Risen & Rooted

I can remember vividly the day I left the hospital not long after having Evey. Questions, some being extremely irrational, raced through my mind as I tried to fathom the fact that she would be left in the NICU with no time frame given of when we could take her home. Why, God? We’ve waited for her for 10 years, and now we have to wait again? Why didn’t I go full term? How long will she have to stay? Will she be ok? What if something happens to her while we’re at home? What if we can’t get to her in time? Isn’t she better off with us, being that she has no medical issues? I’m her mom so why don’t I get to decide what’s best for her or how long she stays? Like I said….irrational.

Looking back, I see clearly that God was teaching me so many things, but one of the biggest lessons I learned (still learning) was how to encourage myself in the LORD. This was a lonely, frustrating, and scary time. It was a spiritual valley for me. In the beginning I tried to settle myself, but I quickly learned that FLESH CAN’T HELP FLESH (Jeremiah 17:5). The LORD used my emotional turmoil to drive me into His arms. He pointed me to Jesus, and the things He faced in His own valley.

Here are three things I learned:

1. Jesus FELT the FEELING of loneliness. He went to the cross with NO HUMAN stepping in to help Him. He OBEYED anyway. He didn’t allow His emotions to keep Him from doing what God called Him to do!

2. Jesus’ eyes were not on the things around Him. He kept His eyes on His Father. He understood that, although He walked a lonely road, He was NOT ALONE!

3. Jesus’ strength to deny Himself (flesh), take up Calvary’s cross, and obey His Father came through the power of the Holy Spirit!

Valleys and hardships in the Christian life are inevitable (Psalm 34:19), but God PROMISED to ALWAYS be there to help us through and give us victory over our fluctuating, faulty, and unstable emotions (Hebrews 4:16 and 13:5-6).

I hope you will make time to look up the scriptures listed above, as well as these listed below. Although the Word of God is packed with many verses of encouragement, these particular ones are what I like to call my “anchor/valley verses”. There is POWER in the LIVING WORD of the LORD to strengthen, encourage, and uphold you. (Hebrews 4:12)

Hebrews 4:14-16

Isaiah 49:12-31

Matthew 11:28-30

Romans 8:28

Psalm 56:3

Philippians 4:8

Philippians 2:13

Psalm 55:22

Psalm 37 (whole chapter)

Romans 12:17-21

I Samuel 30:6

Psalm 119:49-52, 67, 71

Proverbs 3:5-7

Psalm 100 (whole chapter)

Nahum 1:3