the rhythm of life. what is the heart to do when it is there one day and gone the next? from what might appear to be an 'inconsequential detail' to the 'leave you drenched and pounded by relentless waves' detail and every size detail on the scale in between ~ whatever the reason may be ~ the rhythm of your life the rhythm of your heart's 'normalcy' is. no. more.
how does the heart handle it? how does the heart keep beating? how does the mind keep from running wild with 'what ifs' and 'what will I do' and a host of questions as relentless as those waves pounding? my heart has stood at this very crossroad many times. I believe every single heart willing to be honest has stood at this crossroad at least once, more likely multiple times. the crossroad or fork in the road in essence goes one of two directions: either look inward and outward for solutions or comfort or whatever the the heart is seeking or look upward into the eyes of the One who loves with a love so boundless so limitless. He stands with hands and arms outstretched to bring the weary heart close to His own heart. He will take whatever weighs that heart down and resulted in the loss of a familiar rhythm of life, and not only restore the rhythm but renew as well! His hand gently weaves the new into that which already exists creating beauty indescribable. and although that beauty may not feel beautiful in the now, in time the golden outline of His hand will become visible as it contrasts the dark spaces of a heart's pain. and always life has rhythm, for His heartbeat sustains.
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time He has planted eternity in the human heart but even so people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end Ecclesiastes 3:11 has your heart ever wondered? has your heart ever questioned God's timing? my heart has. my heart does. for my heart is human and I cannot see that which my Abba sees in completion for He is God and I am not. and He knows me. He knows my heart. He knows your heart. and He loves us still. and He sees the stunning masterpiece that is my life. and your life. He sees and hears and knows because He is the Artist. the Author. the Composer. and timing, be it in a plot or a painting or a song, is of the essence.
oh but how easy for this heart to lose sight of who holds the timing of all creation in His hands! and gently He reminds me. "My beloved child, I am the one who taught the morning stars how to sing. I am the one who set the planets in motion and hung each star, calling it by name. I am the one who composed every song of every life. every heart ever beating beats to the rhythm of My heart, for My heartbeat underlies all. I long for you to live in the assurance that My timing is perfect in perfection. absolutely nothing catches Me off guard, for how could the Author of the story not know each intimate detail? how could the Artist not feel with such tenderness each stroke of the brush? and how could the Composer not hear with striking clarity each note of each life song that He composed? I. know. you. I know your circumstances this very moment! I know your needs and wants and dreams and desires and passions and gifts. and I know your doubts and fears and broken spaces and weaknesses and imperfections. and I love you more than you will ever know. ever. so place your very life into My arms of love. I. will. never. let. you. down. My plans and purposes are for hope. and for beauty. and since I am for you, no one or thing can be against you. ever. because you are Mine."
For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. Psalm 18:31-33 and yet another astounding promise. a promise for every season, every heart. and a perfect one when feet are weary. a promise for strength. a promise for guidance. a promise for stability. and His promises are never-failing for He is the solid rock.
yet at times is it not hard to imagine even getting to that mountain height let alone standing when the feet can barely move? and sometimes is the heart not as heavy as the feet? and each pair of feet belonging to each heart has circumstances unique in unique seasons of life. and sometimes the feet and the heart are overwhelmed. oh but the beauty lying in these promises! He is the one arming. He is the one perfecting. He is the one strengthening. He the active one, we the recipients. and therein lies our hope. "on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand all other ground is sinking sand"
if. if only... what if... so much power in such a small word.
a heart can long for the ever elusive if only, allowing it to consume every waking moment. I know. I've been there. a place not inherently unhealthy, yet has the potential to go that way. and if the "..." is fulfilled, often does not live up to that which the heart thought it would be. and is that not the nature of being human?
what if. what if. now this phrase has power, does it not? and is this not where so many of us live and breath and have our being? what if this happens? what if that happens? and the imagination can simply run wild and the result is often a heart filled with anxiety and fear. the what ifs of life have the potential to rob a heart of joy. of peace. of well being. this, too, I know, for I have spent far too much precious time living here as well. yet I am learning, day by day, that when I live in the what if, I miss the beauty of today. I will walk right past a stunning dandelion or a rainbow shimmering or a butterfly gliding on currents of wind or a rose bud glistening with dew drops in the morning sun or the exquisite sound and sight of a child laughing and singing and dancing. this is not to say I am blind to what could happen on any given day in any given circumstance. it simply means that I must choose to place those whom I love with all my heart, along with circumstances over which I typically have little or no control anyway into His arms of love, for no safer place exists. and pray. and hold onto His promises.
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalm 91:1-4
overwhelmed: bury or drown beneath a large mass. to be buried or feel as if you are drowning beneath responsibilities or broken dreams or broken hearts or broken families or broken health as a diagnosis leaves you gasping for breath or any other thing or circumstance weighing you down. listen to the silence for just a moment, weary soul. allow His whisper to reveal how the feeling of being overwhelmed can bring you to a place of pure and sweet renewal. overwhelmed: have a strong emotional effect on. to be overwhelmed in the sense of being stunned. stopped in your tracks. falling to your knees in complete awe and wonder as the presence of God leaves you speechless. and in that moment of intimacy and surrender so sweet to the One who reaches out with tenderness to the overwhelmed spirit, you can know that you know that no matter what you are facing in this moment, He. Is. Holding. You. He. Is. Holding. He. Is. the eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. Deuteronomy 33:27
