I keep hearing a song over and over. It comes to me many times in the day. It is I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me. Each time I hear it in my mind, it makes me feel warm and stronger. I felt encouraged to keep praying for the prayer ministry of Grace Haven and so many families. I saw little kids who come who are confused and don't have understanding of who God is.
In my mind I keep seeing an image of myself playing a guitar. I know it doesn't make sense so I keep asking God to show me why am I playing the guitar? I think Jesus wants me to rest in worship so much. It's when I focus best and I feel certain. I really think I am supposed to keep praying.
For a season this year I was feeling so much pain and during that time I was tempted to stop worshipping and to stop listening to bible teaching. It was almost like I wanted to hide from Him and zone out to TV shows. The shows weren't bad, but they were all about emotions and feelings, and not really telling me the truth about the healing God wants to do. It was like I got wrapped up in my own world and not seeing what God's doing.
Sometimes I have to do what I don't feel like. Even if I try, God never leaves me alone and keeps reminding me to come back to him. And the thing is, I am never sorry for turning back to God and listening!
The Message bible says this in Isaiah 14:24-27 and I like it so much. It says:
God-of-the-Angel-Armies speaks:
“Exactly as I planned,
it will happen.
Following my blueprints,
it will take shape.
I will shatter the Assyrian who trespasses my land
and stomp him into the dirt on my mountains.
I will ban his taking and making of slaves
and lift the weight of oppression from all shoulders.”
This is the plan,
planned for the whole earth,
And this is the hand that will do it,
reaching into every nation.
God-of-the-Angel-Armies has planned it.
Who could ever cancel such plans?
His is the hand that’s reached out.
Who could brush it aside?
it will happen.
Following my blueprints,
it will take shape.
I will shatter the Assyrian who trespasses my land
and stomp him into the dirt on my mountains.
I will ban his taking and making of slaves
and lift the weight of oppression from all shoulders.”
This is the plan,
planned for the whole earth,
And this is the hand that will do it,
reaching into every nation.
God-of-the-Angel-Armies has planned it.
Who could ever cancel such plans?
His is the hand that’s reached out.
Who could brush it aside?
I pray that whoever is reading this would know that whatever hard thing you are going through, when it is finished, you will understand. Our hard things are for growing us even when we can't see it. I'm glad I'm not stuck in my TV zone anymore because I feel so much better when I am connecting to Jesus!
