Faith Filled Family Magazine August 2016 | Page 106

feel the stings from the growing and I can attest to that fact. The
bruises and swelling cuts.
hills that once felt impossible to
climb are taken more in stride.
When my husband died sud- There are still bumps in the road,
denly in the shower while get- but the potholes are either more
ting ready for work, my brain filled in with faith or I am more in
fuzzed. Zombie like, interrupted tune to the Holy Spirit’s advice to
by intermittent spats of shaking steer around them. Occasionally
tearfulness, I sloughed through one jars me back on my knees,
the days before and immediately where I belong. I have learned
after the funeral on numbed to praise God for that because
autopilot. I don’t recall praying or it meant I was about to run on
even crying out to God, but then empty again. I consider it His
I don’t remember a great deal subtle way of tapping my shoulduring those initial weeks of wid- der and waggling His finger,
owhood.
beckoning me to return to Him.
What I do recount is feeling as if
I was lifted and floating through
it all on the prayers of others.
And in a quiet, wee hour of the
morning moment, that revelation hit me. It was as if someone
had given me a booster shot of
energy. I literally fell to my knees
in tears, this time cleansing ones
in joyful release. My faith meter’s
needle jumped to high. My spiritual fuel tank brimmed over, and I
knew, really knew—not just head
knowledge—I was not alone.
It made the months and years
ahead easier. Each time I felt
drained, spiritually and emotionally, I returned to that moment. I
dove into His Word. I scrunched
to my knees and let His mercy
dowse me like cool water on a
hot summer day. Then I drank in
His grace like a deer pants for
water. (Psalm 42:1) I renewed
my strength and then once again
soared like an eagle…until the
next stressful adjustment. But
as I moved through each phase,
the roller coaster humps slowly
became less pronounced.
Scripture says God will make our
paths straight (Proverbs 3:6),

our shock absorber. Our hope in
His loving mercy and grace helps
us through the ups and downs
along this imperfect world’s journey.

Someone much wiser than I
once said that we learn from our
mistakes, not our successes.
Trials and tribulations happen,
simply because of sin—ours or
another’s. In essence, life happens. We are aliens in a foreign and hostile land. Jesus
explained this very clearly to His
disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane in the Gospel of John
I think the victory is in the return- 15:18-16:4. But God uses these
ing, time and again to our Lord tumultuous times to measure our
despite the curves life throws trust. How we react is an indiat us. Others will see that as cation of how full our faith tank
well. They may witness a tem- is at the moment. It is also our
porary wobble in our faith, but testimony. Because of Paul and
like a buoy roiled by stormy Silas’s reactions to their impriswaves, we remain upright. We onment, a jailor and his family
may be tossed, but not over- were saved and the church in
turned. We may get a few lungs Philippi started. We have no idea
full of water in the turmoil, but how God will use our trials to His
we won’t drown. Like Jesus did glory down the road.
to Peter as they walked on the
stormy Galilean sea, (read Mat- So, the next time the waves of life
thew 14:22-32) when we shift swell, do not chastise yourself if
our focus to the situation instead all you can think about is kicking
of on Him, He will reach out His your legs and moving your arms.
hand and yanks us back. As the When life gets bumpy, grab hold
disciples who witnessed it did, with white knuckled strength.
we will whisper in awe, “Truly But in the aftermath, fall to your
you are the Son of God.” (vs.33) knees. Embrace the storm that
Perhaps those around us will is waning as the seas calm.
narrow their eyes and wonder Breathe as the road becomes
the same. What a witness!
less rocky. Acknowledge you
didn’t stay afloat on your own or
There are two certainties in this that you had shock absorbers
life. We will experience episodes to ease the jolts. Seek the lesof total bliss, and also times of sons God wished you to learn
turmoil, trials and perhaps even and draw near with faith to be
persecution. Roller coaster refilled, so when the next rough
events often knock people for a spot hits, you will be prepared.
loop and leave them dizzy as my It will come—but, through hope
husband’s unexpected death did revealed, you will survive victorime. But as believers, Jesus is ously.