The other day at youth group, we went around the circle and talked about what we could praise God for this week. In the message, worshipping God with our whole lives was a major point, and so we spent some time elaborating on that.
When I answered, I told my small group that I'm praising God for His faithfulness and love throughout all the hard things life has thrown at me. There are so many times that I feel alone and unseen, trapped in situations and struggles I have no idea how to get out of, but in each and every one of those moments, God has proven to be constant. He has shown me, time and time again, that He never leaves, that He will provide a way out, and that He is my source of joy, no matter what life throws at me.
And somehow (God seems to do this), I stumbled across one of my new favorite songs in the entire world - "Faithful Now" by Vertical Worship. Over and over and over again, the song praises God, declaring, "You were faithful then, and You'll be faithful now". And oh my lanta, that is the truth I need to be reminded of right now. This song challenges me to reflect on how God has come through for me every single time, going above and beyond anything I could ever ask for. I'm reminded that my Father has never once failed me, and He's not about to break that undefeated record.
There have been so many times, both big and little, that God has provided and met me in my mess. I remember begging God years ago to provide a way for me to go to church camp, and an anonymous sponsor ended up paying for me to go. I've prayed for healing for some of my closest friends, and even though it's not usually immediate, God has brought so much restoration. I've prayed for reconciliation and peace in the midst of some of my relationships, and while we're still working on it, God has worked miracles more than once. I've prayed for strength through anxiety attacks, and every time God has pulled me through and continued to wake me up each morning. I've prayed that He would help me find a missing shoe or revive my phone after it glitches out, and guess what? He's pulled through then too.
Y'all, we serve a God who is in the business of working miracles, and I've seen His hand at work more than once, in both my life and the lives of others. He answers prayers, sometimes not in the way we expect, but always for our good and His glory. Our God moves mountains and parts seas, and that's not a fairytale story found in the Bible. He is alive and active, and is completely and utterly perfect. We may not always understand, and we may not always see the whole picture, but He has proven time and time again that He has never has and never will fail or leave us.
In the chorus of "Faithful Now", it says:
"And I will speak to my fear
I will preach to my doubt
That You were faithful then
You'll be faithful now"
And wow, how powerful those words are.
Fear is normal. Doubt is normal. Both of these things are parts of human life, and honestly, essential parts that push us to grow further in our faith.
But the only way that we will grow is if we use that fear and doubt as an opportunity to draw closer to Jesus. This song reminds us of how necessary it is to continually renew our mind with God's faithfulness and goodness. As I listen to this song, I'm challenged to be intentional about reminding myself about the truth of who God is in the midst of my ever-changing emotions and circumstances.
I'm learning that it is so important to be purposeful about what thoughts I allow to stick around and address the ones that aren't healthy or true. Many times, this means acknowledging the thoughts/feelings I'm having (good or bad) and processing them so that I can release them and move forward. I've started:
making a list comparing the lies I tell myself to the truth Jesus says in Scripture
writing truths about who God is and what He's doing in my life on sticky notes and putting them around my room
being intentional about creating a space to worship and refocus on the Lord
addressing a negative, toxic, or untrue thought as soon as it comes into my mind instead of letting it dwell and take root (I have to replace this thought with a new thought that is true and uplifting, grounded in Scripture)
Each of these ways are practical steps I'm implementing to "preach to my fear" and "speak to my doubt". It takes intentional action to be aware of where our hearts and minds are at, and then continually refresh our spirits with the truth about who God is and who we are in Him.
No matter what we are going through, the truth is that God is faithful, and He has never, ever failed us. Even when the world around us tells us differently, we can cling to the hope we have in Christ, and we can believe that He is working all things for His good and our glory. As believers, we must choose to cling to these truths and continually renew our mind with it, because when we do, God's grace will carry us and help us through whatever life throws at us.
This song, "Faithful Now" by Vertical Worship has shifted my perspective and encouraged me in so many ways lately, and I am so grateful for what God is doing in my life. What songs has God used to encourage you with lately? Is there something in this song that spoke to you in a different way? I'd love to hear down in the comment section below!
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