Tomorrow. Next month. Next year.
Detailed future schedules, meticulously stored in digital calendars.
Vanish. Into thin air. Digital air.
As a corona virus disrupts. Delays. Deletes.
And thieves break in.
Whispering fear. Stealing contentment.
This confining space. A refining place. Reveals.
Makes plain where best-laid-plans put down roots.
And expectations take hold.
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city.…Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be!…”
James 4:14,15
Will I listen?
So. Here we are. In the middle of unpredictable change. And ever shifting calendars. What’s my response?
When all is not going as intended. And all I can do is wait. Will I listen?
As schedules shatter and scatter to the wind. Will I pray?
While the next step remains a mystery. Will I be still? And know that He is God?
The confining space leads to surrender, if I let it.
Refining place
Hope breathes in this refining place. When common clay yields to the Potter.
Faith walks and grows. Even in the tiniest whisper of belief: “I trust You.” Mustard-seed words.
And joy is always on the way. Fruit of the Spirit. Growing through the dark. Surprising the weary. And renewing strength.
His plan
In the unknown, this I know. Our God is sovereign. Trustworthy. He has a vision that nothing can destroy.
His plan doesn’t diminish. Dissolve. Or disappear.
He is at work. Always. Fulfilling divine purpose in His mysterious and glorious way.
Prayer
Today, Lord, instruct me in the lessons of the narrowed path.
Open my heart and mind to Your refining ways. Teach me to listen and obey. And in the erratic tempo of this present world, help me to rest against the rhythm of Your heart.
Waiting. Watching. Walking by faith. In the sheltering shadow of the Almighty.
“Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, without blemish and with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.”
Jude 24-25
What about you?
Has this been a season of refining for you? Have you been able to stop, look, and listen? What has the Lord taught you about trusting Him?
Related posts
Power outages – Waiting for the Lord – Last word, His Word – Hope during a tsunami – The other pandemic – Storm – Confession of our hope – Transit – Walking, we wait – Reflect and trust –
2 replies on “Refining”
I’ve been reading in Exodus. The instruction to Israelites to follow the Ark of the Covenant “so you will know the way to go since you have not been this way before” feels appropriate for these waiting days.
I’m praying and asking for strength to not make decisions and plans. God has been SO good to comfort and care for me.
Beautiful and encouraging truth for this season, sister. Thank you for sharing. My thoughts went to Lamentations 3:22-23…for His mercies are new every morning. Then I saw “wait” twice in 3:25-26. Yes! He is faithful.