Denton County Living Well Magazine March/April 2016 | Page 17

sions, others dream dreams. For some it seems God is ever near, for others He seems a distant shadow. I know the pain of dark valleys and cries met with silence. Yet I have learned even in the darkest, deepest valleys, He is there. Psalm 139:7-12 reminds us, where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. God can always be found in His Word. Not a single human experience exists in which the Word of God is irrelevant. It is a living, breathing, God-inspired document where every answer to this life and the next can be found. If you’ve never studied, really studied the Bible, I encourage you to do so. The Scripture is rich in history as well as prophecy, full of admonishment, life instruction, encouragement, poetry, adventure and so much more. If you’ve had trouble diving in to His Word, ask Jesus to open your mind to understand the Scriptures as He did for His disciples (Luke 24:45). It is God’s pleasure to reveal His secrets to His friends (Ephesians 1:9). He longs for us to be fully enlightened by His supernatural wisdom (Ephesians 1:18). God is not intimidated by our questions and welcomes our inquiries as long as we seek with a pure and humble heart. Recently, I felt my heart hardening towards the Lord. I lifted up my concerns to Him, shared my disappointments, and questioned His timing. In the midst of a faith crisis, I sought to While God answered my prayers and my friends’ prayers for safety that night, others went unanswered. understand what I truly believed. I was reminded of the story in Mark 9:24 of a man who brought his demonized son to Jesus for deliverance. Jesus told the man that anything was possible if he believed. The man’s response is one we should remember. He said, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.” As my faith wavered, I begin to identify areas in which I struggled to believe. While searching possible areas of unbelief, the verse, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” came to mind (Romans 8:28). As I considered this Scripture, having both heard and quoted it dozens of times over the years, I wondered if it had become a rote recitation rather than a deeply held belief. I examined my heart before the Lord, and realized I did not fully believe that everything would always work together for good in my life. Upon recognizing my unbelief, I asked the Lord to give me a new measure of faith and to “help my unbelief.” Life in Christ is a journey. Our spiritual maturity is a process—the goal in front of us is that we be transformed into His image. We may not fully understand our life experiences, so faith is an essential part of a relationship with Christ. He asks us to not only believe in Him, but to also believe “that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). In order to please Him, we must accept the unwavering fact that He is good. When we seek Him, we will find Him and we will experience His goodness. One thing is certain in this life—storms will come, and our faith will be tested. May we be found faithful to proclaim, “God is good—all the time.” In doing so, we will be safe in the storms. All Scripture quotations are taken from the NIV. To connect with Lisa or follow her blog, visit LisaJenkinsMoore.com DENTON COUNTY Living Well Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2016 15