Yet, Lord, not only that, but make me able also to say, "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me," (Phil. 4:12-13).
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I pondered these verses today as I reflected on my life in the last few weeks, months...When times get hard I often question God. I doubt Him. I don't understand why things have to be so hard. Am I so bad that I need that much refining? Does God let me go through pain simply for His own glory? No! But then, why?...
Today, in a day of calm and peace and joy, I made a small mistake. I stumbled. When I got up and brushed myself off, I thought about why things had happened the way they did. In tranquility I had relied on myself for a moment and promptly fallen on my face. During times of storm, relying on myself isn't even a possibility.
Proverbs 30 came to mind first as I thought about today, and I started to ask God that He would keep me in enough of a fight that I would see my need of Him, but give me enough peace so that I wouldn't doubt Him. Then I thought of Paul, and my prayer went deeper. "I can do all things...abased...abound...every where...all things..."
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Dearest Lord,
May I be so in love with You that what goes on around me doesn't matter. If all is birds and flowers, peace and joy, may we share that together. Yet, if all is dark and dreary, painful and bitter, may we face that together as well. Join me to You with cords of Love that nothing will break. Take all of me all the time, not just some of me or most of the time. Keep me faithful. In all things, everywhere, strengthen me.
In ever growing love,
Katie
Amen! #Godissogood
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