I love the sun, I love warm weather, I am made to live in a tropical climate. That being said today I prayed for rain on my run.
I realized that sometimes in life we get really comfortable in the sun, but when the clouds roll in and the trials hit we start to wonder if the sun has left for good. In the time when the clouds cover the sun something amazing happens. Faith grows and you can accomplish more than you imagined. I think God knows that sometimes we need shade to push to the next level. He doesn't leave us, He is still on the other side of the cloud, but He knows that we need a bit of cool air to teach us to push harder. In the shade we learn that we can dig deeper and trust God that we will get through.
We often complain about trials, and why not, they aren't fun. But the truth is without trials I think we begin to take the sun for granted and we start to slip into our own reliance. God wants us to want Him, and sometimes He goes silent, not because He doesn't hear us, not because He doesn't see us, but because when He is silent we have to seek Him. I know in my life when everything is going good and life gets really simple sometimes I slip a bit further from God that I ever intend. When He allows me to see that distance has grown I run back to Him immediately. During the times in my life where God has been silent it has taught me that there is clearly something that He is trying to teach me and show me and it makes me a stronger person as I seek Him out.
Don't confuse Gods silence with His absence. He is never far from us and He does not leave His children. When you find yourself running in the shade, maybe it's time to push harder and further than you ever thought possible. God knows you can do it, He wants us to succeed in His purpose over our lives.
Psalms 130:5
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.
During the times of trial we really need to get into Gods word, spend time in prayer and truly seek Him. It is not enough to simply wait, it is a process of growth requiring effort. It is an active process and if we want victory, if we want to be strengthened we must give Him our attention. If I want to become a stronger runner I have to push myself, I have to take advantage of the shade and use that time to increase my pace, ask my muscles to work harder, tell my mind that I can do it. It is the same when God is strengthening us. We have to renew our mind by reading the word and praying. We have to stretch our muscles by living out what we have learned and stepping out in faith when we feel God leading.
John 10:10
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have to more abundantly.
When the clouds move in we can sometimes only see the enemy attacking. We are looking the wrong direction. When it gets dark that is when we run for Jesus, we look for Him and to Him. He is greater than the devil and Jesus has already defeated him. We need to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord. When I run and I am at the end of my own strength I always pray "Lord, I can't go any further, I've got nothing left. I know that you want me to make it to the finish, so I need you to carry me now." You know what, I have never not finished. God has gotten me there every time! Honestly I normally have more energy after I pray and I feel the Holy Spirit with me. My runs are spent in prayer and praise, trusting in faith that my feet won't fail simply because God will get me there. God will get us through our trials if only our focus is on Him. We have to have the right focus.
Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Trust in the one who makes all things possible!
I realized that sometimes in life we get really comfortable in the sun, but when the clouds roll in and the trials hit we start to wonder if the sun has left for good. In the time when the clouds cover the sun something amazing happens. Faith grows and you can accomplish more than you imagined. I think God knows that sometimes we need shade to push to the next level. He doesn't leave us, He is still on the other side of the cloud, but He knows that we need a bit of cool air to teach us to push harder. In the shade we learn that we can dig deeper and trust God that we will get through.
We often complain about trials, and why not, they aren't fun. But the truth is without trials I think we begin to take the sun for granted and we start to slip into our own reliance. God wants us to want Him, and sometimes He goes silent, not because He doesn't hear us, not because He doesn't see us, but because when He is silent we have to seek Him. I know in my life when everything is going good and life gets really simple sometimes I slip a bit further from God that I ever intend. When He allows me to see that distance has grown I run back to Him immediately. During the times in my life where God has been silent it has taught me that there is clearly something that He is trying to teach me and show me and it makes me a stronger person as I seek Him out.
Don't confuse Gods silence with His absence. He is never far from us and He does not leave His children. When you find yourself running in the shade, maybe it's time to push harder and further than you ever thought possible. God knows you can do it, He wants us to succeed in His purpose over our lives.
Psalms 130:5
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.
During the times of trial we really need to get into Gods word, spend time in prayer and truly seek Him. It is not enough to simply wait, it is a process of growth requiring effort. It is an active process and if we want victory, if we want to be strengthened we must give Him our attention. If I want to become a stronger runner I have to push myself, I have to take advantage of the shade and use that time to increase my pace, ask my muscles to work harder, tell my mind that I can do it. It is the same when God is strengthening us. We have to renew our mind by reading the word and praying. We have to stretch our muscles by living out what we have learned and stepping out in faith when we feel God leading.
John 10:10
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have to more abundantly.
When the clouds move in we can sometimes only see the enemy attacking. We are looking the wrong direction. When it gets dark that is when we run for Jesus, we look for Him and to Him. He is greater than the devil and Jesus has already defeated him. We need to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord. When I run and I am at the end of my own strength I always pray "Lord, I can't go any further, I've got nothing left. I know that you want me to make it to the finish, so I need you to carry me now." You know what, I have never not finished. God has gotten me there every time! Honestly I normally have more energy after I pray and I feel the Holy Spirit with me. My runs are spent in prayer and praise, trusting in faith that my feet won't fail simply because God will get me there. God will get us through our trials if only our focus is on Him. We have to have the right focus.
Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Trust in the one who makes all things possible!
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