If you are anything like me, there are days, sometimes weeks when it seems like nothing works. No matter how much time you devote to prayer, to reading God's Word, to listening to Praise and Worship music, something always sabotages all your good efforts. This past week was one like that. I couldn't keep a rein on my eating habits, no matter how hard I tried, my attitude mostly stunk rather than being the sweet perfume of Jesus. I was tired, at odds with my husband, and just in general down in the dumps.
Now, it wasn't hopeless. There were really good moments too. I make a point of playing and singing Christian music while I am on breaks between lessons with my piano students. I was journalling a lot, praying a lot. I knew that God was with me even though I didn't really feel Him there.
Then I had my second lesson Friday night. My student (I'll call her Jenna) came in, looking like her normal chipper self. We said our normal greetings and I asked how her week had gone. Jenna looked at me and I knew I wasn't going to get a normal answer. This wonderful, talented 13-year-old girl shared that one of her friends had been taken to the police station from school that day, and that Jenna had been the only one of all her classmates to stand by this poor girl. Jenna had seen things beyond description in her relationship with this girl. As she spoke, I could see the helplessness in her eyes. Jenna has little to no knowledge of Jesus and how much He loves her. I wondered how I would cope with a situation like that if I had no hope outside of myself. I couldn't imagine it.
The Spirit nudged me in that moment. I looked at Jenna and said, very softly, "Jenna, I am going to tell you something, and if you don't like it, you can tell me no, but I want to tell you that I am a Christian, and I would really like to pray for you and your friend. Only if you say it is okay." After a pause, she nodded her head. Later on I had to opportunity to just say, "I hope you know that Jesus loves you, even when everything seems crazy out of control, He is in control, and He loves you."
Please join me in praying for Jenna and her friend.
I share that because I realized that moment was a gift. That moment was from God, a message saying, "You might think that you are too weak to accomplish anything for me, but you are right where I want you. When you know your weakness, you rely on My strength, and in that moment I will use your hands to heal the broken hearts around you."
Praise and Thanks to Him Alone!
