Encouragement

In the last couple of weeks our family has been going trough some tough times. These have been ongoing trials but in the last couple of weeks they have been especially trying to my husband Andy and myself.

I have been so confused and without a clear direction, not wanting to sit back and do nothing to remedy our situation, for fear that God would think I was being complacent or lazy. I knew in my mind that these thoughts had no biblical basis, but in my spirit I was searching for God, and trying to place him in all the circumstances around me saying, "maybe this is God, or maybe it's Gods will for this to happen". I was a mess inside, with no peace and no contentment.

Over the last couple of months "well more like all year", I have been convicted to journal, but have not done it. I have my 2007 women's retreat Journal just sitting here brand new, with nothing in it. One day a couple of weeks ago, with no where else to turn and feeling like I was going to explode, I gave in and wrote my first entry in my 2007 journal. I also opened up my bible and began to read in the Psalms, as I knew that many people I know had found hope in these scriptures. Well guess what? He spoke to me, but only after I was obedient to his "clear direction" for me to journal. By submitting to God's calling me to journal he put it on my heart to turn to Psalms.

I did not know where in Psalms I was supposed to turn, I just felt led to go there. I began to read and the peace that passes understanding began to overwhelm me. As I read on he answered my prayer and gave me the very clear direction that I had been so frantically searching for. Psalms 27:14 - Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.

The very thing that I had been afraid of doing, because I did not want God to think I was being Lazy, was the very thing he wanted me to do. He knows my heart and my struggles better than I do. So now I knew what I was to supposed to do. Thank you lord!

Within a couple of day's the Lord began to answer more of my prayers that were now written in my journal, I had been peaceful all week but towards the end of the week I had begun to start slacking in my journaling. Now that I see his plan for our family, I have been having a hard time not being anxious to get to the end of this trial. The lord kept telling me in my spirit "Be anxious for nothing" I knew I had read this before, but didn't know where. I called my mom to update her on how Jesus has been taking care of us, and told her what the spirit had been impressing on my heart, "Be anxious for nothing", she immediately recognized the scripture and told me where they were in the word.
Philippians 4:6/7 - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.

I have been praying daily that the lord would continue to give me peace, and today he gave me this scripture. It has summed up all that he has been showing me in the last couple of weeks. It is amazing to me that I had read this scripture before, but only now is it alive to me. Please be encouraged and know that God is working, but that we need to be obedient to the convictions he gives us even if they seem to be to simple or even irrelevant, They aren't!

We don't need to know "why" he has asked us to do something, only "that" he has asked us to do something, and by your obedience he will give you answers even if they are not what you expect them to be.

Your sister in Christ,
Jessica Husted