Author: Rebekah Colburn
•Thursday, February 23, 2012
“In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.” Psalm 25:1 (NIV)
Experience is the greatest of all teachers: children learn to leave the stove alone after burning their fingers. But unfortunately, sometimes we learn false lessons. We learn about a person, and think that lesson is about people. Or we internalize a life lesson that wasn’t about us at all, based on beliefs we’ve already developed about ourselves or others.
At one time, I thought I had a solid relationship with God and knew his plan for my life. And then the world shifted under my feet, and when I looked up, I didn’t recognize anything in front of me. Everything had changed. There were no certainties.
When I reflect on how God allowed my life to be leveled, like a mobile home in a tornado, I realize that it was ultimately an act of love. He knew that for me to begin making vital changes in my attitudes and in my depth of faith, I would have to endure hardship.
At the lowest point I questioned his love and his wisdom. I questioned his very existence. There was a long road of heartache and struggle stretching ahead for me. But God was already at work to provide for all my needs. He was at work even when I doubted him the most.
Now I have these rich experiences of God’s tender presence and faithfulness to look back on as he rebuilt my life in the wake of devastation. Now I know that whatever comes, I can trust him.
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Author: Rebekah Colburn
•Thursday, February 16, 2012
“You shall have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3
Every little girl dreams of meeting her Prince Charming. The thought occupies a ridiculous amount of time and energy. But I’m reminded of a quote by Logan P. Smith: “There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want, and after that to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second.”
Cinderella and Snow White may have lived happily ever after, but the rest of us live in the real world. We don’t meet handsome men who ride white horses and solve all our problems in a daring swordfight.
We fall in love with real men who may be handsome, but possess as many issues as we do. We don’t ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. We learn how to understand and appreciate one another as we grow and heal together, and as we face life’s challenges together.
No matter where you are in life, there’s something to pin your hopes and dreams on. I know a woman who yearned to adopt a child only to laugh later about “buyer’s remorse.” The only one who can fulfill us is Christ. The only one who can meet our emotional needs is Christ. Anything that becomes a “god” in our lives is going to let us down.
Our husbands, our children, our jobs—they are all gifts from God. If we set them up as gods in our lives, we’re setting ourselves up for trouble!
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Author: Rebekah Colburn
•Thursday, February 09, 2012
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God...” Romans 8:28 NLT
A long, dry walk in the heat of summer gives you new appreciation for a cool drink of water. Without knowing what it feels like to be parched, we wouldn’t value the sensation of being refreshed. What we have at our disposal every day, we take for granted.
Maybe God allows us to know hardship and want so that when the blessings come, we can see them for all that they are. And thank him for them.
When I woke up sick on Sunday morning, I was disappointed. But my husband and I bonded that day in a very special way because he chose to stay by my side. I gained new appreciation for Ben as he cared for me with tender thoughtfulness.
If God had given me the choice to spend the day healthy or sick in bed, my choice would be obvious. And if it hadn’t been for everything I experienced in the years leading up to this time in my life, I wouldn’t appreciate my husband’s attentiveness as I do. This is new for me. That’s what makes it so precious.
God works in mysterious ways. Sometimes he allows us to experience the very things we would bypass if given the choice. When we find ourselves in tough times, we need to remember that God is at work in many different ways to mold and shape us into the image of his son. Perhaps we can’t truly know gratitude until we have first known deprivation.
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Author: Rebekah Colburn
•Thursday, February 02, 2012
“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: … a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…” Ecclesiastes 3:1 and 4 NKJ
In the last two years I’ve confronted some of my greatest fears and reopened some of my deepest wounds. I’ve fought battles with dark memories and dared to trust and love again. I’ve accepted first a diamond ring, and then a new last name. It’s been a roller coaster journey rich with personal and spiritual growth.
For years I held onto Isaiah 30: 18,
“The Lord longs to be gracious to you… blessed are all who wait for him.” But there were days when I wondered. The years of “alone” after my divorce were growing into a number that spanned more than half a decade. As I wrestled with accepting God’s will for my life and choosing to be content, God was changing me.
After the divorce, I was too stressed and angry to be interested in men. Then, in the years of healing that followed, I prayed for God to shield me from anyone who might distract me from his work in my life. But when I felt ready, it became difficult to wait.
Yet I didn’t want to be impatient and forfeit God’s blessing. I kept returning to the promise of Isaiah:
“Blessed are all who wait for him.”God’s timing was perfect. Ben and I met at just the right time in both our lives. And now we continue our journey together, confident that God orchestrated our paths. At long last, I have found my soul mate and feel truly blessed. Some things are worth waiting for.
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