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October 25, 2016 |
“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV)
Tolerable. This coffee will have to do today. I knew I was beyond the point of hoping for a better brew as I grabbed the Styrofoam cup and pushed the button on the coffee machine in the hospital waiting room.
I swirled an unusual amount of creamer and the contents of several tiny yellow packets into my cup and sipped twice before making my way back to my chair.
My daughter snuggled close as I wrapped one arm around her and held my lukewarm, barely tolerable cup of brown water at a distance. We were waiting, once again, for tests we prayed would give us solid answers. We were also waiting for the sun to come up; I wasn’t sure either was going to happen today.
My mind ran backward over days and weeks of discovering and managing her chronic illness. The intensity had been relentless. To top it off, I was worn thin from being awake all night and fighting a raging battle in my heart. The conversation went something like this:
How could you not know she was sick?
What can I do to fix it?
A good mom would know the answers. What is wrong with you?
I returned to the present moment when our name was finally called, and soon a group of nurses settled my daughter in pre-op. With a few seconds to breathe, I looked at my phone, which seemed like a safe place to rest my eyes. I was surprised to see multiple messages from friends.
First I heard Liz’s voice.
“Stacey, I believe the Lord wants me to tell you right now, ‘You are a good mom.’”
My hand went to my mouth and I lowered my head in disbelief. How did she know I needed to hear these exact words in this moment? I bit my lip to keep from dissolving into an ugly cry. It worked — barely. She couldn’t have known the enemy was ambushing my heart, working to convince me I should win the award for worst mom of the year.
Other lies had piled on as well. The accuser lied that my mess was too much for my friends … and too much for Jesus too.
While a current was pulling me under and away from shore, Liz’s words pulled me out and brought me in just in time. When I stopped to consider what she said, the Lord reminded me that even though I was tempted to hide in the middle of my fresh-out-of-amazing moment and let the enemy take my heart captive, Jesus was not having it. My mess was not too much for Him. He was right there with me the whole time.
And my friends? They were loving and supporting me as well.
I may not know what the future holds with my daughter’s chronic illness, but as we continue to make slow progress, I will hold these powerful truths close to my heart.
“Maybe you can relate on some level.” Do you think your mess is too much for Jesus? Are you wrapped in a bunch of lies about your own inadequacies that weigh you down and wear you out?
Can I encourage you with this thought? Jesus doesn’t sit across the table from you or me saying the situation is beyond His pay grade. He leans in close, looks into our eyes, and says, “I will not cast you off, sweet girl. Not ever.”
Jesus is our patient friend. Sometimes He speaks boldly through our sisters in Christ. Other times, He speaks directly to us with truth from His Word. Either way, when you’re tempted to believe one lie, or maybe three, charge back with God’s truth instead.
Every thought. Every emotion. Every lie. Take them captive to obey Christ. Replace them with truth. When we do, they have no chance.
Dear God, nothing is impossible for You. Thank You for speaking words of truth over our hearts in the most loving and compassionate way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Psalm 147:5, “Our LORD is great. Nothing is impossible with His overwhelming power. He is loving, compassionate, and wise beyond all measure.” (VOICE)
RELATED RESOURCES:
Do you feel like you need to be amazing — but you have nothing left to give? You are invited to savor some grace today with Stacey Thacker’s new book, Fresh Out of Amazing: Opening Your Heart to God’s Unexpected Invitation.
Enter to WIN a copy of Fresh Out of Amazing: Opening Your Heart to God’s Unexpected Invitation by Stacey Thacker. In celebration of this book, Stacey's publisher is giving away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We'll randomly select 5 winners and email notifications to each one, by Monday, October 31.}
REFLECT AND RESPOND:
What lies do you believe? How can you charge back with specific truth from God’s Word?
© 2016 by Stacey Thacker. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Harvest House Publishers for their sponsorship of today's devotion.
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Originally published Tuesday, 25 October 2016.
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