and only God who has never left me. The God who loves me just as I am and always forgives. But no, it was much more comfortable to sit there and scream and shake my fist and say where are you? I couldn't see. I couldn't see past the mud and gunk of life.

What if I would be brave? If I were brave, I would take off the glasses and run! No! If I were truly brave I would leave the muddy glasses on and RUN! Run straight to Jesus with the glasses on because it doesn't matter if I can see. It doesn't matter what life has handed me because we live by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) I run because his arms are wide open always ready. Arms that are Almighty and Everlasting.

Lord, I want to be brave! I want to be brave in this situation. No, I want to be brave in ALL situations. The small things and the big things. Forgive me for sitting down in the mud and screaming. Make me brave and run to you in all things. I want to be brave and say like Paul,
I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstance. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret to being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

I want to be brave! I want to be brave! He is calling me out of the boat and I want to be brave! I want to have true faith. Unquestioning faith that carries me passed every situation and carries me straight to Jesus. So as life still storms I am looking through different glasses. Looking to the one that is with me in the storm. Allowing the storm to bring about living water in my life that reaches to all the pain and bears good fruit. Fruit that will last and bring Him glory.

Are you looking at life through the right glasses? Are the muddied up from life? Run! Be Brave and Run to the one that is calling you out of that place. LIVE in your faith. Trust him for He is good. Be brave!