Strong in the Lord

In a comment I left for someone a few weeks ago, I confessed to feeling kind of complacent lately, like my fire was sputtering. I said that I wasn't looking for trouble, but that I needed to feel alive in Christ in a bigger way. Who was the really wise person who said "Be careful what you wish for?"

The boat is rocking in a big way this week, and shows no sign of settling down. Without going into personal detail, one of my children is walking a fine line between teenage angst and total rebellion. I don't recognize this child at all right now, and it is breaking my heart. As a mom, you feel like you should be able to fix things, and a lot of times you can't. You can only work on yourself.

Enter our new Bible study. In Can We Talk, we go through five steps to analyze a verse or passage of scripture. First Samuel 30:1-6 talks about when the Amalekites raided David's village and made off with all the women and children. While the other men were growing bitter, David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. Did you catch that? David did not look away from God to stare at the bleakness of the situation. He strengthened himself in the Lord, remembering Who he is. He turned to the Lord his God for answers. The Lord, my God.

As I really pondered this passage, I could see similarities. No, the Amalekites have not carted off my loved one, but this kind of trouble only has one source. The enemy is messing with my child and while I can't fix it, I can strengthen myself in my God. I sat down and made a list of some of the scriptures that remind me of the power, strength, and love found in our God.

• The Lord is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation. Exodus 15:2
• "When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." Isaiah 43:2
• The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." 2 Chronicles 16:9
• "After you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." 1 Peter 5:10

So, with these promises to stand on, I wait. I pray. And I believe.