Sometimes We Don't Understand

"It is not a matter of right and wrong, but a matter of God taking you you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you."                    

-Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Even though I haven't lived long, I can remember times of spiritual confusion: times when God seemed distant and un-responsive

However, God is not cold-hearted towards His children, and even though I still don't understand those rough patches and valleys I trust that God had a purpose in them.

Often, when God is silent we gain a clearer view of our determination and our faith. Yes, God seemed far away from the valley I was in, but as His daughter I was called to cling to Him in faith trusting that His promises were true:

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7 ESV) (emphasis added)

I'm sure there will be many more and even darker times ahead, but God does not abandon His children or leave them as orphans.

Though the trials may grow harder, though your steps may grow yet darker, though the valley's shadow grows ever longer, it is only, perhaps, my friend, because your faith is growing stronger and you are ready to climb a higher mountain and dive deeper into your Father's fathomless grace. 

I pray that I would choose Jesus even when I don't understand, cling to Him in faith when I can't see the way, and be found faithful when the mysteries of His leading are revealed.

His,
Sarah Moore :)

My Dreams are no Longer Mine

 "And He said to all, if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?"

(Luke 9:23-25 ESV)

Sometime in the course of our lives we are required to make a choice. There are no other options, we must either choose to follow God with all that we are or go our own way. While on the surface the choice to follow God sounds like an easier life, it's not. In fact, when we choose to follow God, He demands that we give our all. This includes our dreams, our desires, our hopes, and our very selves. I made the choice to follow God years ago, and He is still teaching me to let go of my own ideas for my life. I have always wanted to travel to, or maybe even live in, a foreign country. As I have grown in Christ, this desire has included spreading His love to this suffering world. Maybe one day I will travel, however, this dream is in His hands instead of mine. A year or more ago, my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, a terrible degenerative disease that will slowly destroy her brain. She cannot be left at home by herself, and this greatly limits my time away from home...sometimes painfully so. How could I leave home at a time like this? If God opens the door, I will go, but for now I have to surrender the plans that I have for myself in exchange for the plans that God has for me. However, God's hand is evident even in this, and I choose to trust Him. Has God been unfair to me? By no means! Though the choice to let God have His way costs you everything that you have and everything that you are, He is worth it. For my savior, Jesus Christ, gave everything so that I might have this choice.  When we give up the meager things that we have and the brokeness that we are, God pours out His rich abundance of grace, mercy, and love upon us. What we had to begin with doesn't seem so precious anymore in the light of Christ's perfect love.
His,
Sarah Moore :)

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts  than your thoughts."

(Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV)