Song: Trouble in my way by Albertina Walker
I Love old school gospel…
Sometimes I wish the problems we have could take a number and wait to be called like at the pharmacy or DMV. Not likely to happen, but I frequently indulge in wishful thinking…And while I’m making “never gonna happen” wishes, sometimes I wish God would just let me mumble and gripe in peace. Unfortunately that’s not gonna happen as I pray all day and do devotions every morning. I’ve been alive 38 years and just started this habit in 2017, so if you feel behind, fret not. I also have a habit of listening to gospel music and sermons by podcasts. I figure if I keep feeding my spirit I’ll stay on this side of crazy and depression.
So I heard something this week so deep I had to pause: “you’re not punished or sentenced to pain and tears, you’re trusted with it”. I’ll be honest, my very First thought was “trust me less Lord”! When the rest of my brain kicked into gear, I was humbled and grateful. Grateful for pain and trouble??? Yeah, I know, but stick with me….
We’ve all probably heard that Christianity isn’t a religion but a relationship; and all the many ways people explain that. My own personal experience says Christianity isn’t a what but a how. It is how I see God, how He moves in my life, how I worship, how I go through my issues and how I draw others to Him as they watch me. Took me a while to get to this ideology. I remember seeing a visitor on the worship team at one of my old churches. I had just gotten out of the hospital and was already overwhelmed with gratitude, but then I found myself watching her. The song had been sung before but something kept me riveted. Her worship was so pure and open and personal that I wanted to be introduced to her God. Her expression of worship was so far beyond anything I had ever seen in church that I was convinced she had an “in” with Jehovah.
I want to be that person for someone else. So if my being trusted with pain puts me in a place where someone can see me and question “how?”, then it is my reasonable service for Christianity to introduce them to my Jesus.