This week marks the five-year anniversary of the moment God began a work in my life, unbeknownst to me. Behind the scenes, God began unraveling the plan for my life; a plan to reveal that I am, indeed, made to move mountains. At the time, I never would believe this. A lot can change in five years.
Five years ago, these things I did know. I lived with chronic exhaustion, mental anguish, a broken heart, and a crushed spirit. I languished in despair and defeat––body, mind, heart, and soul.
During this week in 2015, I spent time exploring the majestic mountains in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. And by exploring, I mean driving and sightseeing only the places a car could traverse. My husband prepared fun days of hiking. I wanted to hike. I really, really wanted to hike. But my health made it impossible. Tears filled my eyes while I watched him ascend a path that left me panting, out of breath.
As I sat on the stump alone on the side of the mountain path, I was desperate enough to pray. It wasn’t a divine moment of prayer, but it did flow from my heart. “I can’t continue to live like this. I can’t breathe. I can’t live. Is there a purpose? Please help me, Jesus.”
Psalm 57:2 (ESV) I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
I’ll never quite understand why he inclined His ear to me at the base of my mountain, but in His grace and mercy He met me right there.
For decades I lived a nominal life as a Christian. Oh sure, I knew about Jesus. But at the moment, I needed to buckle up, because I was about to KNOW Jesus.
Do you know this Jesus? The one who freely gives grace and mercy? Do you know His strength? He can move the mountain in front of you and flick it into the sea with His pinky finger. I often joke that He needed to be Superman strong for me, because the heavy weight of my entire life weighed me down into a pit of absolute misery. From the lowest valley, He scooped me up and placed my feet on a high and firm foundation.
Close your eyes and picture the view from the highest rock from His mountain majesty. Breathtaking, right? God wows us in this way. He can take you, a desperate and out of breath child of His, and plant you on a solid rock and steal your breath away.
Does this view seem out of reach? Believe me, I relate to your overwhelm. I wandered aimlessly, trying to change my circumstances and my health in my own power for decades. Decades. All the while, convincing myself I didn’t need God’s help in my struggles; and regretfully believing the God who created me did it without a purpose for my life. I felt comfortable living under His radar, nothing to see here. And I often, in my insecurities, reminded Him I was incapable of speaking His name and sharing His good news. Just leave me be in my misery.
Here’s the miraculous twist. After trying every which way to fix my physical health, He delivered the gift of massive weight loss and even better, He healed my life emotionally and spiritually. And I only asked to feel better physically! He took me from the mudslide on the greatest joyride.
God flipped my attitude and my rebellious heart and now He compels me to share His good news. Isn’t this how God often works? I deserved none of it. In His mercy, He can take a broken life and repair, restore, renew, rejuvenate, and redeem it for His divine purpose. If you’re telling God, “I refuse to speak of your love because I’m too young. Too old. Too insecure. Too, too, too!” you better buckle up, because He’s a God of big surprises.
You might find yourself someday writing a book about your story to share His message, or you may find yourself standing behind a podium speaking to an audience of His abundant joy. God and His fabulous sense of humor and timing––spectacular!
See the big mountain in your path? Will you accept the fact, dear child of God, you were made to move mountains? Let’s delight in the truth: when your path is overwhelming, He is infinitely more overwhelming! He has a promise for you. Will you accept your call and live out your divine purpose? You have a story for or His glory.
He overwhelms me every day as I spend time in His Word. This week God gifted me three times, all on the same day, the most precious reminder. On the 27th, I would read Psalm 27 to coordinate with the day of the month. On the same day, my pastor referenced this psalm in his Sunday message. Then later that day, I opened a mid-day devotional and you bet, the scripture was from Psalm 27. I call this a God-wink, and these are divine appointments to encourage and remind us by His power, through His word and His spirit, we are called to continually seek Him for strength and the knowledge: we are made to move mountains.
Psalm 27:4-5 (NIV) One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.
So friend, where shall we begin? How may I pray for you? Comment below or send me a private message through my contact page.
