Tuesday, August 25, 2015

By God's Power, I'm Still Standing


“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall” (Psalm 5:22).

My husband and I recently visited a nearby tourist attraction called The Blowing Rock.  Legend says that an Indian maiden and warrior fell in love.  Torn between her and his duty, he jumped off the rock in desperation.  She prayed to the Great Spirit, and one day the wind blew the warrior back to her.  Since then a continual wind has blown up onto the rock, causing even the snow to fall upside down. 

Of course this is just a story.  The wind blows the way it does because of the topography of the land and weather patterns.

Several days after our trip, I was hit with a severe bout of depression.  It was a very dark and desperate time, but God brought me through it – yet again.

I thought about the blowing rock.  Many times I stand on the edge of hard times – times of pain or depression or difficulties.  Sometimes I jump off in despair. Other times those problems push me over the edge.

I fall for a while, but the power of God and His Spirit keep pushing me back up. 

Pain and problems may cause me to fall for a time.  But in the words of the Barnes Notes Commentary, “he (God) will not so appoint, arrange, or permit things to occur, that the righteous shall be "ultimately" and "permanently" removed from their steadfastness and their hope; he will not suffer them to fall away and perish. In all their trials and temptations he will sustain them, and will ultimately bring them off in triumph.”

God’s power is not just a story.  When life pushes me over the edge, His winds keep blowing me back onto His solid rock.  I will stand again. And the view from the rock is victorious.

Prayer:  Lord God, sometimes Your idea of falling and mine are not the same, and I don’t feel that I can keep standing through my problems.  Yet Your Word says that if I cast my cares on You, I will not fall. Thank you that You sustain me through all of my trials, no matter how overwhelming they may seem.  Amen.

 

 

 

3 comments:

  1. Wow, Bronlynn! I read this on Rest Ministries and was shocked when I read your short bio. It was like reading into a mirror of my own challenges: chronic back pain -6 hemangiomas, 2 of them large and aggressive plus 8 herniated/bulging discs-, and, while checking these, doctors found thyroid cancer. I've also had severe migraines, and have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and hypersensitivity to stimuli. And eye problems since I was a child. I used to anchor, write, produce and report for 2 live newscasts a day in a very large market, and before that I had worked for several networks. Now, I'm down to a puny shadow of myself and cannot understand why. My husband is not very supportive, nor my family either. They believe "it can't be that bad" since doctors have discarded surgery (due to high risk). I did have radiation but it didn't help with the pain/numbness/weakness in my extremities. On the contrary: I feel worse. I sometimes feel like the woman who spent all her money on doctors for 12 years and didn't stop bleeding until she touched Jesus. And then I get REALLY confused: I believe I've touched Him several times, yet I'm still sick. Oh, well... Please know you have a sympathetic ear in South Florida if you ever want to vent or chat. God bless you and your family!

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    Replies
    1. I would be happy to communicate more with you. my email is bronlynnspindler@gmail.com. Thanks for sharing, and I pray that God will keep your hope and faith strong through all your challenges. Blessings,Bronlynn

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  2. Wow, Bronlynn! I read this on Rest Ministries and was shocked when I read your short bio. It was like reading into a mirror of my own challenges: chronic back pain -6 hemangiomas, 2 of them large and aggressive plus 8 herniated/bulging discs-, and, while checking these, doctors found thyroid cancer. I've also had severe migraines, and have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and hypersensitivity to stimuli. And eye problems since I was a child. I used to anchor, write, produce and report for 2 live newscasts a day in a very large market, and before that I had worked for several networks. Now, I'm down to a puny shadow of myself and cannot understand why. My husband is not very supportive, nor my family either. They believe "it can't be that bad" since doctors have discarded surgery (due to high risk). I did have radiation but it didn't help with the pain/numbness/weakness in my extremities. On the contrary: I feel worse. I sometimes feel like the woman who spent all her money on doctors for 12 years and didn't stop bleeding until she touched Jesus. And then I get REALLY confused: I believe I've touched Him several times, yet I'm still sick. Oh, well... Please know you have a sympathetic ear in South Florida if you ever want to vent or chat. God bless you and your family!

    ReplyDelete