Monday, August 30, 2010

How God Has Provided

So in a lot of my blog posts previously I was talking a lot about how things in life for me have been tight and hard and how I was attempting to "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Phil. 4:3). It was and still is hard to do that, and I even had some voices of concern from friends asking me if I am okay, which of course I appreciate. And for the record....I AM!

Now a few days ago after a really encouraging meeting with a friend who strongly urged me to keep pressing, I was driving home and praying on what he was talking about. This thought then popped in my head, "Has God ever let me down?"

I then reflected on my life, even before I even embraced Christ. The first time I prayed to God about something was when I was younger. As a kid, I had problems with asthma and we were going to an indoor kids playscape called The Great Escape. It dawned on me on the way there that I forgot to take my asthma medicine before going. Immediately I said a brief prayer asking God to not let me get an asthma attack and He answered it because I never got one that day!

Fast forward to high school. I was a depressed teenager who in the year up to that point actually developed a deep hatred for God. However, I had a recent breakup with a girl who told me, "I can't fix you. You need help!" That opened up my eyes for my need to make positive changes in my life. Sitting there in study hall, the thought dawned on me to just start praying to God. I basically prayed to Him for help and for security. Almost immediately I felt a sense of warmth and God's peace came over me. I then heard the words, "Everything will be okay. I'm here with you."

Then as I continued to walk with God in Jesus Christ, over and over He showed His faithfulness to me. He delivered me from a cutting addiction, depression, anti-depressants, a possible diagnosis of lyme disease (long story), and in many instances God has provided for me financially.

In addition, a few months ago after moving back home and still working a minimum wage delivery job at Storrs Drug, a local pharmacy, I was BARELY able to pay all my bills except my health insurance premium. In the months leading up to my training date at EDGE Corps, every consecutive month a check came in the mail for me to be able to successfully pay it off! The last one was even a check from a friend of mine who just strongly felt led to give a check to me.

Now currently, I am now technically a "part time" staff member for The Navigators. God has provided most of the funds for my August paycheck with them!

And now I come to God yet again asking for a part-time job, to be fully funded and for my knee to be healed. Otherwise not all my bills will be paid, especially the large bill for gas in driving to and from Willimantic almost daily. And on top of that I'll be crippled for the rest of my life (if God wants me to be that way, then all power to Him! I just hope He doesn't). Will God let me down?

Let me answer that by asking you this: Has God ever let me down?

For those of you who don't fully trust in God, have doubts about God, have fears about God, or just have doubts and fears PERIOD, you need to know that when you put your trust in God, He will NEVER let you down.

Let's close with some scriptures:

"And Moses said to the people, 'Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.'" -Exodus 14:13-14 (context is right before the parting of the Red Sea)

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:10

"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way. Say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, He will come with vengeance; with divine retribution He will come to save you." -Isaiah 35:3-4

"The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." -2 Chronicles 15:2b

God bless,

Steve

No comments:

Post a Comment