And y'all, I feel like sometimes we can play this game with the Lord. We can proclaim His greatness in the good times, but cross our arms and call Him names and doubt His plan when things don't go our way. When He gives us good gifts and and works according to our roadmap, we are happy to tell people what a great God He is. But when He withholds our wants, takes away things or people dear to us, or changes our plans completely, we become silent. But the only thing that has changed is our circumstances. Not God.
That same little princess was with my mom and me running errands in Home Depot recently. She was decked out in a sequin headband, rhinestone on her nose, princess shirt tucked into leggings and shiny slip ons. She was rocking life that day. She informed my mom that she wanted to push the buggy...alone. Miss Independent took over, strapped her baby doll in the seat, and started to go. But she shocked us when she turned to my mom and said, "Now, you lead the way!" My mom quickly said, "Yes m'am," and I brought up the rear. It made me smile to see that even though she wanted her independence, she knew she didn't know where she was going. She trusted my mom to lead so she could follow. She trusted me to follow her, making sure that she didn't get lost along the way. And it made me think of this verse:
"You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head."
Psalm 139:5 NLT
As much as we want to blaze our own trail, we have to remember that we alone are helpless. But the Lord wants to be our Helper. He knows what is behind us, what is happening right now, and what is to come. We can trust that no matter our circumstances, He will hem us in behind and before.
When we allow Him to be our guide and our protector, it helps us to praise Him in the good times in the bad. When we ask Him to place His hand of blessing on us, we can trust that He is working all things for good, even if it doesn't look like it or feel like it in the moment. And it will help give us the strength to share what He is doing in our lives, even if we feel unequipped.
In Psalm 71:15, David says, "I will tell everyone about your righteousness, All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words." And in verse 17, "O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me."
My sweet friends, even though your feelings may tell you the Lord loves you and is for you one day...and He is the meanest another...hold on to the truth that He is constant. Right there with you, never changing, your solid ground when circumstances don't look like you pictured them. And be ok with saying, "God, I don't know what you're doing, but I will trust. I don't understand why you allow good things to be given and taken away sometimes. But I will let you lead, and I will not fear or dwell on what's behind me. I will praise you in the good and praise you in the bad. And I will tell others the same." Amen.
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