February is a month that brings many memories and reflection on life. You would think I would do that inward pondering at the start of the new year, but my birthday is the start of my new year, and I think the older I get the more I have to look back and reflect on.
So what is different about life this year? Personally, I am finding my need of time with Christ growing. Life is hard and the problems in our world cannot be fixed by human hands. We may help improve the lives of others, but we cannot fix the human heart. So when life hits hard or even when I have much joy and gratitude, I need Jesus more than ever.
Our prayer time is also richer, and I’m learning what it means to wait on God. My mom always tells me that God’s timing is never wrong. And Genesis tells us, “This happened at just the time God had said it would.” Sarah gave birth to a son, Isaac, even though that promise of God was humanly impossible to keep. God can and God does—but not always when we think He will. Trusting Him even when it doesn’t feel like He’s listening to our cries for help or working incognito can make us question His promises and His word. But as I live and breathe, I can say that knowing Him makes trusting Him easier. He might not be what we expect Him to be or do what we want Him to do. But He is still good.
I’ve also had a few “aha” moments in my Scripture reading. One example – I just completed 1 Corinthians and I got to the place where Paul gets down on the church because they were suing each other in public court. He said something that struck me for very different reasons – “Why not let yourself be cheated?”
Have you ever thought about that statement? Was Paul suggesting that we just lie down and let people walk all over us? Was he suggesting we accept abuse and keep taking it? I don’t think so.
In context, Paul was frustrated that the people in the church – Christ’s own followers – had issues with each other and instead of trying to work out their differences, they were taking each other to court – probably like a civil court, not criminal. His question, “Why not just let yourself be cheated?” is similar to what Jesus did when they were abusing Him before His crucifixion. He didn’t open His mouth. He didn’t defend Himself. He didn’t say anything to stop what was about to happen.
Of course, Jesus’ experience had a purpose – to win our redemption and buy us back from the enemy who holds the hearts of us all until and unless Jesus rescues us. And we let Him do so.
Still, Jesus often deflected a volatile situation or walked away from the violence of the crowd, until He was ready, until the time was right. (I often wish I could get a glimpse of God’s calendar…but I probably couldn’t handle what’s coming, so maybe ignorance of that timing truly is bliss.)
There will come a day when our wounds or our feelings of being left out or rejected or cheated will stop, and God will deal with the situation. Justice belongs to Him. My best answer in those tough times is to run to God for refuge. He is my hiding place. He lets me rest from the struggles of this life in His loving arms.
So yeah, I’ve been thinking about that a lot because life is always going to bring things that sucker punch us or just quietly wound us or worse. Sometimes we’re going to suffer for no good reason, and all of our “why?” questions aren’t going to satisfy us. I’m learning to do what God has told me to do over and over again – trust Him. Even when I don’t understand. Even when things don’t go the way I thought they would. He is still worthy of my trust.
While these are my birthday reflections, this has also been a month of other birthdays – mine and perhaps both of my granddaughters. I say perhaps because one is still content to remain in her mother’s womb and seems in no hurry to make that debut appearance into the world. I’m holding out hope that we have three February birthdays when she is finally here!
Personal stuff aside, I turned in the manuscript for next year’s release – titled – Miriam’s Song. So yay! One more book to turn in this year and then I can work on Joseph’s story.
But first – Star of Persia, Esther’s Story, is coming super soon! A week and a half until release! I’m so excited with this book’s release. Her story is like nothing I’ve done before. And Revell is giving away five free copies through Goodreads. Enter here. They’re also giving away gifts for those who preorder – here.
And on release day, March 3, we’re having a FaceBook Launch Party here with more giveaways. It’s only for 30 minutes from 7:00-7:30 p.m. ET. I hope you can join us!
Mid march, I’ll begin edits on the next nonfiction She Walked Before Us. I’ll be revealing the cover near the end of March, so stay tuned!
Life is full. It’s beautiful and painful and everything in between. But it is good. Most of all God is good. I could reflect on a lot more, but I’m saving that for another time.
~Selah
