It sneaks up on me, sometimes.
I might check facebook, and see pictures posted by friends, some much younger than I, who seem to be living the life I hoped I might by now. One posts pictures of her adorable little girls, another of her new baby boy. Another just got engaged.
I’m happy for all of them, I really am. But that voice creeps up in my heart…why them, and not me?
I started kind of telling the Lord off about it, the other day. After all, David was pretty honest with God about his feelings in the Psalms. I think the Lord likes us to be too.
Gently, He reminded me of what His response when Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” of the disciple John.
“What is that to you? You follow Me!”
I sighed. “Okay, yeah, I get it, Lord. But You ask hard things.”
“Yeah,” He gently replied. “Like the cross?”
Oh, right. Touché.
He’s good at putting things in perspective.
A writing friend shared with me how, once when a close friend of hers was unhappy about being in a certain life situation—which this writer herself would have given almost anything to be in—the Lord spoke to them that, for whatever reason, these conflicting places were exactly what He had for each of them right now. That spoke to me.
The other night I read a news article about the resurgence of Al Quaeda in Iraq, apparently stronger than ever, and the ever-present threat of deadly and horrible attacks the Iraqi people face every day. I don’t understand why I am, in many ways, so blessed when much of the world is desperately hurting.
There is much I don’t understand.
But I know God. And that He is strong, and He is loving. That is more important than knowing “why.” All our striving can’t make anything happen unless He is behind it. And nothing can stop what He wants to do from coming to pass, either.
Whatever you are waiting for or struggling with, may keeping your eyes on Him be your hope and peace today.
“Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.” ~Psalm 73:25-28
