Relief or Relationship

Just a little Story

The little girl sat down on a tiny bench in her room.  She watched as the storms came closer.  Her own heart began to flutter and beat wildly.  Soon, all she wanted to do was scream but there was no one to hear and no way out of the room.  Instead, she said a simple prayer and trusted that her Father would hear her and protect her.  He drew near to her, but the storms continued on and her fears continued to get the best of her.  This went on for some time and occasionally she would feel Her Father's peace and rest in Him but soon her fears and anxieties would crop up again.  After battling them a while, she would look to her Father and seek His comfort.  Sometimes it came, sometimes she didn't feel it.  But she continued to sit on her little bench.  Throughout it all she trusted the Father though often she found herself in the place of crazy emotions as she watched the storms overtake her home.  Ultimately, the storms came and destroyed her home, killing the little girl.  She was barely aware of her death, because she found herself holding the hand of her Father as He walked her Home.  He whispered to her "I love you, well done my child, you battled the storms and trusted in me - Welcome Home."      

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Relief

Sometimes as I walk this life, my emotions get the best of me.  Lately, life has felt like nothing short of a roller coaster, and a wild one at that.  I believe I could walk in peace and trust in the Father completely but I stumble believing that I need to always FEEL these things.  Feelings are fickle but Trust is not dependent on situations or our feelings.  Lately what I've sought is relief from my fears, frustrations, sickness, and sadness but what I really need to do is seek Him.  Our God is Is soo much more than temporary relief.  He is Creator, Savior, Teacher, Comforter, All that is good, Love, Truth, True Peace, Life, Etc.  Whether relief comes or not, I can walk trusting in the One who can use all situations for good.  He offers us a relationship with the Living God.  For as often as we talk about it, I think we miss on the amazing gift that He offers in giving us the gift of relationship.  Truly, what do you most value in a friend..what they give you or the time spent with them?  Hands down it's time but so often we seek only the gifts of God.   A life journeying with God is surely a life well lived.  I can seek him in my misery as much as in my joy.  He is more than able to journey with us while we suffer as much as when we dance.  Seeking and receiving relief does not teach my heart to trust the Lord but teaches my whole being to seek comfort.  Seeking Him teaches my heart to trust and rest in my God no matter what circumstances happen.    

My prayer for myself and whomever may read this is that our lives could echo the voice of the psalmist in 131.  V2: "But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me."

Similariy, my prayer is to truly understand what Paul asserts to understand in the book of Philippians 4:11  "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."

May you know the gift of walking with the Lord, who walked our same road and promised to Never leave us.  Cling to Him no matter what griefs come your way and no matter what in your life never seems to change no matter how much you pray about it.  Healing may or may not come, but His goodness does not change and He loves you like crazy.  Seek Him while He can still be found and know the joy of living a life with the Best friend a person could ever ask for.