It Can Be Hard ...

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” –Ephesians 6:13

Welcome to 2014!  I hope this year will be one of many blessings and much joy for each of you.  Whatever it may bring, you can be sure that God is with you, in every situation. That is a promise!

We recently took a trip after one of the recent freezing rain/ice storms.  It looked beautiful on the trees with all its glistening and shine.  The snow was so white and clean on the ground and resting beautifully on the evergreen branches.  One thing I noticed though, as we travelled, was that a lot of the trees with that beautiful, glistening ice were bent over.  Some of them were weighted so heavily by all the ice that their tops were touching the snow on the ground.  Although they still looked beautiful with the glistening ice, they looked tired and weighted by what the weather had brought their way.   As we drove I thought of the verse above, especially the last part that says and “after you have done everything, stand.” 

Life is not easy.  Period.  It just is not.  BUT, God is faithful and He provides full armor for us so that when those unexpected storms come, like they did with those trees, we can still stand.  We can be rooted deep in His love and completely covered by His armor.

Like those trees we are going through life; standing, functioning, being and growing.  We are rooted in our corner of the world and functioning to take care of the things around us, doing what needs to be done.  Then a storm sweeps in and the trouble winds blow, the chaos rains down on us, the uncertainty of situations causes us to freeze and the heaviness of it all bends us.  We are still beautiful and functioning and doing what needs to be done, but we are bent so far down and the weight of it all is so heavy, we feel like we are going to break.  

This is why it is so important to be rooted in God, to read His Word, to be protected by His armor.  It may feel like you are going to break, but if you have that armor on, you will still stand.  You may be bent over a little from the storm and it may all feel too heavy, but your roots will be deep and you will stand.

Everything changes.  This current storm that has you bent over and weighted down, it will stop.  The sun will come out again and slowly that uncertainly will start to melt, the chaos will cease and those trouble winds will stop.  Before you know it you will realize you are still standing.  Not only that, but you are still standing and the burdens seem much lighter.  The armor has protected you through the storm and you have stood your ground.  You have weathered the storm.  You have a chance now to catch your breath.  

Like those trees when the sun shines and melts away the ice and snow, they slowly rise back up and they are still standing.  They draw back upright towards the blue, sunny skies.  They may be a little bent from the storm, but they are strong and standing.  

You are stronger than you know and you will get through whatever storm you are facing.   The Son is always with you, shining down on you, giving you the necessary armor to face what comes your way.  Look up, you will find Him.   Put your armor on everyday so that you will be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, you will still stand.

So, until I write again I encourage you to: Be Strong, Stand Firm and Believe in Miracles! 

Our God is a God of Miracles! 

Count Your Blessings…