Rough Seas
Someone asked me a question yesterday that really caused me to think and stop and talk to God for the rest of the night. A friend said ‘Kim, can I ask you something?’ I knew from her tone that it was serious; I said ‘of course.’ She said ‘how did you make it through that horrible season you went through financially a few years ago?’ I answered ‘some days by the skin of my teeth.’ I continued ‘there were days I didn’t feel like getting out of bed but on that day Judy Jacobs would call and encourage me and I will continue on.’
As I said, it caused me to really think and search my heart. It was indeed a horrible time and the people who were supposed to be in it with me all turned tail and ran, leaving me to muddle through. I am not angry at all about that – frankly I learned so much during that season – about God and about myself and of course about those particular people.
I asked God to show me exactly what it was that helped me get through and come out with my faith intact. The first thing He reminded me of was that I continued to tithe and give. Regardless of my situation, I was faithful to tithe and tithe off the FIRST, in doing that God protected the rest. I was also faithful to give offerings on a continual basis. If you ever expect to come out of a financial attack you will have to be faithful to tithe and give as God shows us in His word.
He also reminded me of times when others would find me alone in my home worshipping God. They would be very confused, knowing what I was walking through, they would say ‘how can you worship God when it is obvious that He did not come through for you.’
God reminded me that during that time I did not blame Him or question Him. When it first began I purposed in my heart that I would not question God and I didn’t, instead I continued to worship God as if every prayer had been answered. What I was walking through had nothing to do with God and who He is. He is God in the good times and He is God in the bad times…He is my Lord at all times or He isn’t my Lord at all.
I never complained or said ‘why is this happening to me?’ I did not talk negatively about anyone involved. I kept my heart right before God through it all. I had made up my mind that I would walk through this time pleasing God and would do my best to please Him to the very end. I am not saying I was perfect, of course I wasn’t and some days I wanted to sit down and cry…some days I did…but I never walked away from God or His word during that time. If you continue to worship God through hard times, it will keep your heart soft and pliable and the enemy won’t be able to get into your thoughts.
My friend said ‘you went through it and didn’t seem crushed but I saw this other person go through the same thing and it crushed her.’ I don’t know the difference, I know that God was just as much there for the other person as He was for me, or at least He wanted to be. The only thing I know is that I clung to God and His word.
I forced myself to read the word and continue to listen to anointed teaching. I encouraged myself in the Lord almost daily and little by little it got easier. I chose to call God faithful in the worst of times and now that truth is firmly planted in my heart – my God is faithful at all times.
Sometimes God delivers us, sometimes He walks through things with us, but He remains faithful through it all. Only God can enable us to go through rough seasons without becoming crushed; only God can cause us to come out of the fire without smelling like smoke.
I don’t know what you are going through today but this I do know…someone is watching. People are looking at your faith as it comes through the fire, someone is watching. One day that someone will need to be encouraged and say ‘tell me how you did it.’ Then you will be able to brag on God, after all He is the reason you made it through, just as He is the reason I made it through.
