Stand

In the 10 years since I gave my life to Christ, I have seen and heard of different ways God answered prayers, did the miraculous, and came thru in the midst of crisis. I have experienced money coming in at the very last minute to pay those bills the day they were due, I have heard of a loved one being healed from cancer, I have seen marriages that looked hopeless be brought to life again.
but how do you continue to stand in your trust and faith in the Lord when He doesn't come thru as you expect?... what about those times when you can't pay the bills, the person you'd been praying for dies, or your marriage ends in divorce?
Despite pressing in for the miraculous healing both before and after his birth, Micah did not live.
Some people may think that asking the Lord to raise the dead is a bit over the top, but it's not for our God.
In the hospital, I heard Aaron Evans voice echo in my ear. During one sermon he'd given years back, he'd said something like, " when you've stood and you're tired of standing, stand some'ore." I have heard this echo many times in the hours, days, weeks, and months that have followed. I can speak for both Eric and I when I say that our trust in God was shaken. We struggled with how we can continue to stand in our trust and faith in the Lord when He didn't come thru as we expected.
Eph 6:13 says "Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
"Stand" can be defined as to remain firm or steadfast, as in a cause. To take up or maintain a position or attitude with respect to a person, issue, or the like: I stand for Christ.
I have always taken this verse literally, about standing instead of realizing it represents what you're standing for. I have come to realize that in those times of standing, there will be times of doubt and times when trusting is difficult or maybe close to impossible.
There are going to be times in our lives when things happen that make us doubt the goodness, the faithfulness, the justice of God. In those times, with all those things swirling about, we need to continue to hold strong to the basics of who God is and to stand on that truth. We need to continue to stand for Christ. Even when the circumstances tell us differently, holding firm to the word of God, the words spoken to your heart. That He will direct your path, that he will hide you in the shadow of his wings. When your flesh is reminding you that none of this is true, feed yourself, your spirit the REAL truth... we don't see as God sees.
Love,
Karin