“Tell her that her sad days are gone…” Isaiah 40:2
Parenting is hard! I remember watching my daughter learn how to walk. I wanted so much to keep holding her hand to prevent her from falling, but I couldn’t. If I did so, I would succeed in keeping her from falling, but I would also be hindering her ability to walk on her own – which IS the ultimate goal. And so to achieve that ultimate goal I had to let go. I had to watch her struggle to take those steps on her own. I had to watch her fall over and over again, occasionally hurting herself – although not usually. I had to stand by and let her fall, BUT I was ALWAYS there to pick her back up again. If she cried, I was ALWAYS there to cheer her back up and let her know it was going to be ok. If she hurt herself, I was ALWAYS there to clean her up and make it all better. I was always there for her.
Just like Jesus is always here for you.
Stand firm Dear One! “Stand firm in your faith or you will not stand at all.” Isaiah 7:9 HCSB Stand firm and know that while you may not be able to feel Him in this moment that doesn’t mean that He’s not still there. A teacher is always quietest during the test. đŸ˜‰
Hear this today my friend; by NO means does God’s silence equate an indifference to your struggle!!!!!
Trust me when I tell you that He is never more attentive to you than in those moments when He is testing you for “done-ness”. God is a master chef in the kitchen of life sticking His Almighty finger in the soup to see if it needs more salt. If God is testing you today, take heart that it’s not a matter of passing or failing the test. It’s a matter of God testing to see if you need more butter or salt, patience or joy. He’s not testing to see if you’ll do the “right” thing, He’s testing to see what He needs to do next to make YOU more like Jesus.
And maybe like Isaiah 40:2 says, He’s decided to turn down the heat a bit so that you don’t burn. I don’t know about you, but seeing those words penned to Jerusalem brought a prayer springing to my heart that begged for them to be for me today too. I want so much for the “sad days” to be gone! He does that you know; turn down the heat. He is such a wonderful Creator, I’m sure you’ll taste WONDERFUL when He’s all done making you!
Tamar Knochel 