Sustained…
Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, “God is a keeper if you want to be kept”. Let me inform you that God is a keeper even if you don’t want to be kept because He has a good work for you to do.
From ages 28-38 I kept looking for the magic words that would free me from the physical hellish prison I felt trapped in. I started out spiritual, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46); nothing happened. I tried, “It is Finished” (John 19:30); nada. I even went Old Testament, “Take my life for I am no better than my ancestors” (1 Kings 19:4) ; zilch. I decided perhaps this wasn’t a spiritual issue, so I went old school secular. “Abracadabra, Open Sesame, Hocus Pocus, Hokey Pokey”; Nothing worked!! I had reached that place beyond overwhelmingly exhausted and fatigued and all my sight was opaque. I couldn’t formulate new dreams as I watched my old dreams crash and burn, one after the other.
My joy was leaking out slowly as I sincerely then obligatorily celebrated with those around me and the cherry on top was my lack of discerning what season I was in. I’d never been here before, never seen anything like this before and had no frame of reference for how to proceed. Did I fast and pray? Was I supposed to wear sackcloth and ashes? Was I required to touch and agree with every person that crossed my path? What Was I Supposed To Do?!?!?
Wanna know the answer? Nothing. I wasn’t required to do anything. I was expected to feel the validity of my feelings in my situation and respond accordingly. I was to take those feelings and measure them against the Word of God and decide at the crossroad of feelings and Truth which I would allow to dictate my beliefs. For me it wasn’t that much of a struggle to decide, my feelings often depended on the medication I was on. My belief in God is unwavering even in times when I question His presence.
Perhaps like myself and a lot of people you’re at crossroad of deciding what to believe. In the times where “the truth isn’t the truth”, and other such malarkey, don’t you want something steadfast? Christians often get mocked for believing in something beyond themselves, but the peace that comes with that belief is immeasurable. I personally think being sustained is better than being healed. Strange, or do I figure? Glad you asked. If I were to get healed then I would know it was God and Him alone. Others could attribute it to science, medicine, genes or whatever else is floating in their boat. Being sustained is an ongoing process, not always comfortable, but undeniable proof that something or Someone beyond me is at work. If you knew how many times doctors have looked me in my eyeball and asked me how am I alive, you’d believe too. My snark always rises in this moment as I respond, “don’t you know?”. No one has to tell me God is real, but allow me to tell you the God Is Real! He is not only real but He is looking for a relationship with You!!
Think about, pray about it, question it, ask Him to make Himself known so that you might see and understand. In the meantime:
Numbers 6:24-26 The Message (MSG)
24 God bless you and keep you,
25 God smile on you and gift you,
26 God look you full in the face
and make you prosper.