Even When

Earlier this year in February, it had been a rough week to say the least. I was driving to school one morning with my little brother in the car because I always drop him off at school first. We were about 2 miles away from the school and my car started slowing down while I was pressing the gas. I was flooring the pedal and it wouldn’t go any faster than 40 mph. At the next intersection, it wouldn’t go any faster than 20 mph, but thankfully we were in a school zone. I got in line to drop my brother off and my car stopped altogether. (Keep in mind, I had just gotten my license 4 months prior to this. I have no idea how a car works!!) A principal from the middle school came out to see what was going on. She calmed me down and reminded me that today was the Lord’s day, and to tell the devil “not today.” She showed me that there were blessings in the middle of the mess. Instead of stopping on the side of the highway or in the middle of the road, my car stopped in a parking lot with people I knew that could help. A wrecker truck happened to be a few cars behind me to drop his kid off at school that morning. We got it all figured out, and all is well.

In the middle of my mess, I wanted to feel sorry for myself and sit there in tears. I wanted to cry and ask God “why me.” Why my car had to malfunction and why it had to be that specific week and why before school and the list could go on. I wanted to wallow in my pity party, but God sent the right person to shift my perspective that morning. She reminded me that it was just a test, and she challenged me to see the blessings. You never know how much seeing Jesus in the middle of the fire can bring you peace in the midst of the furnace. This reminded me of the story in Daniel 3 of the men placed in a blazing furnace as a test of their faith. They had the choice to deny God and live for the world or to choose God and be placed in a fire that was heated seven times hotter than usual. They had faith that God would rescue them from any situation that man tried to place against them. They were surrounded by flames, but untouched. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked in the midst of trial unbound and in peace because God was in the middle of the mess.

My word for this year is abdicate, which means to step down from power. God challenged me to walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) At the beginning of this year, God showed me this vision of Him placing a blindfold over my eyes and telling me that I needed to trust Him through it all, and that His plan was better. Man, that word has come to pass!! There have been many times this year already that I was unsure of the next step, and God led me through it with His grace and patience. I’ve been reminded plenty that we were never intended to understand it all, but we were intended to have faith in the One that does know. Many things have not gone according to my plan, and probably haven’t matched yours either, but I keep repeating “and if not, He is still good.” And if this doesn’t go my way, He is still good. I have learned that God’s plan is always better than mine.

If I can be honest for a moment, in the midst of the mess I was not as positive as I am now about it. I was stressed, confused, overwhelmed, you name it. Reflecting on the situations is where I saw how God protected me. The 3 men walked out of the fire and not a hair on their heads were singed. Their robes were untouched by the flames. Ya’ll, they didn’t even smell like smoke!! Now months later, I see that God truly did protect me and my little brother that day. I now see that even though flames were ablaze around me, God was still in the middle of the mess looking out for me the whole way. He knew what would happen, and He knew I was going to be okay. He sent the right people at just the right time. There is a saying that “The teacher is always quiet during the test.” Even when you don’t see God, I promise He is present. He didn’t let me walk through it alone, He had prepared me and sent me all of the people (aka the blessings) I needed to succeed. My prayer for every person that reads this blog is that you will see God in the middle of the fire.

Bad situations expose real roots. Trials reveal faith. Where are your roots? When a storm comes, you either grow from the rain or break from the winds. It's the roots that decide.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:2-6

Even when I’m in the midst of a mess, I know that God will bless it and turn it into a message.

Even when it’s hard, choose to have faith that God is working it out.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28