I designed this stitchery a few months ago, knowing it would be the one I'd keep close to my heart during 2018.
Last year was the weariest one for me as far back as I can remember, and it may have been for you as well. When extreme physical, mental and emotional fatigue is relentless over a long period of time I sometimes find myself in the deep darkness of the night weeping before the Lord, even suggesting He relieve me of this life.
Depression sets in and I wrongly imagine my family would be better off without me because I look upon myself as a burden to them...but this is the depression talking, not God, not me when I'm in a normal mindset, so I never make life altering or big decisions when I am depressed. I wait upon the Lord to lift my countenance and like the storm He calmed on the sea, He always restores calm to my soul when I open the Scriptures and read the truth and life within.
It may take a day, it may take weeks, but He always carries me forward, assuring me that until my eyes close on this earthly life He has work for me to do and a unique purpose to fulfill, a purpose He planned before I was even born.
In one such season of weariness a few months back, I was studying the book of Galatians. Each day I'd read a small portion and let the teaching, wisdom and understanding of the Inspired words of Paul's epistle fill my mind and saturate my thoughts. When I came to Galatians 6:9 it felt as though God was pressing His finger on my heart and whispering in my ear -
"This is for you, memorise it, come back to it, trust Me in that promise."
Each day afterwards as I continued on through Galatians I would come back to this verse, and one Sunday afternoon I drew it up as a stitchery and prepared the design to embroider slowly...
With each stitch I found myself falling deeper in love with Father God, amazed at His everlasting care for me, one little person in a world of billions.
Dearest, never, ever think you do not matter to God.
You are precious in His eyes, far more precious and loved than you can ever feel about your husband, child, parent...His love is pure, complete, everlasting, encouraging, holy, and a free gift He will never take from you.
Do not give up...
....do not grow weary in doing good.
You will reap in due season.
Trust His promises, always, for they are from everlasting to everlasting and cannot be withdrawn.
I will frame this God-inspired design above my desk all year, a constant reminder of His words of life, words of direction, and words of promise for my simple life.
You know, those dark nights of my soul have become less and less the more I'm learning to rest in Him, the more I rest from my own striving and concerns and transfer each one to Jesus, who is ready with open arms to carry my burdens if I simply let them go and put my trust in Him alone.
There will always be occasions when my first instinct is to panic or try and plan a solution to a new crisis or challenge but Jesus will remind me to stop, breathe, make a conscious decision to hand it all to Him in prayer, and to rest while I wait for the right answer or direction to become clear.
Already this new year has proved challenging in a few areas, but I know Who holds my future path in His care and that there is no reason to carry concern or worry.
My prayer today is that you rest in Him, that you hand over to Jesus the problems, concerns, loneliness, needs, misunderstandings and all those things which weigh heavy on your heart...and trust Him to carry you lovingly and deliberately through each and every one.
"And let us not grow weary of doing good for in due season we will reap if we do not give up."
Galatians 6:9
hugs
