God of Hope & Faith
Photo by Yen Vu
Years ago, one summer, my parents gave us one lovely gift - a landscaper worked in our yard. He planted grass where bunches of weeds once stubbornly clung to soil and scattered rocks. We were left with a simple task - water this square patch daily so that greenery, new life, would emerge.
As we stood together in the yard, our daughter Nai playing with toys, I said nervously to my husband Kes, "Do you think the grass is coming up enough?" Looking down at the soft bunches of brown, I thought of all our efforts, the frequent watering and a sinking despondency began to take root in my spirit. And then he uttered simple, but profound words: "Look at the green spots, baby. It is growing."
As I reflect on that early morning conversation, I thank God for sending me this message of claiming an unwavering faith, a faith which blossoms in spite of circumstances and mounting obstacles. God is growing each of us, often in ways we cannot yet begin to comprehend ("... the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not." Romans 4:17, NIV).
It's taken me time to understand authentic and lasting growth is rooted in relationship with Christ, setting aside time during the day to simply commune. You see, years ago, I both sprinted from suffocating stress and embraced it under the guise of being a workaholic. I found fleeting solace in parties and cultural events, anything to avoid the mind-numbing emptiness overtaking my soul.
And, yet, friends, God will extricate the incessant noise of life in various ways so we become clear about priorities - not what anyone thinks of us, what degree we have, or have not attained, but whether or not our Creator is at the center. In the end, this is all that matters. Are we coming to know God for ourselves, or are we bowing at the altar of religion and antiquated perceptions?
"I have not forgotten that you are a God of new life. I trust that the sun will shine when necessary and the rain will fall when necessary... Though the storms of this life uproot and tear down, I will hold fast to hope."
Pocket Prayers for Women: Simple Prayers of Hope
We are in relationship with a God of growth, but in order for this to manifest in our lives we must first learn to trust. Believe me, I know it's easy to write and say, but quite another thing to live out. I started practicing in 2014 when I left a full time job to care for our daughter, attend grad school and pursue entrepreneurial projects.
Every month we trust God for our most basic necessities, and He is there, guiding us, with each step. There are numerous moments, even with all that I am coming to learn about trusting Him, when the weight of worry and loneliness loom; during these occasions, I speak scripture verses aloud: Jeremiah 29:11, Luke 8:50, Isaiah 54:13 (for our daughter Nai's health and peace) or read through Psalm 91, breathing in verses 15-16: "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life, I will satisfy him, and let him see My salvation."
Let us grow through surrender and trust, laying tears, brokenness and bewilderment at God's feet. Find rest in His words, sweet friends, as they are eternal promises illuminating the darkness of despair. Our growth, joy and hope are inextricably linked to God.
Prayer:
Holy One,
Sometimes my growth feels stunted. Help me trust you are bringing forth something spectacular within me. When I feel deserted, may I recall Your words and speak them over my circumstances, resting in the commitment You made to us: "For He will give his angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands..." (Psalm 91:11-12).
Amen.