In May 2019 a friend invited me on an all-expenses paid Par Avion day out. After I read her message I thanked her and then researched the day trip to Melaleuca, as I did I got excited and cried happy tears.
Leading up to the day my excitement grew and grew. Then the day before our planned day, at 3pm, my friend messaged me to say that because of the poor weather the trip was delayed. I was hit with such deep disappointment. As I felt the despair growing, God reminded me of a prayer I’d prayed when I was drowning in disappointment:
I’m trusting confidently in God’s greatness. My future is in His hands so I trust in His perfect timing! Lord let Your favour shine on me, Your servant. In Your unfailing love and lovingkindness guide each moment of my life! (Written on the 26th of March 2018, inspired by Psalms 31:14-16)
As I read back over my prayer I was reminded about trusting God’s perfect timing. I asked God to help me let go of my disappointment and prayed for God’s peace to flood me. Then the lyrics of one of my favourite songs started to play over and over in my head: “the waves and wind still know His name” (from “It Is Well” by Bethel Music). As those lyrics ran through my head I was reminded that the weather still knows and responds to Jesus’ name. This is revealed In Mark 4 where Jesus and the disciples were in a fierce storm, Jesus is asleep and His disciples wake Him saying “Teacher, do You not care that we are about to die?” (Mark 4:38 AMP)
Jesus woke up and rebuked the storm, He commanded the seas to “Hush! Calm down! Be still!” and all at once the wind stopped howling and the water became perfectly calm.” (Mark 4:39 TPT)
It is also described that a great calm and a perfect peacefulness resulted (Mark 4:39 AMP).
Answer to prayer…
As I thought about that I prayed about our rescheduled trip, asked God for amazing weather. I even went as far as asking that even the pilot would recognise it as a divinely appointed moment! And as I prayed I also declared that I was trusting God, His greatness and faithfulness.
Well praise God! The day that my friend and I made it to Melaleuca was an amazing day and the weather was truly wonderful. The pilot’s comment about the weather was: “unbelievable”. My friend and I laughed and said we’d been praying.
From the moment we took off I felt extremely vulnerable, being in such a small plane we could feel every current of the wind and the normal dipping and diving sent my heart racing. There were a few times that I felt a panic attack threatening. I had to keep praying and declaring: “I’m trusting confidently in God’s greatness.” We made it there and back safely and the trip is a very fond memory of mine.
Discouraged again….
Then on the 2nd of February 2022 I was feeling extremely discouraged. I was having trouble chasing up my workplace placement and I just felt like I was never going to find a place. I felt my heart racing and knew that I just needed to calm down and trust, but it was SO hard. I realised that God was wanting to dig up another rotten root in my life, the root of control. I was reminded that I cannot achieve anything by sheer will, or my own might, nor by my limited power because the things I’m Called to do can only be achieved through God’s Spirit (Zechariah 4:6).
I was reminded of a verse that I’ve been trying to focus on for some time now:
“I hear the Lord saying, “I will stay close to you, instructing and guiding you along the pathway for your life. I will advise you along the way and lead you forth with my eyes as your guide. So don’t make it difficult; don’t be stubborn when I take you where you’ve not been before. Don’t make me tug you and pull you along. Just come with me!”” Psalms 32:8-9 (TPT)
I sensed Jesus wanting to instruct, guide and advise me along the path of life. All I needed to do was ALLOW Him to! SO I took a few moments and prayed.
My prayer:
Lord Jesus, I come now before Your throne of grace. I surrender control and declare that my life is no longer my own. How my heart breaks with deep, deep grief, but lord I’ll try to keep it brief. I’m so sick of the enemies lies, I’m so tired of how hard he tries to pull me into the pit of despair where I feel beyond repair. So many questions now remain but help me to see past the pain. Lord give me Your voice, let this be my choice to serve You all of my days, to walk in all Your ways. Come take my heart of stone, come revive my dying bones. Holy Spirit fall once more, fall ‘til I kneel in awe.
I praise and thank You Lord Jesus for wanting to be involved in EVERY aspect of my life. Jesus, I invite You to come instruct, guide and advise me along the path of life. Lead me in Your love to the things you Call me to do. In the mundane, I ask You to remind me that there is an opportunity to make ALL I do glorify the Lord. In the hard things, I ask You to please impart to me Your strength to persevere and to always remember that You grow me in the hard times. Lord in the amazing moments I pray that I always praise You. Jesus, help me to serve You where I can and do what I can to draw others to You. Thank You for wanting to assist me in every moment of my life. It ALL belongs to You Lord – the valleys and the mountaintops. You’re in control so take Your place of honour in my life, in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
What about you?
Have you experienced the disappointment of delay? In those moments have you been able to trust in God’s perfect timing? If you’re struggling I encourage you to allow God to unfold the right thing at just the perfect divine moment. I encourage you to declare: “I’m trusting confidently in God’s greatness. My future is in His hands so I trust in His perfect timing!”
Are you facing a fierce storm right now? Is it raging around you? Are you feeling extremely intimidated? I want you to know today that Jesus is declaring over your storm: “Hush! Calm down! Be still!”. I pray that the Holy Spirit imparts to you blessed assurance about God’s greatness and faithfulness. I pray that your entire being is filled with an assurance that floods you with great calm and perfect peacefulness.
Many blessings,
Keona
Here is a picture I took from the dock on our Melaleuca adventure:
Oh I loved this post, Keona!
Worry, doubt, anxious thoughts about our future all bring on the need to control the outcome if we have been plagued with disappointment. I think this is when we start to play the “comparison”game and the “if only” game which only circles back to the need for control. A mountain I have walked around way too many times!
But like you, I’m learning (very slowly) to trust Jesus in all His ways, in His perfect timing, and to trust His perfect will for my future.
I pray God keeps encouraging you. A friend suggested I listen to a song by Ellie Halcomb called “Red Sea Road”, it’s a beautiful song and these words really encouraged me: “When we can’t, see the way, He will part the waves, And we’ll never walk alone.” I pray they remind you that God is right there helping you each and every step. Many blessings xx
Thanks for sharing, let’s keep encouraging each other. Blessings xx
Thank you so much, Keona. I really needed this. God bless you.
You’re most welcome. Blessings xx
You’re most welcome, hope you’re doing ok. Feel free to message me if there’s anything I can specifically pray for you about. Blessings xx
Thank you for this devotional of encouragement. And for a version of Psalm 32:8,9 that I’ve never read before. The words came alive in a fresh, new way.
Thank you for reading and responding, really appreciate. Blessings xx
Thanks for reading and commenting and I’m SO glad the Psalm came alive to you in a new way, that’s awesome! Blessings Xx