“Bearing fruit each season without fail.” Hmm… Reading this verse feels hopeful. It feels encouraging; relief that despite seasons where nothing goes right, one difficult, trying thing after another happens, and you feel blindsided, and exhausted – even then we bear fruit. It may not be loud, obvious, beautiful fruit, but the scripture DOES say “each season.”
Maybe you are in a season, like me, where things are not going as planned or hoped, and you feel disappointed , and blindsided by events you never saw coming. It’s not an easy place to be.
I wonder if we slow down, breathe a minute, and look around us, we will see that there is fruit here. Perhaps it’s a fruit called trust, rest, patience, hope, letting go, or compassion for another who’s struggling.
God is with you in whatever season you are in right now. I know it doesn’t always feel like it or look like it, but He is. He promises to never leave us alone. He is the Promise Keeper. He is faithful and He keeps His promises.
Wherever your path leads you today remember that Jesus is walking it, too. He won’t leave you alone to navigate what’s ahead. He’s been there already and knows exactly what you will need to steadily travel on.
There will likely be twists and turns along with ups and downs as you go. When you feel uncertain or worried about the blinds spots, perhaps try and view them through a new lens of adventure, excitement, and anticipation of good things coming. Blind spots don’t always have to be bad.
For me, I often anticipate bad things and overthink all the ways a twisty part of the path will play out in a negative way and exhaust myself trying to get ahead of the bad news. I don’t want to keep doing it that way. I’m tired and worn down. It is stealing my joy. This isn’t that way He wants us to live.
Maybe you’ll join me in trying to flip the negative narrative that so often obscures and diminishes all the good things Jesus HAS done, IS doing, and WILL do for me and for you. We won’t get it right all the time. How thankful I am that He gets it, gets us, and doesn’t stop loving us when we let worry blind us to the small blessings, bits of joy, and pops of beauty He scatters all around us, hoping we trust Him enough to see it.
I don’t want to miss out on hidden blessings, glimmers of heaven, quiet times of sitting with Him, and rest, beautiful, blessed rest.
“For forty years I led you through the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.” Deuteronomy 29:5 NLT
Something about this tugged at my spirit as I read it.
The Lord led the Israelites for forty years through unforgiving desolate places. How exhausting, how defeating, how infuriating it must have felt a lot of the time as they battled sand, wild animals, and exhaustion on every level. They didn’t want to be in this fierce and untamed wilderness. It isn’t what they thought it would be when the Lord said He was rescuing them.
Yet…the goodness of God. For forty years He kept their shoes and clothing from wearing out. An absolute necessity for the areas they were traveling through to have good clothing to protect their skin and solid shoes to protect their feet as they walked the road He laid out for them.
He had to remind them of the ways He had protected them and looked out for their basic well-being.
Reading this verse gave me hope. Hope that this season I’m in has divine purpose. That I’m not forgotten in an untamed, desolate wilderness. I’m walking through what He knows I need to walk through whether or not I see the merit or understand the big picture of what this season will produce once I’m on the other side. There is another side. He is going with me, He’s before me, and surrounding me on all sides. He’s there for you in this way, too.
Hope and gratitude bubble up in my heart as I see that my shoes and clothes haven’t worn out yet. My feet can still move me forward, even at a limp sometimes, on this path that I often don’t like or want to be walking.
Looking beyond the frustrations, fear, and disappointments, I know without a doubt that He has shielded and protected me from far worse things. I’ve gotten glimpses of those things, people, and situations and I am so grateful He loves me enough to block, rebuke, and protect me from them. He filters every single thing that touches me or those I love through His scarred hands.
Wherever we are on our life journey, perhaps there’s room for some hope for what’s to come, and gratitude that our provision hasn’t run out, even when it doesn’t look like what we think it should. He is providing for us. Maybe we can look at where we are today with a different lens and find glimpses of His goodness, His kindness, and provision in unexpected places. Not to minimize or dismiss the hard things, but to bring hope, peace, and the knowledge of how deeply we are loved into the mix.
Isn’t it amazing that before we were born, God perfectly mapped out the twisty, windy road that would be our life journey? He carefully planned for every mountain, valley, and stretch of road, equipping us with exactly what we need for each roadblock we navigate and person we meet. He leaves nothing to chance. It’s all divinely orchestrated, this seemingly chaotic, yet beautifully crafted planet populated with humanity that is messy, precious, delightful, and completely known. Loved.
It doesn’t catch Him off guard when we worry, rehearse, and stress over our future. He knows we have plans, ideas, and dreams because He placed them in us. He omnipotently sees the path we need to follow to accomplish the purpose we were created to fulfill. Our journeys brush up against others following the road set out before them. Interwoven with blessings and kindness. A human tapestry that He calls His masterpiece.
I wonder, if like me, you question why and how you ended up on the road you are traveling. Sometimes it’s smooth, easy, and all is going your way. Other times it is not. You know the dreams and passions you have inside that are bursting to get out. You have things to do and places to go, but the road you are walking is not the one you would have chosen. The obstacles you have to overcome—pain, loss, loneliness, and fear—seem to serve no purpose. They feel so heavy on your shoulders. So tired, so weary…where is this road leading? How much longer do you have to struggle through?
I wonder if gratitude is the answer. It seems completely counterintuitive. It feels wrong and dismissive of the hardships, but maybe it isn’t? When I look back on my life, there are portions of my road that I disliked to my core. Seasons that filled me with fear, anger, physical and mental pain, and sadness. I saw no blessings there. I saw nothing to be thankful for, and I did not feel any gratitude for what I had to slog through. It felt pointless and mean.
I did make it through that season of life, but not without scars and memories. I wasn’t filled with the joy of the Lord or brimming with thankfulness. Definitely not. It was a road that I would not have chosen. But…
Now that I am past that part of my journey, I can look back and see that things played out the way they needed to. Those difficult sections of the path were necessary. Never minimizing or dismissive of the pain, but it is part of my life story. He holds my tears in lovely crystal jars, continually speaking blessings, prophesy, healing, and peace over them.
The lessons learned about God’s faithfulness, goodness, mercy, and healing needed to happen the way they did. Not everything turned out the way I hoped and dreamed, and He has helped me wrestle with that loss and disappointment. It is a blessing to know that parts of my life story have brought hope and healing to others who needed to see that scars can be beautiful, reminders that there is always light in the darkest of nights. The pain and obstacles others have faced have done the same for me. All interconnected and planned to bless and heal—a revelation of Himself. God does dwell in and bless the broken road that in our finite human wisdom we would not have chosen.
On a summer night when cricket symphonies lull and soothe as the moon sails high and pinprick stars wink…He whispers in dark, nocturnal rustlings with deep, supernatural words of mystery.
When the wind shushes and sighs through the Redwood canopy as you hike and soak in the forest…He whispers timeless songs of creation.
Opening your eyes as a new day starts, before the mad rush of living takes over and you savor your morning coffee…He whispers an invitation, “Come and talk with me.”
As you putter in the garden, trimming and admiring the flowers…He whispers promises of new life and a season of rebirth in the rich scent of turned earth.
When the day is done and your tired body falls into those in-between moments before you drift off to sleep…He whispers words of rest and speaks to you in your dreams.
Can you hear Him?
When your heart feels heavy, you retreat to the hidden bench under the willow branches that skim over the pond…His whispers of healing and hope perfume the air around you.
When the cruel, hurtful words sting your heart, and tears spill over and down your cheeks…He whispers songs of love and belonging. He captures each tear. You are His.
As waves crash along the lonely beach and you fling your deepest needs and fears to the relentless tides…His whispers become a divine exchange, taking your hurt and giving you Himself. He is enough.
Taking that first frightening, tentative step of faith into something new and unknown…He whispers courage and strength into your mind, spirit, and body. He is with you. Worry must flee.
With pain so deep and raw that you have no words or tears left…His whispers become intercession in heavenly languages, traveling straight to the Holy of Holies.
Can you hear Him?
When loved ones are far away and your mind is full of frightening thoughts and the chaos of the unknown…He whispers safety and protection. Their names are written on the palm of His hands. He speaks peace, and fear bows.
When the world is filled with injustice, cruelty, and division…He whispers compassion and authority—He is King. There are none before Him. Alpha and Omega.
When self-reliance has taken its toll and you finally unclench your fists and cry to Him in exhaustion…He whispers gentle songs of rest and comfort. All is well, He’s got this.
And…
On the lighter days, when the hurry is hushed and you sit under the apple tree, talking to Him, thanking Him, and whispering that you love Him, an incense of thankfulness, praise, and love rises and dances its way to His throne. As the sacred aroma swirls and fans around Him, He sings, shouts, and prophesies over you with blessings, peace, and joy. Can you hear Him?
“God is my strong fortress, and he makes my way perfect. He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.”
Is there a mountain in front of you today that seems impossible to climb? With God as your Guide and Shepherd you will get to the top of it. You will stand upon that mountain and see all that He brought you through. You won’t lose your footing because He is right there protecting you. Rest from the climb is coming and the view from the pinnacle will be breathtaking!
“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.”
Quiet your mind a moment. Imagine how it feels to rest between the Lord’s shoulders. I feel joy, delight, peace, and so much safety wrapping me up tightly in warmth and the scent of Heaven. It’s beautiful.
We are shielded all day long. We can rest, we can let go, and we can be ourselves because He wants us that way – just how He created us.
I can think of no better, safer, more joyful, and freeing place to be then in God’s presence – resting between the shoulders of the King of Heaven’s Armies.
As you navigate all that today holds in store, I pray that you pull up this image of being tucked in and held by the One who’s footstool is the heavens. Let that wash over you and bathe you in peace and confidence. He’s got you and yours. You are so loved. Peace be with you.
Life is heavy, frightening, uncertain, and smothering right now. Shelter your soul, mind, and body under the all-powerful wings of Jesus. He is so faithful and kind. He is the Mighty Warrior. He is the only Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent One. You are safe in the shelter of His presence and so are the ones you hold dear. He’s got them and He’s got you. He is the Prince of Peace and Emmanuel, God with us, is His name.
I lift up the one who needs some peace today. The tug of to-do lists, others’ expectations, and lack of restful sleep has them at their breaking point. The exhaustion is smothering and they just need a place to breathe. Please intervene, Jesus. Speak calm to the chaos, silence to the demanding voices, and peaceful rest to the tired mind and body. Your presence dispels worry, pushes out fear, ushers in joy, and delivers them into a spacious place of safety. The pressure that stifles is lifted. They can breathe You in. The fragrance of Your breath as You speak life to their soul is scented with love and peace. It is full of healing. Thank you for meeting them right where they are and wrapping them up in Your arms.
Extravagant Hope 