Father,
We are pressed on every side. We are stretched and we are pruned and we feel very much at ends. No we are not persecuted in the outward way as so many were who have gone before us. Or even our brothers who live overseas and know the penalty for being called Yours. We are well-fed and we are well-clothed and we are well-sheltered. We do not lack and we are in abundance of material things. It is a more subtle way that we have been called to die to self in this season. It is the waiting on You in Your plan for our lives. It is the forsaking of desires that You Yourself gave us. It is the journey of longevity that tries and tests us. The arrows of the enemy do not fly at us in the forms of whips and chains as they did Your Son. Instead they sail at us through emails and in hidden agendas of backbiters. It is the underutilization that constantly ails us year in and year out. And this it does daily. We wake up day in day out face-to-face with Your friend Humility with all of the bravery we can possibly muster. How can we complain when You went through so much? We have not yet even faced bloodshed. But we would combust if we did not share our hearts. That they are breaking each day this journey unfolds revealing a life of surrender. Because just when we entered a place of rest, it was shaken up and the testing began again. We do not understand Your ways. We are not even sure the testing will ever end. The promotion will ever come. The fruit will ever bear. Even though we’ve seen it come before. Will it come again? Give us peace to follow You when we don’t understand. Give us hope to believe when we don’t see. Give us strength to continue when we desperately want to quit. For Wisdom tells me these tests are but small things for what is to come. They are only to build us up for what lies ahead. And these are but minor crosses compared to the one we are called to bear.
Yours,
Nicole
Key scriptures:
Luke 14:27
Hebrews 12:4
2 Corinthians 4:8
SHALOM
