Sometimes life can be just plain hard. Sometimes answers do not come. Sometimes we wonder if they ever will. In these moments fear can take the place of peace in our hearts, and fear can rule in place of Jesus Christ. The older I get and the more life I live, I am reminded all the more that peace does not come from the material things we possess, relationships we have, health, or financial security, etc.

No, true peace only comes from Jesus.

Over the last year I feel that my life has been stripped away, and much like the changing of seasons, the Lord has been changing my life and maturing me into a stronger woman for Him. It seems like everything that I have put confidence in has been removed by God, but it has also drawn me closer to Him and shown me what is really important.

A life lived for God is not meant to be a life lived in ease. A life lived for God is meant to be a life surrendered to the Father saying not my will but yours be done.

That also includes accepting and rejoicing in suffering.  In the midst of trials and uncertainty, fear can tend to take over. However, God commands us throughout His word, “Do not fear,” and “do not be afraid” (Joshua 1:9). We may not know what is ahead but He does. So in whatever you may be going through today, “cast your cares on Him for he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Surrender your life to Him — your struggles, your joys, everything. He is strong enough to handle them, so let Him. We may not understand all of God’s plans on this side of Eternity but one day we will. As one of my favorite songs from Amy Grant says,

“Somewhere down the road,

There’ll be answers to the questions.

Somewhere down the road,

Though we cannot see it now.

Somewhere down the road,

You will find mighty arms reaching for you.

And they will hold the answers at the end of the road.”

To listen to the entire song visit here.

One my favorite verses in the Psalms is Psalm 37:4, which states, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Many think this means that God will give them what they personally want. However, what the verse really means is that when we seek the Lord and make Him our everything He will give us His desires. Although, if we are honest, that is not what we want to hear at times. We want God to give us what we want, at the time we want it. We want God to send us our future spouse now, to allow us to have a baby now, get the job that we want now, or to be healed of a sickness now. None of those examples are bad desires, and are God given ones, but where we so often miss the mark is when we put those desires before our desire for Jesus Christ. As I was reading this verse the other day I was convicted that I too often get wrapped up in what I want instead of sitting at the feet of Jesus and simply asking, “What do you want from me today Lord? Show me your desires.” It’s a choice we have to make daily. Are we going to delight in the Lord and seek His face because we love what he loves, or are we going to continue to dwell on what we want?

God wants the best for His children and delights in fulfilling our desires, but He wants us to trust Him with the details. When we do that,  our desires will be His, and only then will we be content.

Who are you delighting in today? Yourself or Jesus? Spend some time with the Savior and ask, “What do you want Jesus?”