Out of the Wilderness . . .

As I started to write this blog post, I opened an email from a friend who was sharing some encouragement to us because of the recent diagnosis of leukemia for a little 2 1/2 year old girl in our church family. And man, do we need to be encouraged. But the scripture was spot on with where my heart has been for the last week or more. Even before we heard about Hazel Basel.

It was in 2 Chronicles 20:12 "We do not know what to do but our eyes are on you."

Boy, that's where I had been for several days. I did not know what to do. No need to go into all the details, but let me say this. I was low. I had let some things really get me down., I was wondering in the dark wilderness hurting and questioning so many things. But the good news is this. I was not alone. Even though these dark times are hard. Really hard. I have learned to trust them. They bring deeper understanding. Deeper faith. Closer walks with God. More joy in my daily life. And that is worth all the suffering that comes with it. I had been reading in Hebrews with my Sunday morning ladies class. It says that Jesus 'learned obedience from the things he suffered', he was 'made perfect in suffering'. So believe it or not, I have grown to like suffering. . . well after it's over that is. And even when it is going on, I can take courage that the sun is going to shine again on my weary face. To tell you where my head was, I was reading Job and Ecclesiastes. You know "Meaningless, meaningless, all is meaningless". Yep I was pretty maudlin. But God led me out of the darkness of despair and into the light. Now I'm not going to tell you what my answer was. That is between me and God for the time being. But the answers are out there. . . for you too. All you have to do is ask, seek and knock. Then be ready to listen to the answer. Believe me. You will not be disappointed.

Oh and by the way, a few scriptures later in 2 Chronicles 20 it says "For the battle is not yours. but God's." He will stand by you in any wilderness and lead you gently home . . . victorious from the battle. And boy am I glad.