Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path

The following are the words that hang on a plaque right by my mother in law's computer. I thought you might all enjoy this today.

"God said...Don't look to the bigness of your need. Look to the bigness of your God!
Your circumstances are the hindrances to seeing My abilities...

If you keep your eyes on your circumstances, the devil might use
those circumstances to defeat you..

but your victory is in keeping your eyes on the bigness of your God
and in His love and abilitiy. He has promised to take you
step by step by step...not all at once.

But step by step...and each step will be a miracle!"

Psalm ll9:105 "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"

We recently heard a woman share her testimony about a time of terrible sickness. She had vertigo and ringing in her ears that got to the point of being completely debilitating. She couldn't function at all for a long period of time. She and her husband prayed, but her symptoms only seemed to get worse. She didn't give up, believing that God wanted to bring her through this very difficult situation. She didn't know if He would heal her..only that she sensed His presence and she knew that whatever she faced, she would not walk the path alone. She began to really lean into God with all she had, not knowing what the outcome would be. She only had a sense that He was on the path of her life with her. She knew that He had not forsaken her. She spent much time in prayer and reading the Bible when she was able. The words on the pages of that Bible began to come to life for her and she knew that God was speaking to her. She began to stand on the scriptures that God laid on her heart, and she believed them to be true..and she believed them to be true for HER! Week after week went by, and then month after month, but she continued to simply lean in to God, and to believe what she felt He was bringing to life for her from His Word. She didn't see immediate results..she only knew that she shouldn't give up. She stated that she began to sense His presence more and more. He was with her when the ringing in her ears was so bad that she couldn't even think. He was with her during the nausea. He was with her when she was dizzy and couldn't even stand up. She began to appreciate the time that she was spending just in His presence and began to not worry so much about what was happening in her body. She still didn't know what her outcome would be..only that He would be with her.

I wonder how many of you are "stuck". Something has happened in your life that has left you reeling, and you just can't seem to move forward in your life. It may have been something very traumatic..possibly an illness, possibly the loss of the greatest love of your life, possibly you are literally hanging on by a thread with your job, possibly you just feel greatly misunderstood. I don't know what you are facing today..but I can offer you this..Lean into God. Simply lean into Him. I promise He will not let you fall.

In 1985, I had one of those catastrophic events in my own life. I guess that's the event that changed my life..the event that left me questioning God..wondering why..and completely "stuck" for many years. When Ray's ex-wife disappeared with his two sons..it was devastating. I don't know what was more difficult..facing the loss in my own life, or watching my husband try to go on day by day with no answers. I only know that at some point, in the quietness of my heart, God began to speak to me. He never really answered the "why" question. He only spoke to me that He loved me. Sometimes we get "stuck" wondering why..I know I did. I couldn't understand why..when I had tried to live a life that would be to glorify God, He would allow this in my life..Here I am 25 years later..and I don't have a solid answer to that question..but I do know this.

He has carried me. If I had never gone through that dark valley, I wouldn't have known or sensed His presence in my life. I would have gone on believing that I could function in this life quite well, all by myself. I wouldn't have known His healing power in my emotions. I wouldn't have the love for children that I have now. There is a new depth in my love for God that would never have been there, had I not experienced such a great need for Him in my life.

The woman that we heard speak stood in front of us the other night, completely healed. She had "leaned in", to the One Who would carry her through, the One Who step by step had taught her to trust Him, even when things didn't make sense and there were no answers. She knew that even if her life had gone differently and the healing hadn't come, she still would have had the victory..because she was keeping her eyes on the bigness of her God.

Beloved, God doesn't want you "stuck". He cares too much for you to leave you in that condition. He is the One Who died that you might have life! Today, if you are in a situation that you just haven't been able to see your way out of..if you just haven't been able to move forward, invite Him in..even if you have done it before. Begin to "lean in" to God..Begin to pay attention to His presence in your life. Begin to look into His Word, which is alive, and pay attenton as it starts to speak life into you!

He has promised to take you..step..by step..by step..not all at once..but step..by step..and each step will be a miracle!