Our Problems, Our God

     Do you see that picture right above? That is the view from my bedroom window. OH  DON'T WORRY, I know it's not very pretty. I took this picture at the best possible angle. This is as much as you can see from my bedroom window. Mostly, all I see is this huge red brick house. Behind it could be anything. Beautiful mountains covered in snow, houses with Christmas lights gleaming, maybe even children at play building snowmen and freezing their backs making snow angels. Regardless of what could be behind it, all I can see is the huge red brick house.

     Isn't life this way sometimes? Most times. I woke up this morning feeling very sad and disappointed about a situation. I got frustrated. I was ready to lash out. I was ready to throw it up and say I DON'T CARE!!! I was ready to turn my back and get bitter. When I tried to see past my problem, all I saw was a huge red brick house. 

     Our eyes are so vital. What we see is usually what makes the difference between truth and falsehood. What we see makes us believe or not believe. 

     Girls and guys, whenever we are in a season of brokenness, we will always see the red brick house. Our puny little human eyes have vision so shallow and unimaginative. Every morning we wake up frustrated about the red brick house. We scream at it, try to knock it down, try to ignore it-- but it never ever goes away. And the truth is, it won't go away on its own! But wait!!! There's more…

     After hanging my head low and sulking for a few minutes, I was reminded not to use my own eyes to look out and try to see past my pain-- but to use my heart to look up at my Heavenly Father. The one who not only knows what's behind the red brick house, but is the only one who can truly knock it down and bring me into victory. 

     Isn't it funny how the best vision comes when we CLOSE our eyes?…When we stop trying to use our powerless human senses, but look to Jesus to fill the gaps for us? 

     I surrendered. I blasted "Cornerstone" by Hillsong (amazing worship song) and fell to my knees in worship. I leaned into what I know to be true because of what God has promised me in his word. He's promised me victory over every disappointment. He's promised me strength in my weakness. He's promised me comfort, a future, a bigger and better life! And this surrender is so sweet because it made me know that even when I do open my eyes again and see the red brick house standing there in its same place, the possibilities rest in His all-powerful, all-knowing love for me. 

     Isn't it exciting to know that the truth of God's word and God's love for us overcomes any and every stumbling block we come upon? Isn't it exciting to know that he is INTIMATELY involved in every detail of our lives…to know that he is God in the good times and in the bad times? We need to remind ourselves every day of what that means. Every day we need to surrender and remind ourselves that HE is God. Not us, not our red brick houses, not our disappointments…but Him. He is God and it's Him that rules!

     What is the red brick house in your way today? Can you not see past your singleness? Are you hoping that God will restore a relationship? Is it a sickness? Is it a financial issue? Looking at it with your eyes will always have you saying "Oh God, I have a big problem". But when you close  your eyes and trust in Him, He will make it so that you can stand up to those problems and say "Oh problem, I have a BIG GOD!". Sweetie, he knows the desires of your heart. He knows how this situation will work out. Trust in Him. And whenever your vision seems to get in the way of God's truth, stop what you're doing and surrender it all to Jesus. And if you're like me and the feelings surge frequently, then every single time they come just do the same thing. Stop what you're doing and surrender it all in worship to Him. The bottom line is that he loves you. 

Read over these verses today. Even highlight them in your bible:

Psalms 37:7 Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him. Don’t bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.

Romans 5:3-4 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.