If you don’t see God at work, maybe you’re not looking
“I will stand my ground where hope can be found.”
– Lauren Daigle
Maybe I’m just noticing it more. But lately I’ve heard more negativity than normal. I’ve heard these three comments just in the past week:
- “The world is just awful now”
- “Everything is going downhill”
- “There’s nothing good anymore”
Really?
I have a friend who could have died Sunday. Another friend and I visited her in ICU on Monday. She was still alive, but barely.
As we prayed over her for healing and to wake up from her coma, we didn’t know if we’d ever see her alive again.
So before we left, I leaned over and told her I loved her and thanked her for being my friend. Could she hear me? I didn’t know. I needed to say it anyway.
Horrible things like this are real. We can’t, nor shouldn’t, deny bad things in this world.
But amazing things are going on, too.
- Hungry are being fed
- Poor are being clothed
- Sick are being healed
- Babies are being born
- Marriages are being formed
- Souls are being freed
Maybe it doesn’t happen all at once, not to everyone at once.
But it’s happening at some time, somewhere, to someone, every single second.
And to God be the glory for it.
Minutes after I arrived home Monday afternoon, I received this text about my friend in the hospital:
Why did God choose to wake up my friend in this ICU unit, and not one beside her in the next unit? I don’t know.
What I do know is to give God praise for the good I do see.
And to believe that more is on the way.
- Because God is good.
- God is powerful.
- And God is faithful.
Does that mean bad things are over? Not yet.
But wait for it. It’s coming.
Let’s stand our ground where hope can be found.
If we don’t see God at work, perhaps we’re just not looking.
[click here if you can’t see the Lauren Daigle video, “O’Lord”]
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Where have you seen God at work in your week? Please share in the comments.
Beautiful musical prayer this morning. I’m saying amen with her, with you, friend.
Standing my ground where hope can be found.
Yes.
I think if someone can answer your question of “why her and not the other” they would KNOW God’s mind. I think I will leave that up to Him. My part, as hard as it may be at times, is simply to trust His goodness. I echo His goodness with you Lisa. Life is too short to be “possessed” by negative thoughts.
Hi Lisa! Thanks for the video, another artist I don’t know at all. “I will stand my ground”…the best thing to do.
I don’t work outside the home, but I do hear the negative comments about the world. Of course, it’s always been that way. This is the anniversary of the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. Those were awfully dark days too. It’s a constant that life can be dark, and that life in Christ is always light. When we let him into our confusion, miracles happen. Just like with the friend you prayed over. What a blessing to have your words and faith and love right there for her. What a transformation!
Thank you for sharing the light of the Good News, and your own share in it,
Ceil
The best movie line I ever heard (spoken by Sean Connery, which makes it better) comes from an unlikely place…the Jerry Bruckheimer action-adventure, “The Rock”. Connery play a convict who had been incarcerated at Alcatraz, and when asked how he endured, he replied (now cue his voice) – “I nurtured the hope that there WAS hope, that one day I’d breathe free air”.
That’s what gets me through my days, and I think it’s in line with God’s thinking – I actively nurture hope that I will somehow survive, by keeping my heart and my hands busy with things that reach into a tomorrow I do so want to see.
This week so far I’ve seen God at work in the consultation that my husband had with a surgeon. He went because of knowing there was one thing wrong, and upon examination the doctor found that the same thing was developing on the other side. God’s grace? Instead of having one surgery, healing and then having to go back in for another surgery, he can have both done at one time! God’s grace! and God’s mercy!
I have panic disorder and at times feel like I can’t move. More often than not Jesus holds my hand and I can take the next step. I’m thankful to God and will stand my ground. Thank you for posting this today 🙂
I do understand people’s discouragement when it seems the world keeps getting crazier and farther away from God. But another part of me wants to say, “Seriously? We haven’t seen anything yet.” Those under persecution in the first century church and behind the Iron Curtain and even now in China and other places saw (and see) much worse conditions, yet their faith is strong and their joy is bold because they knew their God in the midst of everything that was going on. May we always keep our eyes on Him and rejoice in what He is doing.
Hi Lisa,
I agree! God is always at work and neat things are happening world-wide. Thanks for calling them out too.
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
Amen!! God’s goodness and gifts are everywhere. Sometimes we see it in the huge things. Your friends miracle is one of those. Sometimes it’s in the much needed rain He blessed us with today or the precious smile of a child. Thanks for your gentle reminder to look for the good and not dwell on the negative!!