Trust in the Lord

Some days I feel so burdened by everyone I know who is hurting so deeply. Today I am reminded that Proverbs 3:3 says "Trust in the Lord and do not depend on your own understanding". Wow!! Seems so simple yet it is so profound. As I sit here asking God "why her?", "why that one?", "what could your purpose possibly be in that", He reminds me to get out of my worldly head and focus my eyes on Him. Then I go to II Samuel 11-13.... OK, how does this work? David, the mightiest kind so far in all of the Israel, whom God says is a man after his own heart, gets so caught up in himself he takes Bathsheeba for himself and then is afraid he's going to get caught so he has her husband killed! How often, do I do wrong and then think I can hide from God? that mindset is so crazy when I know that I know that God knows and sees ALL, yet I still sometimes try to hide. Or, how about this, I try to cover it up like David did. I tell myself, " Well, I know I did this wrong, the Lord will hopefully forgive me (notice I haven't even asked God to forgive me yet, nor had David), but maybe if I just do this really good thing, I'll just not have to deal with the consequences of my sin." I don't think God works like that (and we shouldn't either as parants). When David is busted (when Nathan brings to light that God knows exactly what he has done), David repents (that should be my first thought after I realize I've messed up), but God tells David there will be consequences. No matter how much David fasted, prayed, probably begged God, God still punished David. When we do wrong, we need to be punished (just like our kids do) so that we will remember the error of out ways and not return to "our own vomit" like those of the world do. Then......it struck me like a ton of bricks.. Our God is so abundantly good! As soon as the baby dies that was a result from David's sin, God blesses he and Bathsheeba with another son. Not just any son, but the son who is going to be even greater than David as a leader, they have the future king Solomon!! How good is out God? So good, that even when we, His children, mess up, He still loves us and has so many blessings set aside for us. All He asks of us is to repent, acknowledge Him and turn from our sinful ways. How often I look at my circumstances and think "why me?", then I look back and remember something I may have done or thought that I did not cast off and repent for. I think it is so important to take time each and every day to reflect on the day that just passed and recognize where we went wrong and ask for forgiveness, then focus our eyes back on our Heavenly Father who is there to pick us up and help us stay the course.
I know this post is really rambling, but I feel like that's what my mind is doing today, it's rambling. I go back to the beginning about all of those hurting so deeply. My heart is absolutely breaking for teens right now. I know of so many that are hurting and have such a difficult time getting out of the world to get their eyes back on God. I wish I could just reach in, wrap them up in a big hug, whisper in their ears that God so loves them that He gave His one and only precious baby boy to DIE for them. How can you look in the mirror and not see how preciuos you are?! God LOVES YOU!!!! I feel like Satan is on the war path to destroy marriage and our God has said "It's not time yet". I do know that I can storm the gates of Heaven on behalf of each marriage and each teenager and pray the blood of Jesus over each one. I do know that God has given me the power throught the Holy Spirit to stand in the gap for them when they can't seem to see the light (yet). We WILL win this battle. This is not a battle of flesh and blood, but a spiritual battle. Satan is already defeated in the Heavenly realm, we just need to keep up the good fight and defeat him here. I'm donning my spiritual battle gear today; my breatplate of righteousness, my sword of the His Holy Spirit, my feet are firmly planted in His truth, my helmet of salvation (no one can take that away!), and my shield of faith. Most days I do totally have the faith that can move mountains. I believe with all that is in me that God will restore marriages, he will save these hurting teens, He will cure these babies of cancer. God is on the move and He is much, much more powerful than that nasty, ugly Satan who is also prowling in our midst. We will defeat him!!!!!
Thank you Lord for the power of the cross! You have given each of us the power through the Holy Spirit to put Satan under our feet! I see Jesus riding the white horse to battle asking who will join him. I say to him "yes Lord, I will ride with you!" Some days the ride is so hard and I want to throw in the towel, but then I remember again that God tells us to not trust in our own understanding, His ways are so much higher. I will trust God today!! I will keep my eyes up not focusing on what I can see but focusing on His Word that shines the light on all that is evil. Light whens over darkness every time. We don't shine dark into the light, we shine light to overcome the dark.
I will ride with Jesus today!