It’s been a hard couple of days for me as has been the last month or so. I’m the spiritual doldrums. In nautical terms that the place near the equator where the winds are really too calm to fill the sails of a ship. For me it’s where I am not ‘feeling’ the wind of God’s Spirit. Cranky, tired, prayer-less, and sometimes just want to quit the whole faith thing.
Then I feel guilty as though I am not pleasing God by faith and actions. I want to crawl up with a good book, not necessarily the Bible, and just hide. Maybe you have known that feeling. Oh, I have a few good friends who are supportive, even loving me unconditionally but sometimes it’s not enough.
So I think, ‘what’s God’s take on me at the moment?’ That’s where Grace comes in. And by grace in these circumstances I don’t mean that I win the lottery or that things change a whole lot for me. Grace is something different.
Grace is God’s love for me when I was spiritually dead, lost, and out of touch with God. Jesus didn’t wait for me to ‘get it together’ before he went to the cross. I read in the Bible that Christ is even at this moment praying for me before God. (Romans 8) “Father,” I can just hear him, “here goes Gaffga again.” Then God’s loving action kicks in to remind me I am loved even when I am lost.
It’s like Mackenzie in THE SHACK saying to Jesus, “I feel so lost” and Jesus answers, “Don’t worry. I’m not lost.”
So today I am trusting Jesus to be the pioneer of faith. Yeah, I am way back in the procession following him but he won’t let me go. As people say, ‘it’s not my faith that saves me. It’s the faithfulness of Jesus.’ I remember that and I am held in hopefulness.
Listen, you don’t have to be an ‘on top of the world’ person to be a believer. Lots of people who follow Christ are depressed and even despondent at times. Like Job they don’t necessarily blame God but they don’t like life either. It’s good then when a friend comes along side to just ‘be’ there. Sometimes the silence is good. It’s in that silence that God can speak. Sometimes we just wait for a gentle wind to inflate our sails. That’s where we trust the faithfulness and love of Christ for us. It’s not a happy go lucky trust but rather a calm inner sense that God is ‘for us’. That God will work things to the good.
I was reading Charles Spurgeon the other day. Let me quote him here:
“May I therefore urge upon any who have no good thing about them- who fear that they have not even a good feeling, or anything whatever that can recommend them to God- that they will firmly believe that our gracious God is able and willing to take them without anything good to recommend them and to forgive them spontaneously, not because they are good, but because HE is good.”
So today I trust in the goodness of God. My trust is small but the faithfulness and love of God are great.
But that’s all I can write today. “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit.” That’s grace.
Grace Matters 
To George,
I hear what your saying as when Mindy passed away, I couldn’t pray. It was a long time before I could. I picked up a book titled , What on earth am I here for? It changed my way of thinking, that,s for sure. I alway’s was able to relate to Jesus as my brother, but God was a father figure so I wouldn’t allow myself to pray to Him. I went through years like that. I must say, “After reading this book I saw what I was missing.
I know I have a relationship with all 3, Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. But when I start thinking about our Mindy, I find it difficult to pray because all I think of how nice it would be to have her back with us.
I understand exactly how you feel. I know you and GiGi are going to really feel it when Josh and his family leave. By the way, he looks great and a lot like you George, but. I see a lot of GiGi’s personality in him. Great fella. I’m sure he will do well no matter where he goes.
Take care,
Jean
George, why don’t you and GiGi move to where Josh and his family are going? I know it would be a pain in the neck but maybe you and Gigi would be happier. You only live once, they say.
We had a fundraiser for the memory of Mindy to be given to a deserving student that is graduating this year. Believe it or not, we raised 10,250.00. We have chosen a young Spanish fella that can’t get aide because he doesn’t have a green card. He plans to go to Albany State. He’s very bright, is humble and he goes to church. I liked those features about him. I hope he uses the money well.
Hope all is well with you and GiGi. Oh, I heard Diane Prentagast has breast cancer. I haven’t heard anymore on that. I told you so you can pray for her.
Will keep in touch. Jean
Thanks for the encouragement and advice and the good news about the Fundraiser in Mindy’s name…Blessings to you and Coop and family….big shout out to Don Jr.
george