Broadway...

Sometimes we need to learn to live in the small, confined place before the Lord can release us into His broad place...

“I called on the LORD in distress; 
The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.”
Psalm 118:5

Have you ever been in a situation that felt confining, hard, and difficult? Have you – like me – complained to the Lord about it, yet your prayers seem to go unanswered? This could be a relationship, a marriage, a workplace, home, school -- you name it situation.

If you are in currently in one of these ‘small’ places, can I encourage you to quit your complaining, griping, and placing blame elsewhere and instead ask the Lord what it is He is trying to work out of your character so that you may take on more of His? Escaping, quitting, and running away only delays the inevitable go-round of the same issue again, somewhere and sometime in your life.

Take it from me who had to learn this lesson in the small place.

When I began to believe and live what comes later in this same Psalm, “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it,” no matter what my circumstances were, I found abundance in the small place – because I found HIM in the small place. And it usually wasn’t long after that my circumstances would change completely.

Yes, I can tell you story after story. Find joy in the narrow road and shortly you will be walking on the street named: His Broadway.

Hidden...

Have you ever acted like a chicken with its head, you know, messed up?

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! 
For my soul trusts in You; 
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, 
Until these calamities have passed by.”
Psalm 57:1

Why is it we tend to run around like crazy people trying to figure out our situations when money gets tight, relationships are strained, our health is failing, or the walls of life are collapsing in on us. Seems like we either try to grasp at any strand of a solution, or possibly, some of us simply bow out and duck into a ditch of depression. Which of these futile scenarios do you tend to choose?

In this Psalm King David tells us to hide ourselves in Christ. Think Colossians 3:3. This is the only way to get through a storm. Really.

How do you hide in Christ? You get alone with Him. Surrender afresh every ounce of your being to Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to calm your heart and mind. Open His Word and obey it (yep, really, you gotta do this!). And, wait for His plan, His voice, and His comfort to overwhelm you. Be open, He may be after something in your life that needs fixing and healing.

Your calamities will pass when you are hidden Him. Anything less will only prolong the situation. So, run and hide in the shelter of the One who can cover you like no one else can.

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