As Good As Dead!

I’ve been considering what it means to come to the end of myself, of my own strength, and fully trust in and rely upon an almighty God who has all the power needed and more, to do all that He has promised. 

Sometimes it’s easy to look at and listen to the obstacles in our way. To contemplate our own mortality and weaknesses and to be persuaded that nothing will change.
Sometimes God keeps encouragement away from us until we learn to trust Him without it!
I am an encourager and thrive upon encouragement. This is a steep climb for me!
As a dreamer, I am always looking for signs that point out the way ahead and planning the ‘best’ route. It’s funny, but in all of my dreams, I am never ‘as good as dead’! I plan my rescue way before that!

Now, there is nothing wrong with dreaming, Joseph was up there with the best of them! Nor is there anything wrong with planning. God loves that He made us this way… Creative thinkers and strategists. BUT in the dry desert of now, with my eyes pealed for a sign and my ear to the ground for any sound of direction, I am undergoing an important test to prove my faith. All I need to do is look upon His face, listen to His voice and cling to Him with all my might!

With an utterly thankful heart, I continue to hope for His help alone and to know without doubt that He will direct my footsteps despite my best laid plans!

Sometimes, when the need arises, our good God in all His wisdom will choose to wait until we are ‘as good as dead’ in our own strength so that His glory shines out above the hopelessness surrounding us.
And even I can see that in the long run, which, as followers of Jesus, we are in for, it’s not a bad plan!

Today, these words from Psalm 71 underline all that I know to be true.

‘You have allowed me to suffer much hardship,
But you will restore me to life again
And lift me up from the depths of the earth.
You will restore me to even greater honour
And comfort me once again. ‘

My eyes and ears are On Him and I as I reflect back on this past year, I realise that I am  really getting the hang of this ‘Sing and Cling’ moto of mine.

‘But see His kindness’

 

 

Today, I skimmed through last year’s diary. I needed to retrieve some important information from the back pages. I copied it down quickly and placed the grubby moleskin in the bin.
Within a minute, I’d pressed the peddle and retrieved it. Somehow, discarding this little book felt enormously weighty and wholly disrespectful.

I opened it again, this time from the beginning-January 1st 2015.

I set my course of thanksgiving some time ago but could I really remain thankful with the past year before me?

Periodically, I’ve swiped through my phone’s photo stream, looking for a particular picture and I’ve experienced a visual ‘life review’, my life ‘flashing before my eyes’ so to speak. But within this scribbled chronology, words in my own hand, stopped me in my path and prompted me to consider again my present hope and the future glory that absolutely outweighs all that is past and provides me with a correct and healthy perspective.

 

I am resolved. I will continue to maintain a thankful heart in every circumstance and see His kindness through it all. I will not fall into the beckoning pit of self pity.

God is forever good and He will, in the end, make all things reflect that goodness.