Just another Sunday

Today was a particurlarly strange sunday. I woke up with a migraine, which I guess isn't all to strange. I picked up my bible and began to read it. Also, not strange. I was incredibly tired and glad to read about God's blessings to Abraham. I covered Abraham's unbelief and lack of faith with Abemilech and his amazing recovery with his willingness to sacrifice Isaac, his son of promise. I was moved because it was so freeing to know that even great men of God wavered in faith and I am not alone. It was promising to see God continually remain faithful to what He promised Abraham regardless of his shortcomings. I went about getting ready for church ready to hear from the Lord. My head was still really bad, but I just wasn't going to let it win. I made it through worship before the pain began to get out of control. I haven't had a migraine like this in a while, so I tend to forget how quickly they can take over and how much control they demand. Before I knew it, I was racing to the back, overcome with nausea. It came and went and I spent the majority of the service in the restroom, but I was finally able to go sit down for the last 15 minutes. I got up and tried to navigate my way around to minister to others, but my head was not allowing me to do so. After a particularly awful situation, I went home in tears, ready to give up. Feeling completely defeated and utterly overwhelmed, I realized that he had done it. The enemy had officially stolen my joy. He turned my focus off the blessings of the Lord and put them back on my ailments and situations. The worst part is, I didn't know how to stop it. I did, however, begin to combat it. I prayed. and Prayed. and Prayed. The Lord used this to remind me that I may be getting beat up, but He always keeps His promise. He brought back to memory the story I read about Abraham and Isaac. He reminded me that He asked Abraham to trust Him and lay his son on the alter. The son of which all God's promises would be implemented through. It was a strange request for Abraham, I am sure, but he did as he was asked because he knew of God's past faithfulness. He knew God kept His promises, and with absolute certainty he said,"I and the boy will come back..." He trusted God right now. That is what God is calling me to do. I know the promise He has given me and I know that He is in control and that is enough. I can only trust that everything that is going on is part of what will make the fulfillment of Hos promise even sweeter. I don't know how He is going to do it, but I know He will. I am choosing to believe, Like Abraham, that He will do as He says. I am refusing to second guess Him as in the past and instead look to Him to fulfill the things He desires to do in me and through me. It definitely isn't easy, but neither was Abraham's act of preparing the alter that would consume his only son as a sacrifice. God isn't asking me to do the impossible, He is just challenging and encouraging me to hang on as He completes it. I am so thankful that in the midst of the storm He is calming the sea.