Prayers for a Sister in Christ - #32 -- hope.

 I wrote this back in December of 2012..... in a season of still waiting. As I found it today -- I knew it needed to be reposted - as is!  

A message of HOPE - God's promises.

HOPE is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives to us to control our fears, not to oust them.  - Vincent McNabb

Do not be afraid of your enemies: the LORD your God himself will fight for you!  Deut. 3.22


Exodus 14.14... The Lord is fighting for me, I need only be still -- 

 When I talk to God, I normally start out all happy and sweet -- and I always thank HIM for what HE did for me -- taking my sin to the Cross.     But...

   Sometimes   my (our) PRAYERS are tearful and HARD  when  we have a burden for one or some or a situation that needs a MOUNTAIN moved and you fast...you pray....and get discouraged that perhaps 'that' is not God's will...and yet, HE moves a bit of the mountain and then you think..."OK GOD...."   "next".......

Prayer.  Prayer.  Prayer.

When IN that despair of a prayer -- where YOU want the mountain to be moved in such a manner that YOU can't SEE any other resource or plan ...... and yet, God says... WAIT....

God says....WAIT....

God is quiet....and says nothing, which means to me -- "what was the last thing I told you Michelle? "   WAIT...

OK  -- I will wait.  

When you are in that season -- it can be WELL within my soul...but it STILL sucks.  It just does at times.  

 

And that is what I am doing -- but in that waiting - it is HARD.  And do I question my faith at times...
Yes?   Yes.  I do -- I am human.

I am unsure of the WHOM is reading this -- but God wants you to know -- it may 'look' like I have it all put together, but  it is only HIS GRACE that sustains me and the constant fevered pitch of a desperate prayer that I repeat -- "Lord, I need a bone here -- a bread crumb or a glimmer of HOPE ...a sign to let me know -- I am EXACTLY WHERE you want me and I am to NOT give up or give in...".  


  The past few days have been days where my flesh wanted to doubt God and be mad at God for HOW HE allowed this or that -- but the Holy Spirit within me reminded me that I am NOT that same person I was some 5-10 years ago and I am not the same person I was -- even just a year ago.  


God is growing me up.  
God reminded me quite clearly yesterday - I am not a child anymore... nor a toddler...or a teen...HE sees me as a grown up ... young adult in HIM that has more maturing to do -- but WHOM ...HE has set free and....


HE has asked me to serve HIM.  Period.  


Yesterday, I also asked God to give me something -- like I wrote earlier..."Lord...a bone...?"   


And HE did.  I will blog more about this-- have to let this sink in my thoughts, but HE gave me this...  Jesus said we are to come to him like children.  ....Humble...with a child like faith.  Jesus did not ask us to come to God -- childish...pouting.... and expecting a quick fix.  


Wow. 



And then I found this in my bible - it is from a Jesus Calling devotional: 

  To My Son or My Daughter...my loved one -- beloved:
 -- keep your eyes on Me. I am with you, taking care of you in the best way possible. When you are suffering, My care may seem imperfect and inadequate. You see relief and I make you wait - but just remember, There are different ways to wait, and some are much better than others. Beneficial waiting involves looking to Me continually - trusting and loving Me.

Thank me in this time of neediness, when you must depend on Me more than usual, do not waste this opportunity by wishing it away or running from it. Don't let any past or present suffering contaminate your view of the future. I am the Lord of your future, and I have good things in store for you - one more thing --


HIS promises --

 The Lord is  good to those who wait for Him....and to the soul who seeks HIM - Lam 3.25

 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.  --Isa 40.31


Romans 8.28 - We know that all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose  ....


For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity , to give you a future and a hope.  Jer 29.11


So, I have my two children in mind this am, but I also have a few certain people that as I write and continue to pray for them ....it is only 'they' who can grab a hold of these promises and engrave them on their heart -- 'they' have to do it.  I pray they do today -- and know what I know -- GOD wins.

Which means....THEY will win too!
 

So yesterday  was a TOUGH day.  But how do I explain all these emotions running  around within my head.  Right now, the Holy Spirit reminds me of that verse that says:  

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
  There are two women that are gracing my heart this early am -- as one is fighting for her family and walking in  a new found dynamic of circumstances....and another is literally having to FIGHT for her life and family because of  an other's  abusive actions.

So with that -- LORD.....  may each of those women know that they know...YOU are fighting for them today -- move the mountain -- bring forth beauty from the ashes and fix it Lord.  It hurts too much to watch anymore -- I have released them both many moons ago -- but my compassion for them remains.  LORD -- help.  And Satan - get the hell away from them.   I bind the enemy's use of others within them...I bind the enemy and he will flee -- he  -- the enemy has NO right within the walls of those homes.  IN Jesus name.  Amen. 


Thank you Lord.