What does it take for you to get gut-level honest with God? Losing your job or your income? Losing your retirement income? Your business, school, or daily routines shut down? Losing sports? The bars closing? Being forced to stay home? Fear of people? Fear of getting sick? Losing your health? Losing loved ones? Being scared to death—or scared of death?
We all think, say, and do crazy things when our world gets rocked by things beyond our control. Instead of freaking out, hiding under the covers, or pretending that nothing is happening, I light my prayer altar each day and open God’s Word. Today, I found comforting words in Isaiah 24-26 and was catapulted to Revelation 21-22.
If you’re hearing words of doom and gloom on the news, turn it off and listen to God’s Word. Let your imagination paint a picture of this. “In that day He will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against His land and people. The Lord has spoken!” In that day the people will proclaim, “This is our God. We trusted in Him, and He saved us. This is the LORD, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation He brings” (Isaiah 25:7-9).
Nothing in this world is strong enough or reliable enough to put our mind, body, spirit, or relationships at peace during these crazy times. Blaming our President, complaining to or about people around us, questioning the existence of God, or shaking our fist at God is not going to help us to find peace or rest.
Here’s where I found help today. GOD. Timely words, truthfully spoken, for anyone with open ears to hear. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, whose thoughts are fixed on You! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD God is the eternal Rock…LORD, You will grant us peace, for all we have accomplished is really from You” (Isaiah 26:3,4,12).
If you have a “fixed income”—nothing that happens around you changes your income. If you have your thoughts “fixed” on Jesus—nothing that happens around you distracts your focus off of Jesus. During chaotic times, you can’t fabricate peace. Only God will keep you in perfect peace as you trust in Him and as you fix your thoughts on Him. He’s the eternal Rock we stand on and lean upon. He’s unchanging and unmovable.
Honest prayer cultivates and fertilizes the soil of our relationship with God making it more genuine and intimate. When we dump our unedited junk on God through prayer, it’s like composting. Everything grows better when we’re completely honest with God. We don’t need to hold anything back because God already knows everything about us, and He loves us amidst all of the clutter and chaos of our lives.
God designed us to have open and honest conversations with Him throughout our days. Life never works when we try to reason and figure out what to do on our own. Jesus told us that apart from Him we can do nothing. If life isn’t working very well, try some honest conversations with God. You might be surprised what God brings to your mind. Asking for His help is a step in the right direction. You can lean all of the weight of your life on Jesus–our eternal Rock.
Why not try it with God.