"But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." Micah 7:7One day at a time. Praying, waiting, listening- yet, no breakthrough, no clarity, no answers. Earlier this month, the Lord gave me a name for the season I am in. Season of mud. An image of myself standing ankle deep in a lake of mud sinking as I stood still came to my mind. I trudged through the mud, one step at a time, slowly and almost painfully, as I looked at what seemed like an eternity of mud around me. But when I looked up, I could see the dry land ahead. Not only was the dry land in the future, but there was someone standing there listening to my cries, hearing my pleas for help, begging me to keep moving forward. If I stood still I would sink, but with each step I grew closer to the land. As He stands on the shore of the mud, with water and towel to wash me off, "I will look to the Lord." As I pray prayers that seem unanswered and deal with problems in every area imaginable, "I will wait for the God of my salvation." As I trust that each step leads me closer to answers, and I continue to press in to the Lord, "My God will hear me."
August has been a month that I will never forget. I feel as if every area of my life has been put under attack at once. I have been faced with conflict in my family, confusion in my day-to-day life, changing situations with friends and preparation for those, emotionally and practically, financial goals interrupted by unexpected expenses, and the list goes on. If you asked me how I was in the past month, I probably could not muster up a general "good" response and you might have gotten more than you asked for, I apologize for that. The only answer I could honestly give is "one day at a time." I feel like every day of the past month has been an episode of a TV show portraying my life- the people who know the whole story have favorite characters and scenes, and are each hoping for a particular outcome, and we are finding out together how it will all unfold day by day. The Lord gave me the image of mud the day before my church entered into a season of 21 days of prayer. Each day I trudged one more step through the mud, and powerful things happened, but I am still in the mud on day 23. I have not made it to the dry land yet, but the promise of the dry land ahead is still true. As I keep pressing forward in prayer, persistence, humility, and faith, I am confident that the dry land is ahead and my God is there with a towel and water ready to wash off the mud and let me walk lightly again. The waiting is so difficult, but the reward will be worth it.
If you are walking through the mud right now, I am in it with you. If you feel like everyday you wake up just wondering what text, call, or email it will be today, there seems to be a target on your back that is larger than ever, and you cannot catch a break- relief is coming. Do not look down at the mud covering your feet, look up at the dry land and the friend waiting there for you named Jesus. I am trusting with you that when we reach the end of the mud, we will be able to say with confidence the following truth.
"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." Psalms 40:1-2
I have no idea how many more steps it will take me to get out of the mud, but I do know that I have not been forgotten. I have friends who have stepped into the mud and are walking with me, keeping me from choosing to stand still. My God hears my cries and even though the answers are still blurry, he is working for me. As I persistently pray for peace, wisdom, and clarity, and I look up to the dry land ahead, I am confident that the promise I have been given will come to pass and my God will lift me from the mud I am walking through. I hope to encourage you by telling you that if you are also in a season of mud, you are not alone. I am with you, I am taking it one day at a time even when it seems hopeless, and there is good on the other side of the current pain. Keep trudging, keep trusting, and keep praying because there is dry land ahead, and the person standing on the dry land calling you to come forward is even better than the dry land itself.
