โLord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future.โ
ย Psalm 16:5 (CSB)
I have had many moments when I thought my heart would break into a million pieces. Thereโs one particular time when I struggled with health issues that left me broken. During those times, I was living what felt like a hand to mouth existence. I was desperate for God. Desperate to feel his peace.ย And while my heart was breaking, I certainly didnโt feel Godโs blessings.
Walter Cisrek was a Jesuit priest imprisoned in a Russian work camp in Siberia. He was sentenced to fifteen years of hard labor for sharing the message of Jesusโ love. He wrote this passage as he reflected on his life work:
โโฆwe for our part can accept and offer back to God every prayer, work or suffering of the day, no matter how insignificant or unspectacular they may seem to usโฆbetween God and the individual soul, there are no insignificant moments.โ
Yes, God shows up no matter where we are just like He did for Walter Cisrek in Siberia . He promises that โโฆwhen we are in over our head, Iโll be there with you.โ Isaiah 43:2 (MSG). When life doesnโt make sense or when a situation is beyond our understanding, we can be assured that God is in control of the uncontrollable in our lives because our God cares.
Iโm a good mess. Not a hot mess but a good mess. As a good mess I need constant reminders, that Godโs plans for me are good (Jerimiah 29:11) and that despite my desire to control all the details of my life, I have chosen to follow Jesus.
Itโs easy for me to get lost in the uncontrollable status of my current situation. I stay in the rocking chair of โwhat ifs,โ feeling as though the outcome is all on me. And today, since I am reminded through Godโs word of His promises, I can choose to trust Him, moment by moment.
A favorite worship song that I like to sing is called WayMaker says, โEven when I canโt see him, Heโs working. Even when I canโt feel Him, heโs working. He never stops working.โ ย What a beautiful reminder that God gives us the strength we need to make it through this life!
As a believer in Jesus, I love how I have access to the Holy Spirit, who quietly comes to remind me that โGod…is the Great (Blessed) Controller of all the things in my life…โ 1 Timothy 6:15 (PHILLIPS) And he has assigned me โโฆmy portion and my cup of blessing.โ Psalm 16:5 (CSB)ย
One writer wrote, โGod is faithfulโฆbut his servants still know pain. God is faithfulโฆbut his followers still experience depression. Yet we can unanimously confirm that God can be trusted, relied on, and believed in. He is a faithful God.โ
Reflectionย
Take a moment to reflect on the โuncontrollablesโ in your life. The thought of letting go and trusting God for your future can cause many feelings. Sometimes anxiety, sometimes hopefulness. Try this method to help with focus. Inhale and sayย โGod,โ as you exhale, reflect with the thought โyou are faithful and even when I canโt see it, youโre always working.โ Then say this prayer.
Song Reflection: “Way Maker”ย (Written by Osinachi Kalu Okoro Egbu and can be found on all streaming platforms and performed by several artists)
Prayer
Jesus, thank You for your faithfulness.ย I want You to be the Blessed Controller of all things in my life. Even in my moments of doubt and fear, Iโm so thankful that You are the God who shows up and that Iโm never alone. Help me to hold to this truth, especially when things are not as they should be. Help me to live for You in times of plenty and times of want.ย Amen.
Click above for the video accompaniment to this devotional.
Click here to go to โFix Your Thoughtsโ, the third devotional in this series.
