A Time To Trust
“For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
We came home from our other home in Nepal for Christmas with our family in NY. Even though travel is challenging these days, the trip here was easy and there weren’t any hiccups. But when we did our covid tests to return, mine came back positive. Having expected the best, we had driven five hours to JFK only to get the results as we waited in the airport parking lot.
In the wee hours of the morning, we drove back to my parents for quarantining as they graciously and lovingly extended room in their home and hearts. But my own heart was questioning and hurting and feeling somehow very much responsible for this mess I had put my family in. Why was this happening? Should we have stayed in Nepal instead of coming to the US? As I questioned and blamed my guilty self, I recognized my humanity. My doubting, faithless, untrusting humanity.
Romans 8:3 says God sent His Son in human form to identify with our human weakness. He came clothed in humanity to give His body as the sin-offering so that God could once and for all condemn the guilt and power of sin.
Suddenly, I knew God understood my guilt-ridden thoughts and my questioning humanity. This sickness wasn’t a punishment. I was not at fault.
Romans 8:4 goes on to say that every righteous requirement of the law can be fulfilled through the Anointed One living his life in us. And we are free to live, not according to our flesh, but by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit.
Seriously??? I don’t have to live my life imprisoned with my questions and doubts. I can live FREE by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit trusting my amazing Creator to know what this is about and working it together for good.
To spend a full 10 days in quarantine with my frail humanity would have been a whole new level of isolation. Now I realize I could live free from my questions and doubts, receiving the incredible power of the Holy Spirit.
Because my thoughts have been all over the place, I’ve found another powerful tool in my arsenal when I need to refocus. It’s called communion. Bread and wine. Cracker and juice. A time of remembering what Jesus did on the cross for me. For. You.
When my emotions were at rock bottom and my body was tired of struggling with sickness, it affected my spirit. When we remember the work Jesus did on the cross for us by giving His life, we receive a beautiful gift of love into our thoughts. It shifts off of our problems and circumstances and onto His sacrifice and suffering making a way for us to be His kids. A Father’s love that goes the distance.
There is power released to us from Jesus death and resurrection. He doesn’t want us to be weak and sad. As we remember and reflect on His body given for us and His blood shed for our sins, it takes our thoughts off of ourselves and onto His suffering and sacrifice making a way for us to experience a love that is much bigger than we can comprehend. Does that love make life perfect? Nope, but it does give us hope for the future. Hope is the anchor of our soul and breathes joy into our lungs.
I want to encourage you now, Go find a cracker or piece of bread in your cupboard and some wine or juice. Have a seat and read the whole chapter of Luke 23. (Or John 19, Matthew 27 or Mark 15. Take your pick) Thank Him for His gift of love to you and the power it releases into your life. Keep thanking Him for every blessing you can think of in your life right now. Eat the bread and drink the wine.
This time of fighting covid is not wasted. It’s a time to rest, reflect, and heal. God is redeeming this time. He is taking ashes and turning them into beauty. He is taking our sorrow and turning it into joy. You are not alone! Trust Him and His love for you.
“Thank you, Jesus, for giving me time to heal. Thank you for this space of time to reflect and refocus my thoughts and attention on you because you took all of my pain and suffering when you hung on the cross. You understand exactly what I am going through at this very moment. Even as I struggle to understand what you’re saying and doing, I choose to trust you because you are my good Father. In Jesus name I believe and I will receive the healing you have for me. Amen”
Meet the Writer!
This GoGirl is incognito due to the sensitive work she does abroad. She lives with a passion for the nations which were seeds planted in her childhood while she grew up abroad as a missionary’s child. Together with her husband they founded I Thirst International, a nonprofit organization going into the nations with clean water and opportunities to empower women at risk with business training. She remains incognito as a writer to protect those she works with and her mission.
