There are moments in our lives that stand out for good or bad reasons. Events that that are the consequence of an action, moments that force us to fight a rising tide or turn towards the Creator. Such moments can change us for good or leave us scared; one such moment came for me came last Friday. I moved to San Jose to go to college a year and a half ago. I left my very awesome parents, and moved in with my aunt and uncle seven hours away from everything I had ever known. So when I was told that my aunt and uncle had to move to Florida because of work I was pretty worried. I had three choices before me, move back home to SoCal, move to Florida, or stay in San Jose. After the service at Awakening on Sunday I felt God had confirmed in me that I was to stay here.
I told you that story to tell you this: pray, stand, and trust. The choice to stay wasn’t easy for me; in fact, I’m still wrestling with it. When faced with huge or even little changes in our lives, I feel as if we panic first and go nuts. Every bad scenario runs through our head and the possible outcomes never look good. The good news is there is someone who is willing to give you peace and clarity. It starts with prayer, which is fundamental in our Christian walk. It is our dialogue with God. It is our way to communicate one on one with our Savior. He wants us to communicate with him; he longs to be the center of our universe. He longs for us to be relational with him. When we talk with God he listens and answers. Psalm 55 says,
As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change— he will hear them and humble them, because they have no fear of God.
Psalm 55:16-19
How amazing is it that the God of the universe listens for us?! He does not change and he loves us. Before Jesus was to be taken to the cross he went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray. After talking with the disciples, he walked to be on his own and to talk with his father.
Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Matthew 26:38-39
Jesus was burdened with the future and the death that awaited him. So he did the only thing he could; he prayed. He communicated with the father asking that his will be done in the situation. I believe that when we go in prayer we always try and get our way as the outcome. However, we should be going into prayer asking that the Lord’s will be done. It may not seem like it at the time, but his outcomes is usually way better than what we could imagine or ourselves.
The next two are stand and trust. I believe these go hand and hand. Prayer isn’t just saying some words hoping someone will hear it. It is the conversations we have with a God is more than ready to help us but we have to trust that he will come through.
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.
Psalm 125:1-2
When those troubles come at us and it feels like our world is coming down around us we can stand strong in the knowledge that we have an amazing God. We have to trust that he will hold us up in our time of need. For me, I know that the trusting is the hardest thing to do because I have been let down so many times. But that is where faith comes in. Faith allows us to believe and trust that God will hold, guide, and see us through the trial. However, other times it feels like the standing is hard to do. We feel so beaten down and tired that it may seem easier to stay on the ground. When we do that we aren’t accomplishing anything but allowing the enemy to keep us from doing what God has for us.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
Ephesians 6:13-15
Unfortunately this won’t be easy. We will have our trials and our downfalls; but each time we feel as if the universe is crumbling around us we turn to the one who created that universe and lean into him. He is our rock and our salvation. The power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us. And that is one of the most comforting and exhilarating thing I can remember when the dark times take over. He uses us in these most vulnerable times of our lives to shape us and mold us into the person he has created us to be. We just have to be ready to pray, trust and stand.
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
Psalm 56:3-4
Author: Rebekah Dennsion