IT’S IN THE WORKING
Have you experienced a rough week ….. I’m talking about a WhyAreYouTestingMe -GetOnMyLastGoodNerve-YouReallyDontWantToMessWithMe - IAmSoOverThis or a(Fill in however you Like) week?
It’s in the midst of these weeks, seasons, days and moments that people with good intentions want to offer support and comfort. One of the common clichés is that everything happens for a reason, even though spoken with good intentions, it’s not exactly what you want to hear when you are in the midst of a painful situation, yet I know that it is probably based upon a biblical text.
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 NRSV
My ministry colleagues and I were discussing this passage, when one of them shared something that changed my perspective. After she spoke, it occurred to me that .....
God’s grace isn’t confined to when the situation reaches a resolution and everything works out. God’s miracle is in those who have resolved to accompany you on the journey as you are working it out…however long it takes.
IT’S IN THE WORKING.
It’s in the people who are placed in your life during WhyAreYouTestingMe -GetOnMyLastGoodNerve -YouReallyDontWantToMessWithMe and IAmSoOverThis moments …. this is God working. Life in and of itself is a glorious, creative and adventurous and a mess. Situations will not always work out the way that we expect, and sometimes the outcome isn’t without complications. But we can be so focused on the problem being worked out, that we lose sight of the blessing right in front of us - those whose ministry of presence is accompanying us throughout.
IT’S IN THE WORKING.
It’s in the one who speaks the dose of truth to me in love and the ones who know when I just need someone to listen to me as I vent ….. completely uncensored and with nooooooooo filter.
It's in my squad who understand when I need to ramble and when I need to retreat.
It’s from my brother from another mother who always gives me the undiluted truth when my heart is bruised.
It’s the one who hugs me, pours me a glass of wine and gives me a safe and nonjudgmental space to collect my thoughts.
It’s in the morning devotion that reminds me to keep my mind in perfect peace.
It’s in the ones who don’t even know that they are blessing you.
It’s in a spontaneous meet up with a friend who you plan to comfort and encourage and they end up being an inspiration to you.
It’s sitting and listening to a friend excitedly read to you a portion of her book, and the random pages she selects speak directly to you and has you in tears.
t’s in a random I was just thinking about you text.
It’s the card from a mentor that she has been meaning to send, but destiny was in the delay, because I received it on the exact day, hour, minute and second that I needed it.
It’s in the online friend, who you have never met, whose posts and videos are speaking directly to you every single day.
It’s in an evening of being sharpened by another poet/spoken word artist, listening to one of your favorite artists.
It’s in the one who invites you to speak and encourage the teen girls, not knowing that you are the one who is being encouraged.
It’s in hearing from your former student who lets you know about the impact you had on her life.
It’s’s in the grace of a sister who rearranges and adjusts her busy schedule to take time to break bread with you.
It's when you take time for the ministry of simply being present ... with no pretense, but with authenticity. It's in all of this ..... and more.
IT’S IN THE WORKING.
Encountering difficult and painful moments is a normal situation, but it wasn’t always designed to be a permanent habitation.
God works in those who walk with us as we pass through it ……………. however long it takes and they are with us when we walk through those moments again.
They cover us. One afternoon, after providing a safe space for me to release, a sage and trusted confidant shared something with me. She drew a circle that represented me. She then retold my story, and each time she mentioned someone or something that blessed me, she drew an arrow pointing at me. When she finished, she told me to look at that visual of me being in the center and all of the arrows pointing at me that represented the myriad of ways and vessels that accompany us in the working.
Don’t wait to exhale until your situation reaches a resolution or works out. Exhale and breath in the presence of those who have resolved to accompany you as you are working things out and repeat …. It's not always about the destination, it's most likely about the one who accompany you us on the journey. That's the miracle.