Rough Week.

The results of giving a situation to God are incredible. This past week was a hard one for me. An incident occurred that had me angry, crying, doubting and feeling completely isolated. Responding to it in a "fleshy" way would've made this already rough situation completely destructive. Instead, I prayed. I literally cried out to the Lord in my bedroom on Wednesday night. I'm not sure how long I was on my knees to Him. But when I crawled into bed that night, there was a sense of peace, knowing that I was bearing the yoke of the Lord, one that was easy and light. Granted, the pain and sin didn't just disappear overnight. I faced major spiritual attack all day Thursday and Friday until the situation was resolved. I knew that this situation was in desperate need of healing, and who better to heal than God himself? I knew I couldn't do it. My sin would corrupt my thoughts, motives and speech and would break God's heart. I asked Him Wednesday night to let the Spirit consume my thoughts and my heart. However this situation was to play out, I wanted God to be glorified. 

When the time came to face the situation, God worked. He healed my hurt, He mended the brokenness, He clarified the confusion. He worked through me and in the situation to bring glory to Himself, and He did so with such beautiful grace.

What I learned from all of this: Glorifying God through hard situations will bring joy that is in no way possible if I were to try to fix it on my own.

Keeping my mind set on how best to keep Christ in the spotlight was what it took, but the joy I feel now and the revelation of His Sovereignty are fully present in my heart.

Thank you Jesus, for the Holy Spirit. Guidance, direction, conviction, and motivation...none of which I would've had without that precious gift. And this precious gift of having Jesus with me always would never have happened if He hadn't have died for me. The death on the cross would've never occurred if God didn't love us enough to send His One and only Son. 

I not only felt the Holy Spirit and witnessed It's  power, I was also reminded of the Trinity and the absolute necessity of it. Thank you Father, Spirit, and Son for giving me a grace so undeserving.

Here are some lyrics from a song that a band here in Harrisonburg, Va (Aletheia) that summarizes all that I've felt this week:

Grace undeserving

Though You were angry

Your anger turned away from us

Our great God

You showed Your love

That while we hated You, You died for us

You demanded blood for my mistakes

Though my own, You did not take

At the cross, You bore what was for me

There they kissed, righteousness and peace

Oh Christ, You humbled Yourself

Became sin for us

And made us alive in You