I spoke these words to a friend; sharing some of my story and all that happened over this past year.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I shared stories.
Stories of fear.
Stories of heartache.
Stories of sickness.
Stories of hopelessness.
Stories of VICTORY.
And the best part about every one these stories was that they all started in hopelessness, but always ended in victory.
Every single time.
Victory didn't always quite look like I expected it to, or even "wanted" it to at the time.
It looked better.
It looked stronger.
It looked like seemingly impossible beauty created from hopeless, frail ashes.
I wish that wasn't how perseverance worked, because it's really freaking hard. And it's painful. But would it really be a victory if there was never a war fought?
We can't deny it's truth painted everywhere:
The bitter death of plants by Winter, for the beautiful and bright season of Spring.
The biology of our muscles to be broken down and damaged through weightlifting, to be rebuilt stronger and sturdier, able to endure even more weight.
Crashing rainstorms and downpours, for the rainbow bloom of millions of wildflowers.
Endless, exhaustive, physical training to cross the finish line of a marathon.
The Truth of His promise literally stamped into the biology of our cells and the ecology of our universe.
Endure. Persevere. Grow.
Hold on. Stay strong. Heal.
Fight. Don't give up. Gain.
When The Bible says that all of Creation is singing His Name, I believe it is quite literal. If you could hear it through the rustling of every tree branch and bursting beam of sunlight, I think it would sound a lot like this:
"God is faithful".
One of the best ways to find courage is by looking back on how far He has taken you. Looking at where you used to be, and where you are now.
He was faithful then, He IS faithful now.
As nature reminds us of His faithfulness, our stories ought to be the proof. Don't be ashamed of them, freely share them with others. For it's a testament to not only the listeners, but also to the teller. It may just surprise your heart to hear yourself speak the victories you've found from the war you once fought.
With great TRUST, comes great bravery.
So don't give up. Just because your victory hasn't arrived, does not mean it won't. Remember how far He has taken you. Remember what He's delivered you from.
Spring is just around the corner.
-Han
"My enemies did their best to kill me, but The Lord rescued me. The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me victory." -Psalm 118:13-14
"In Your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall. God's way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection." Psalm 18
"Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance-- all who seek the Lord. Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined. Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only a man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation. The Lord will comfort Israel again and have pity on her ruins. Her desert will blossom like Eden, her barren wilderness like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found there. Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air." Isaiah 51:1-3
No comments:
Post a Comment