I started looking around the church at all the people that were present. My eyes were opened to see everyone in a different light. On either side of me sat men who obviously had tobacco in their pockets. Across from me was a woman who lost her husband just two short weeks ago. A few rows behind her sat a grandfather whose family lost a granddaughter and her husband yesterday in a motorcycle accident and are dealing with that sorrow as well as the new challenge of raising the couples two young children. Just a few seats down from him sat a man who was fidgeting with a coin as he does each time I see him at church. I have no idea what time frame that coin represents or even if it is the same coin each time I see him. In front of me sat a little boy struggling to understand why God would allow his body to get sick when he eats a cookie. In my seat sat a woman who deals with deep heartache and longing for God to put a child in her home and a difficulty controlling the urge to snap inappropriately in anger. Next to me sat a man with the same heartache for a child. These are just a few of the people that we sat in church with tonight. Many of the people in attendance I barely know or don't know at all. I believe that if each of us had a sign on our chest declaring our sins, addictions, griefs, and sorrows we would be surprised what those around us are going through.
I didn't make these observations in order to judge those that I listed above. It was just this moment where God let a light shine down to open my eyes. Yes the woman sitting in my seat is dealing with some sins and sorrows right now that are sometimes hard to cope with. Yes there are days where she just doesn't know how she can ever get through these things. But everyone is fighting their own battle. Some with battles that I cannot even imagine. Each one of us struggles day to day with sins, trials, and sorrows that God had placed in our path. If we choose to turn to him and hand our trials to him he will bear our burdens and guide us through each and every trial that we will allow him to guide us through.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight. NIV
I have read this scripture several times in my life but over the past six months or so this has become one of the most powerful scriptures that I know.
When I trust in the Lord, my Lord, my Jesus, and submit everything to him while in prayer and in my heart he will guide me though all things. It is so easy to lean on our own understanding. So many times I catch myself making my own plans, deciding that I know best which route I should take in my life. But when I do that, and I walk away from the path God has for me I find that I do not know better and my journey becomes difficult and most times very painful.
God's path for me will not be free of pain and trials, I will still face temptations, but if I lean on Him and trust in Him giving him the reins He will lead my on the path that has been set for me and He will heal and comfort me as I face those trials and heartaches that each of us is destined to face in our lives.
Would you be free from your burden of sin?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood
Would you o'er evil the victory win?
There's wonderful power in the blood
There's power in the blood, power in the blood
Would you o'er evil the victory win?
There's wonderful power in the blood
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb
In the blood of the Lamb
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb
