HEAVENSREEF

If you are like me………you don’t enjoy pain.  Pain can be physical, mental and spiritual.  There is a deep pain that happens within us that can be far more damaging than we can imagine, but only if we allow it.  GOD has us in HIS perfect provision, but often we need to wrestle honestly with HIS provision.  We want to fix problems.  But what do we do when they are far beyond our ability?

I often turn to Psalms when I am wrestling with a problem……..David’s heart cries become my own and I quickly embrace his words on the page…….

PSALM 28: 1  “I PRAY TO YOU, O LORD, MY ROCK.”

When we wrestle honestly, we should begin here…….where the LORD is.  Don’t focus on the problem, but focus on the PROBLEM SOLVER!

Because a hard problem can find you overwhelmed, hopeless and without purpose.  Honest wrestling with problems can take us to a place we don’t want to be or to admit……the true end of ourselves.  It’s a humble realization that we are never in control………GOD is!

PSALM 28: 1  “…….BE NOT DEAF TO ME, LEST, IF YOU BE SILENT TO ME, I BECOME LIKE THOSE WHO GO DOWN TO THE PIT.”

GOD is our only help and HE teaches us in our wrestling and pain to need HIM……no one else is worthy.

GOD USES OUR SIGNIFICANT WRESTLING TO TEACH US TO NEED ONLY HIM.

I have noticed that when I honestly wrestle within my soul that nothing around me and no one truly satisfies my deep longing for a solution.  I can’t solve the issue and no one else can either!

PSALM 28: 2  “HEAR THE VOICE OF MY PLEAS FOR MERCY, WHEN I CRY TO YOU FOR HELP, WHEN I LIFT UP MY HANDS TOWARD YOUR MOST HOLY SANCTUARY.”

In our wrestling there is a choice…….to let the problem overwhelm or to hand it over to the GOD who is the ultimate solution.  Sometimes we cannot fix things………only GOD can.

And when you believe, this is your comfort.  We don’t have the ability to know and see all things, especially the future.  Only our GOD, our ROCK knows.  When we wrestle honestly, then we are authentic with our feelings with HIM.  HE already knows us, inside and out, so we might as well be completely honest with HIM, there is no getting around this.

When we wrestle honestly, there will be a beginning to it and eventually an end.  The end might not be the end to the problem, but there is an end to the wrestling.  Why?  Because when you hand the problem over to GOD, you trust HIM with it.  You trust that HE knows better than you.  Handing the problem to HIM leaves room then………for peace. 

PSALM 28: 6-7  “BLESSED BY THE LORD!  FOR HE HAS HEARD THE VOICE OF MY PLEAS FOR MERCY.  THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SHIELD; IN HIM MY HEART TRUSTS AND I AM HELPED.”

And I am helped…….you are helped…….HE helps everyone who comes honestly to HIM.  There is a peace HE gives, that goes beyond understanding and a calmness to the wrestling within. 

So may we weep and seek HIS favor in the deep wrestling in our souls.  But may we always come honestly and humbly before HIM in reverence and full disclosure.  GOD wants us to seek and come to HIM alone.  HE wants us to know that HE alone is our sure foundation.  HE wants us to draw near.  And when we do, HE draws near to us, securely and in HIS immeasurable love and peace! 

JAMES 4: 8  “DRAW NEAR TO GOD, AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU.  CLEANSE YOUR HANDS, YOU SINNERS, AND PURIFY YOUR HEARTS…….”