What a month it has been. To most, I disappeared. To me, the duration was one of continual appearing – so much came into sight (and insight) for me. Point is, I am back and more blessed and grown in the Lord’s peace from my past month’s long journey.
As I began last month, so many argued I couldn’t do it alone. My retort proclaimed I wasn’t alone. God was with me. Next came many warning I’d be too overwhelmed to accomplish what was ahead. My way of looking at it was the sage ol’ reply “If God has brought me to it, and He has; then He will get me through it”. He did, too!!! However, one surprise to me was from where God chose to get me through it. He was positioned not behind or in front of me but “beside” me. I’m chuckling as I realize God’s wisdom and message in choosing to place His primary position “beside” me.
Like I just experienced, we all (each and every one of us) face times of great transition. Quite naturally, we, as humans, doubt our capability to survive, let alone thrive. Seriously, if we had the choice, I bet we all would place God behind us so that when we, inevitably, would fall, He’d be there to catch us. Yep, God behind us is the greatest of safety nets. Who wouldn’t want God to stay firmly planted behind us. I know, I did; but God knew better. He chose “beside” not behind me.
Then there’s in front of. This is a great place to see God when we want assurance that everything, at the end of all our worldly adventures, results in perfection and sweet success. Simply stated, during the entirety of this past month’s journey, this was not God’s focus for me. His message and meaning for me was spelled out “beside”.
If my focus was on God being behind me this past month, I believe I would have failed. So many times I would have given up, declared defeat and trusted God to be behind me, catch me and do the work for me to make it through. This time, there wasn’t a choice to fall down and fail. It was off the list of options. God, wisely, just removed Himself, and me, from this scenario!!!
How many times do we endure all forms of hardship simply because we look to God as being in front of us? God in front of us is our escape, and future reward, from present challenge. However, God’s present to me this past month was placing Himself, not in front of me, but “beside” me.
God beside me – let’s explore this position of presence. Not transplanting myself into new surroundings, but God’s inner peace, was the challenge, and gift, of my last month. With God “beside” me, I didn’t look behind or in front of me for guidance and survival. My strength came from God “beside” me. It’s so natural to accept life one step at a time and trust you are not alone, but where you are meant to be, when you know God is “beside” you, right now in the here and present. Taking life day by day (no matter the struggle) is a blessing when your trust is in God being “beside” you. It keeps you from coming totally unglued and worrying about failing and falling into total defeat and despair. Instead, strength and endurance, as well as a feeling of not being isolated alone, surrounds you.
My hope and prayer is that you, my siblings in Christ, feel God “beside” you. Not behind you yesterday or in front of you tomorrow, but today, when needed most, may you discover God “beside” you.
Uplifted in a Broken Down World 