You have no idea
This past week was full of travel for the Conlee household. Three of us going in two different directions seemed doable until I got a text about 18 hours before our departure. The sweet couple coming to house and dog sit had come down with a fever. With all the flu going around, it was decided it was probably best for them to get healthy and not come.Shifting into problem-solving mode, I immediately texted my back-up help. No luck. I called the hotel I’d be staying at. No pets allowed. I called a good family friend. He graciously agreed to have our sweet dog come over to his place. However, since Mo has never spent a night away from home, that just didn’t seem like the ideal solution. Three of the five Conlees have had a pretty miserable start to 2018 and I didn’t need one more going over to the dark side. So I did what any 44-year-old woman would do: I called my parents. They graciously rearranged the next five days of their life and added lots of miles to their vehicles so Mo wouldn’t have to sleep alone in an empty house.Before you non-dog lovers roll your eyes, I’ll get to my point. When I returned home, a happy dog with a rapidly wagging tail greeted me. I sat on the bed and told Mo, “You have no idea all the effort that went into making sure you were OK.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I was acutely aware that this must be how the Lord frequently feels about us. Even on our worst day, I imagine from God’s perspective He alone knows the pain we didn’t experience because of His grace and mercy.[bctt tweet="God alone knows the pain we didn’t experience because of His grace and mercy."]As many at Highpoint are on the 2nd day of our 21 days of prayer and fasting, and truly for anyone reading, I want to remind you that you have a Heavenly Father who is for you. He is good and He has not only gone out of His way to provide a way for us to be in relationship with Him, but He’s faithfully working on our behalf. When the shrapnel of humanity’s sin hits us, He rushes to comfort, bind up, and heal our broken places. When we’re tempted to sin, He always provides a way of escape. When we’re weary, He promises rest.Today, as I participated in the 21 Days prayer time, the Lord brought Philippians 4:6-7 rushing back to me and I confessed anxiety over several areas of my life. Paul reminds us:
[D]o not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Bring it… your thanksgiving and your requests. Even on our hardest days there is much to be thankful for in our lives. Then watch as your Heavenly Father brings His peace and guards your heart and mind. He is faithful.[bctt tweet="Even on our hardest days there is much to be thankful for in our lives."]