I have been struggling with a situation for about a month and I now realize that the struggle could last indefinitely. It has kept me awake at night when the thought of it pops into my brain. All I have been able to do with the thought is to say, "I trust you, Jesus." And then when the thought doesn't leave and I'm trying to sleep, I continually say, "I trust you, Jesus. I trust you, Jesus. I trust you, Jesus"...........and on and on and on. I think you probably get the idea. It's kind of along the lines of counting sheep.
Frankly, I haven't been too thrilled with the prospect before me of this lasting indefinitely. I DO trust Jesus in my life but I really don't want to spend every night laying awake repeating this over and over and over just so that I can fall asleep. You who struggle with a weak brain like me (that the enemy delights in turning against me), will understand what I am saying.
Well, anyway, this morning in my daily Bible reading, God evidently thought I had enough and chose to bless me with a scripture that was intended just for me. And I didn't even ask for it! I love it when He does that! The scripture was Philippians 4:4-13. When I read the first sentence which says, "Rejoice in the Lord always." I immediately stopped and read it again. "Rejoice in the Lord always." Wow.....I thought. There is way more than just trusting in Jesus when I struggle, I can rejoice in my struggle...........WoW!
I continued reading, "I will say it again, Rejoice." Boom! It hit me again, I can rejoice in my struggle! So cool. Of course, in my 36 years of being a Christ Follower, I've read this verse before, but I evidently hadn't read it when I was enduring a struggle such as the one I am dealing with now. I really had to sit and let that soak down into my soul.....meditate on it so to speak. Even as I write this, I find myself still meditating on it. That's pretty deep, at least for me anyway. Rejoice always! Always! Even in the midst of a struggle!
I was pretty pumped after reading and meditating on that. I then went back to the scripture and continued reading, "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." Another WoW moment! "The Lord is near!" Well, if the Lord is near, of course I should be rejoicing. There is nothing I want more in my life than to be near the Lord, and here in my face, is the Word saying that "He is near." Woohoo! He is near!
Continuing on, I read, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the Peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." At this point I am thinking, that this is exactly what I am needing.....and I didn't even know it. God knew exactly what I was needing and I didn't have a clue. I realized that I couldn't even ask God for what I needed because I didn't know. What a BIG God I have. He knows my needs before I do and meets them when I don't even know to ask. All I have to do is go to the Word when I am struggling and He will meet my need. "And my God shall meet all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus!" Philippians 4:19
My conclusion this morning is:
PEACE will guard my heart and mind when I REJOICE always!
That is what I'm needing right now; my heart and mind to be guarded with God's peace so that the enemy will not trample on them and that I can continue walking the walk as I follow my Master down His path.
It is my prayer for you that you also find Peace as you Rejoice always, even in the midst of your struggles.
Encouraginag You In Christ
All Praise, Honor and Glory to God!
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