Embracing the Moment

None of us like pain, uncertainty, strife, or frustration. We want things to run along smoothly. But the challenging and miserable times are not without their aspect of good. It is then that we have the opportunity to experience the Lord's presence in a deeper way. If we embrace the moment, we see Him in it.

Walking step by step with God requires embracing the moments for all it's worth. When you are tempted to become fearful, frustrated, uncertain, or panicked about what is happening in your life, stop and see that God is in it. And with Him, you have everything you need for this moment. Here and now.

It's amazing that when we open our eyes to the whole picture, we have a different perspective.

Regardless of what your situation is at this moment, God has an abundance of blessings for you. Right where you are, God is working powerfully in your life. He wants you to close your eyes, call out His name, and say, "Lord, show me Your hand in my life." He wants you to sense His presence. He wants you to trust that when you are afraid, you can turn to Him and find His peace. When you are weary, you will find His strength. When you are empty, you will find His fullness. When you are sad, you will find His joy. And when you are in the middle of a raging storm, you will find His shelter and provision.

God knows that too much light can be hard to take. It can blind and confuse us. He prefers to give us just enough to keep us dependent on Him. In that way, He can teach us to take bigger steps of faith in order to prepare for what He is calling us to in the future.

When we have a deep and personal relationship with the Lord, our difficult times are not the same as they are for people who don't have Him. For unbelievers, their dark and troubled times are without hope. Even for believers who don't understand all that God has for them, their difficult experiences are filled with fear and doubt instead of a sense of God's sustaining presence.

When you take the first step to embrace God in your circumstances, He will go the distance to embrace you.

No matter what is going on in your life, embrace the moment. Instead of becoming upset when things go wrong or something doesn't happen the way you planned, look for God in the situation. You'll see He hasn't forsaken you. You'll understand that you won't be suffering forever. When you embrace the heart of God in the nitty-gritty details of your life, you will find a oneness with Him you never dreamed possible. And you'll sense that He is in control and will not let you get off course. Whenever you feel angry, sad, depressed, or fearful, say, "God, reveal Yourself to me in this moment. What are You doing in my life that I am not seeing? If all things work together for good, then show me the good." When you're determined to see the good, you will find it.

Just because you can't see anything ahead doesn't mean He can't. He can and does. He knows where you've been. He knows where you're headed. He knows where you are supposed to be going. And He knows how to get you there. If you have light for just the moment in which you find yourself, it is enough. It must be enough. For you have Him, and He is all you need.