She Lives Encouraged

Hi my friend! I’m so glad you’re back to visit. I was away for a few weeks due to spring vacation and a new schedule to adjust to for our family.  So I took some time to rest and be with family, and to get ready for a little change in our life. But now that I’m back and we’re here together, let’s get encouraged!

After we vacation, our lives return to an ever so busy routine and schedule. And as we return, we feel rejuvenated, refreshed…but return to some things we may not have planned on. Some of those unplanned incidents occur during our day at work, at home, with friends, with family, with coworkers…things that happen you just can’t plan for. You know what I mean? And though, for myself, I didn’t feel like I needed or wanted to get away again, I did feel like, “What is going on? Is there anyone out there to listen? Anyone out there to see what I’m experiencing right now? Helloooo, anyone out there?” No answer.

I shared with you a couple of weeks ago in “Everything Is Gonna Be Alright” about trials I lived through. One of them being my husband losing his job. Thankfully, he has been working since, but the Lord blessed us even more with a new job opportunity with a new employer that he started two weeks ago.  Thank you Lord!! (hands raised to heaven!) Now we have been in the adapting and transitioning stage of new routines in the morning and evening for ourselves and our children. And there is a lot for each of us to get used to with a new routine after so many years.

I’ll be honest, three days into the new routine I was exhausted! Working full-time, waking while it’s still dark and coming home afterwards with all that’s required of a mom and wife can take a toll. And for a day or so, I looked around at my house, my work, my desk, myself and said, “Oh my goodness…what a mess! Am I the only one? Am I alone in this?”

(Yes, please, I’ll even accept the tiniest violin).

What a mess. It’s something we’ve all said. It’s something we’ve all seen.  That’s what the Israelites were saying when they felt God had deserted them. They looked around and they felt He had forgotten about them. They felt He had left them on their own. But, it is quite the contrary, God had them on His mind the whole time. And it’s the same today: God was and still is pursuing you and me. You’ve heard this a million times and I will tell you again: He loves you. And YOU are always on His mind.

You see, there was destruction all around the Israelites. The walls to their city were demolished. They had been overtaken. In some of the worst times in their lives, they looked around and asked where God is, but they answer that question themselves using their own eyes in, Isaiah 49:14 – “‘Yet Jerusalem says, “The Lord has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.'”(nlt)

Are you going through something that makes you feel like the Israelites did? Aren’t we just like them? Asking “Where are you God?” There are so many “messes” we go through in life. So many messes consisting of torn or shattered relationships, work-related issues, family issues, financial strife, etc. There are messy things that are visual to ourselves and others, and there are also the messy things that only we see in ourselves. Or how about the times and days where things happen that you just can’t plan on and everything seems to be one big mess…you know those kind of days – we still ask “Where are You, God? Have you forgotten about me? Can’t you fix this?”

I love that God answers all of our questions.  I love God’s answer to the Israelites in their statement that He has forgotten about them – Isaiah 49:15 – ‘“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!”‘ (nlt) Can you imagine Him answering? I hear His tone to prove His answer as truth. I know if one of my children asked me if I ever forget about them, my answer would be “Are you kidding me? Never could I or would I forget you!” And God is absolutely right! He never forgets us or leaves us because He promised  – “For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b(nkjv) He knew exactly how to make us understand by using a mother as an example…we could never forget about our own children. Our lives revolve around their lives and their schedules, don’t they? Whether they are at home with us, or at school, or events and sports after school…we are always on the go with them. We could be working 8 hours a day or more, and though we are apart from them, they are always on our mind. So it is with God thinking of us…and our mess.

But He doesn’t stop there…He goes on to prove even more in Isaiah 49:16 – ‘”See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in My mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.”‘ (nlt) Just in case they or we didn’t quite believe Him, He continues and shows us, saying “Look! Look at My hand! Your name is on it…” And even more so He tells the Israelites that their ruins are always on His mind. Guess what? That’s for you and me too! Place your name and your mess in that verse – “Always in My mind is (your name here)(your mess here) in ruins”…yes, this is for us. He hasn’t forgotten about you. Ever. And He sees exactly what you’re going through. In the first portion of this chapter He tells us “in due time” He will make all things better! So, yes, He has a plan for this whole thing that we call a “mess”, but He’s got it all planned out!

Many others before have gone through a mess or found themselves in one, wondering what was God going to do? Joseph, David, Esther, Mary & Joseph, Peter, Paul, and the list goes on and on.  Had He forgotten about them?  No. Did He see the “mess” that they were in? Clearly. Did God take care of what they thought was a “mess”? Absolutely. You see, He didn’t leave them in the middle of that messy situation…He put everything in it’s place. Perfectly organized according to His plan. And oh what victories came out of all those messy situations!

It is still true for us today. I think of how He showed His hand with their name written on it.  And I think about if He showed His hand today, it would have our name on it along with something else – the nail scars that proved His love for us on the cross. He would still tell us, “Look, look at my hand…it shows my love for you.”  Yes, even on the cross we were on His mind. Another reason for us to “look” and “see” and most of all believe how much we are on His mind.

• I want to encourage you today, that whatever “mess” you are in…YOU are on His mind.
• I want to encourage you today, that when you feel like no one is around for you, when you feel like everyone has deserted you, when you feel like no one on this earth knows or understands what you are going through…believe that God is there right beside you in the midst of it all.
• I want to encourage you today, that whatever “mess” you are in…God knows about it. He cares about it. He has a plan for this “mess” to be all placed in an orderly fashion for His purpose. And most of all, He will use it for His glory – Isaiah 49:26b says, ‘”All the world will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.”‘(nlt)

My friend, I am so glad we had this time together. It’s good to know that we are not alone in this “messy” world we live in. Let’s raise our hands victoriously because God uses the “messy” things in our lives to prove to us and to the world He loves us and that He is our Savior and our Redeemer. Amen!