God's Promises Are Not Slack

As I sit here, staring at my screen, I have so many thoughts running through my mind.  That is nothing unusual.  I have always had a mind that worked a million miles a minute.  Especially at night, my thoughts seem to sort of churn.  They can range anywhere from: "I think I'll wear this sweater tomorrow to class" to "Will my financial situation ever be normal?" Many people can lay down, close their eyes and they are asleep in minutes.  Not me, I was never like that.  It's part of the reason I stay up so late--so that when I do finally lay down to sleep, I won't lay there awake forever.

But I digress.  Tonight I have many thoughts bouncing around in my head.  I'm thinking that I am so thankful for the people in my life who care about me.  My family, my friends, my church, not to mention my Savior.  And I know that when things get too tough for me to handle (which is often these days) I have people that I can confide in.  People who care about me and who will support me.  I have a God who specializes in meeting needs that no one else can.  God even says that when I am at my weakest, that's when He can show Himself strong.

I was reading tonight in Psalms.  David prays so often for deliverance from his enemies and for God's help and it comforted my heart to read that tonight.  I find myself getting so anxious at times about my family's current situation.  My dad's illness is such that it will only get worse, and I wonder sometimes "How will this all play out?"  There is going to come a point when my dad won't be able to drive anymore.  He won't be able to work.  He won't be able to do a lot of things.  It's a scary thing for me to think about.

When I was a little girl, my daddy was always the one who tucked me in at night and made sure there were no boogeymen lurking about.  He got rid of mice and spiders and the occasional snake.  He took us to church and drove us in the car to go see grandma.  I thought he could do anything.  And now, slowly, those things are being taken away from him.  It is beyond his control and it is beyond mine.  But you know whose control it is not beyond?? God's!!

One thing that is so amazing about God is that He knows everything.  He is omniscient.  He knows what has happened, what is happening and what will happen.  And nothing takes Him by surprise.  When my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, God didn't have to take the afternoon off to process it.  That's because He has been planning for it all along!  I don't have to worry because God has everything under control.

Psalm 30:8-12
8) I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. 9) What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? shall the dust praise thee? Shall it declare thy truth? 10) Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. 11)  Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 12) To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent.  O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.


As I read this tonight, I was thinking a few different things.

1. I can make supplication to God for my circumstances.  I'm so thankful that we have the Holy Spirit because He knows our hearts and can convey them to God even when we have no words.
2. God is there to be our helper, but we need to ask Him.  I am so guilty of trying to do things myself, only to fall flat on my face and realize I need God's help.
3. God can take my sad circumstances and give me joy. 
4. David gave thanks to God in His circumstances and goes on to say 'I will give thanks unto thee for ever'.  I need to give thanks to God for His hand in my life.

This last isn't a new lesson for me by any means, but I've learned in life that when we go through icky circumstances, it is for our own good to build us into stronger people and God uses it to shape us into His image, but sometimes along with that, He puts us in these circumstances so we can be an encouragement to someone else.  Maybe we don't even have anything good to say other than "I understand". I think that can be enough.  So maybe at some point in my life, I'll be able to look at a friend who is going through these same circumstances and say "I've experienced what you're going through and no it is not easy.  I understand how you feel, but God will bring you through it because He has promised you He will."