“Be joyful in hope, patient in trouble, and persistent in prayer.” Romans 12:12 (ISV)
What an example of perseverance! As I walked across my yard, a glint of bright yellow caught my eye. Despite days and days of single digit temperatures, snow, and wind, this little dandelion found a way to push out of the dark, frozen ground. Bitter cold? Didn’t stop it. Frigid wind? It kept right on going. Stretched to its limits and facing obstacles in its way, this little sign of life kept reaching toward the sun until it broke through into the morning light. And wouldn’t you know it? This small, determined, tiny plant showed up just when I needed a little prompting to persist, myself!
I too, have been frozen; stuck in my own wavering thoughts, pushing against uncertainty and doubt, and letting my faith be blown here and there. It’s been a real struggle to try and find my way in the dark. And then, here’s this small golden gift put directly in my path, bringing to mind a truth God’s been trying to get me to understand: Just. Keep. Reaching. Toward. The. Son.
Ever been in that place of believing, but asking God for help in your unbelief? That’s right where I’ve been planted of late. Shaken by prayers not answered in the way hoped for? Hold on. Weary of not knowing what to do? Endure. Faith far from where it needs to be? Pursue. Feeling unworthy of God’s love? Abide. For every question I’ve raised, the answer has simply been “stay”. Stay in My promises. Stay in My plan. Stay in My love.
As I’ve read the Bible, talked with other trusted Christians, and prayed, I’ve searched for some preconceived, easy to understand answers. You’ve probably guessed that I didn’t find what I was looking for and you’d be right. But, what did come to light in the midst of this dark struggle is this: Just Believe!
“”My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah 55:6-11 (NLT)
These words remind me that God’s wisdom is not rooted in human (my) comprehension and reasoning. All my striving to uncover answers I could understand only left me stranded in the cold, but just as an out-of-season dandelion shines in the bleakness of winter, God’s message to me, to us, to persevere in our belief shimmers with hope. Will there be obstacles? No doubt! Winds to blow us off course? I’m sure! Life can be hard! The rain and snow will come. Maybe you’re feeling it piling up right now. Boy, do I understand and I’m learning we have a choice to make: Will we let it bury us in uncertainty? Or, will we choose to stay?…Stay and believe in thoughts and ways that are higher than ours. It might not be easy and we may have to choose to believe over and over again, but when we’re stretched to our limits let’s take a lesson from a little dandelion (and God) and Just. Keep. Reaching. For. The. Son! Who’d ever imagine that a persevering “little sign of life” could teach me a lesson that leads straight to THE Sign of Life! Just gotta believe!