Early one morning much like other mornings as I commuted to work my mind wandered. Wandered about life. All of life.
Music on. Dark of morning. Chill of the fall day. Singing loudly. Off key. Of course.
Yes I will. Lift you high from my lowest valley.
Yes I will. Bless your name.
Oh yes, I will sing for joy when my heart is heavy.
All my days, oh yes, I will.
As I felt the words I sang with more intensity. Determination. A declaration. Yes, I will.
For sometime now I’ve made an attempt to remind us all including myself that we choose faith over worry, praise in the storm, and bring God our heart of worship because he is worthy, always. Even when the valley is the lowest valley we’ve ever walked.
And then I realized the message I’ve carried but struggled to type for several months was ready. Because we have a need. A desperate need.
To get real.
So, like it, love it, hate it…
Here it is…
Life is hard. Sometimes life simply sucks. It hurts. Days are long and nights are short. We stand in the face of our giant feeling defeated, weak, and scared. Overwhelmed. And sometimes the giant shows up unannounced and undeservingly. That is when the valley feels low, cold, and dark.
Over the last couple of weeks like many of you I read the tragic news of Toby Mac’s family. The sudden loss of their oldest son. My heart hurt for his family like it does for every tragic story I read in the news. Because it’s sad. I wondered if we all understood the profound share of their faith and commitment to a worthy God in the middle of their tragedy.
Do we have that same commitment? To boldly say that our relationship with our King is not based on his blessings and even in our darkest times he is worthy and it’s our honor to serve him.
I know I did.
Choice. It’s a choice. To praise our almighty God in the depth of our hearts, even when it’s the broken pieces of our hearts. God is in the depth of your hurt. Sometimes the choice to praise him is a heavier lift than other times.
As I drove this morning, turned off the music, and prayed about life, it all came together.
I don’t need a life coach.
I don’t want a life coach.
Here is where I’m going.
My relationship with my savior and king isn’t based on the blessings he bestows in my life. The prayers he answers the way I want and desire him to. And all of this sounds like what we all, myself included, do. We say it. But then we have to choose it. Because life is hard. I walk through valleys. I stand on a mountain. And I climb the mountain from the low of the valley. During all of those moments, he is still the same God. The changing part of the equation is me.
Where do I turn when I feel overwhelmed? When life is hard and unfair? Do I sing for joy because my joy comes from him, always. Am I claiming his goodness and praising his faithfulness when everyone around me is wondering how I can be so steady considering the hard times I’m walking through the same as when everyone is seeing the blessings I’m seeing.
If you are seeking a life coach there are plenty of them available. Life coaches pump you up with a 20 minute feel good sermon about how God has promises of good for you, has delcared you an overcomer, and life will be good. Which, don’t get me wrong, God’s promises are good. He has declared you an overcomer. You are the child of a King. His plans for you are to prosper. These promises are all worthy of you standing on during times of trouble.
But listening to a 20 minute feel good life coach sermon isn’t what will get you the strength to stand firm when the waves continue to crash tonight, tomorrow, next week, and much longer than you anticipated.
Sometimes we have to dig deep.
If you want more. If you are seeking an intimate relationship with the God of ALL your days. Then you’re going to have to give more. Sacrifice is required. You will need to give him your brokeness. Come before him with your heart on your sleeve. Grit. Determination. Choice.
In the lowest valley of your life, you will need to come to him. Lay on your face before him and let him be your peace, comfort, healing, and fill your brokeness with his presence.
In your weakness let him be your strength. Determine that you WILL sing for joy with your heavy heart. Shed some tears.
When you feel overwhelmed, go to him. Not your life coach lesson. Get on your knees and seek him.
He promises that if we will humble ourselves before him he will lift us up (James 4:10). And if we draw near to him, he will draw near to us (James 4:8).
Before we “feel good” we need to come to him with our broken heart and let him be our feel good.
Much love. Bobbie
