Rough Waters and Gray Skies
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isa. 43:2
Lately, our family has been going through wave after wave of family health crises with my husband’s parents. To say it has been a difficult nine months is a gross understatement. Three different kinds of cancer in one year. Congestive heart failure. Open heart surgery. Ambulance rides and emergency room visits, sprinkled with daily cancer treatment for months, have left us disheartened and tired.
As my husband and I approached our wedding anniversary, we could not decide if it was feasible to take our annual anniversary trip. Three weeks out, we decided that we definitely needed a break. After the reservations were made, I made a new prayer request- “Lord, please don’t let anything happen this week to spoil our trip.” Our 3 days of de-stressing seemed imperative to me! Not for fun’s sake, but for sanity!
The Monday before the trip brought the first blow. A new scan. A new biopsy was needed. Our feet were knocked out from under us. The next morning on the way to work, our 19-year-old son, hit our beloved dog of 15 years. She ran right under his truck, killing her instantly. At this point we wondered if we should just cancel our trip…
Ultimately, with our family’s encouragement, we decided to go. On the way to the beach, the storm clouds began to gather. Dark, dreary skies, and rough, choppy waters awaited us. Why? Why could we not have even have 3 days of sunshine, both physically and spiritually?
Sometimes we ask the Lord to spare us. To avert calamity, and his answer is “no.” Instead His answer is, “My child, when you pass through the waters I will be with you.” Every victory is not cleanly won. Rather, sometimes, the victory is in trusting. Trusting in His love; His goodness; His sovereignty. Sometimes, victory is holding His hand, when you want to snatch yours back and return to running your own life. Sometimes, victory is taking another step when you cannot see the point in even lifting your foot!
Lauren Daigle said it best in the song “Trust in You”:
When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move
When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through
When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!
Because I was unwilling to let go of His hand this weekend, I was able to see His beauty even in the gray skies and in the crashing waves. We found His peace in the midst of our storm and we were, in fact, refreshed. Not the way I had hoped. Not the way I had planned. But from the hand of a loving God who knows what I need in the face of what I want.
Are you searching for high ground to no avail? Run to the Rock!
Dear Lord, I pray for those who are walking through the waves, and afraid in the fire. Show them Your faithfulness and Your loving kindness. Help them be satisfied with your plan and find strength to continue with You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
I love the words of the beautiful song, “When you can’t see His Hand, trust His Heart.” Because our state, Louisiana, seems to be drowning right now, many of us have read and relied on the Is. scripture you quoted. It is so reassuring to know that when we go through the fire, He will be there and we won’t even smell like smoke; when we go through the water, He will be there and we won’t drown. Praising God for your time of refreshment and that He will continue to walk with you during these difficult times of uncertainty with your inlaws.
Thanks, Libby! Prayers for you and all of Louisianian during this difficult time!
I am glad that you had some time away to get refreshed. Sometimes His and our ideas of refreshing are not the same. But as you said, we need to trust Him.
Thank you, Iris! But, my, it is hard to trust!
only trust Him.