Every day, every way

I was starting to read a devotion by one of my favorite authors (Holley Gerth) when she mentioned she felt God ask, ‘Will you let me use you, right here and right now?’ I put the book down and responded in my heart: ‘Every day, in every way’. But will I?

At the time I was reading this, the day didn’t have anything challenging happening. No demands were being made on my time or resources. I was in a content and happy mood. But what about on a day when everything seems to be going wrong? Or a day when I want to run the other direction from current circumstances?

It reminds me of Gideon – at one of his lowest moments God calls him to do something monumental. His reaction is basically ‘Who me? I’m no warrior, I’m the lowest of the low.’ Or Joseph whose been in and out of slavery and prison and now the ruler of Egypt wants him to interpret a dream and then wants him to be second in the command of the kingdom. I have to believe that he probably thought: ‘I’m not so sure I can do this’.

My head knows I’m supposed to say to myself: trust God – it won’t be my strength or wit or power, it will be His. But what I really say in those times is: I can’t. And figuratively stomp my foot (just for emphasis).

What I’ve found is those two words are true. I can’t – but in God’s unfathomable ways, He does it through me. Sometimes it’s a painful process. But all the time, it turns out better than all the ways I could have strategized.

What about you right now at this moment? Has God asked you to do something you would rather not? Or are you facing a crisis that you want to wake up from and find out it’s a bad dream? Or have circumstances built one upon another until you’re frustrated, exhausted, and plain old fearful of what’s next?

I prayed for you before you read this – because I have been there. Tomorrow or this afternoon I will probably be in the midst of something too big for me. Our life in this world is never going to be ‘carefree’. Who came up with that phrase anyway? We have many cares – the free part is when we release them into Jesus’ hands.

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32 NLT) – Jesus said that when He was speaking to religious leaders, but His word transcends time and is there for our hearts. The truth is He has all our cares in His capable hands. Best of all the truth is: someday we will be carefree because our life on earth is only the beginning. Truth – God’s truth – is our freedom.