Marathon GOD

Dear friends

It’s been exactly one week today since I lost my dad and I was there when he died…. obviously, this is a major life event and I am still not even fully grasping that he is now completely gone and I will never see him again – on this side of the rainbow.

However, this got me thinking.

We go through major life events like marriage, divorce, we graduate, we get sick, someone we love dies, we loose our job and we get promoted, we separate from friends due to conflicts, betrayal or lies and we find new friends who may – or may not – stay with us for the rest of our lives…..

But in everything we do and go through, good or bad, GOD is always there with us.

And without GOD, everything would be different!
In my case, I truly know the difference, as I haven’t always walked with GOD.

Without GOD, the happy moments wouldn’t be as happy if there was no GOD to praise for them and to thank for them.
This may seem strange and weird for unbelievers, why would you be happier with someone being in charge of all your life than before, when it was only you, yourself and you dealing with everything by your own strength and power?
Did you ever think of it this way?
If you had only you to praise and to thank for whenever you had achieved something or reached a goal or had obtained one of your hearts’ desires?
I think this is a big one, friends.
Since I have been walking with GOD, I have been praying for many things – I am assuming that the same is true for you?
But it never occurred to me before how much it means to me that someone has been there with me throughout the entire process.
Like a witness.
Someone who shared all my thoughts, feelings, ups and downs, the entire “journey” with me.
From the very first time I have felt “this” desire – have perhaps questioned it in the beginning, then started to think about it more, afterwards began to pray and ask GOD to grant me this desire, fasted, raised a sacrifice, waited, sought GOD about it, listened for HIS voice to give confirmation or instructions and guidance about this matter.
The entire time, GOD has been there with me.
No matter who else I let in on this desire – GOD knows.
HE listens.
Listens when I ask HIM if I can have “this”, if “it” is HIS will for me, if HE wants me to go in this direction, if HE has any wisdom for me how to go about getting there, if HE even promises me that I will have it, that I will arrive, and then, if (or better how) HE will help me stand on HIS promise and contend for what I have asked HIM to do, so that I will finally be able to receive my victory.
No matter where I am at in this process, no matter how I feel, no matter what I do -if I am on track or falling, confident or desperate, believing or doubting, GOD is there with me.
Always.
24/7.

Isn’t this what we are looking for in a friend, in a partner, in close family?
Someone to be there in our life?
Through thick and thin, no matter what?

GOD is there, friends!

At night, when I cry and doubt and when I pity myself for never having anything, never getting anywhere, never being given any good thing by anyone – haven’t we all been there?

During the day, when I put on my “big girl pants” and masks, pretending that I have it all together, pretending that I know what I am doing, even doing my best to inspire and guide others who don’t seem to know the way (and yet I am so often learning so much from them!!!).

In my private life, in public.
In sickness and in health.
For better or for worse.
For richer or poorer.

Friends, we, the church, are the bride.

But GOD does fulfill ALL these promises.

HE loves and cherishes us no matter what we do!

Whether we love HIM or not, whether we obey HIM or not, even if we backslide – GOD will still love us. HE will NEVER leave us or forsake us.

That’s something we cannot say about any person, any human being.
Every single person we have a relationship with will leave us at some point if we don’t treat them right!

Some might have a higher tolerance of what they will bear before they withdraw, but every human love is conditional!
If you don’t love me, if you don’t stay with me, if you abuse me, if you are not faithful, if you are not respectful, considerate, polite, caring, whatever it is, we ALL have conditions for our love – and I say “we”, because so do I!

Me, for instance, I would never tolerate betrayal if I was married, no matter how many pastors would tell me that I need to forgive my husband, I would leave immediately and I would forgive, yes, and I may even keep loving the person, but the marriage would still be over!
It’s even biblical, as the bible says it is the only reason for a divorce.
For me, sleeping with someone else when married IS the same as filing for divorce.
And I am very aware that cheating happens in many, many marriages and that this condition I have makes my marriage very likely to fail.

You may think that’s radical – especially if you are a man lol – but think about your own radical boundaries – what is it for you?
Is it betrayal when it comes to money?
What would you do for instance if a business partner withheld your share of a profit from you?

What I am trying to say is this: we ALL have our “no go’s”, our “deal-breakers”.

GOD doesn’t.

HE will stay with us or take us back.

Always.

Period.

And the second aspect I became more aware of through this recent “major event” in my life:

Life isn’t made of major events.
At least not most of the time.

Life isn’t a sprint.
It’s a marathon.

And although major events are visible for everyone and they do shape the course of our lives somehow, there is a lot, if not most of our life, that’s happening in between the major, visible and “public” moments.

These moments – the in between events – are probably even more significant and important, at least do I believe so.

Do you?

When we celebrate a success, for instance, a promotion, a graduation, landing a huge role….. yes, everybody can see that we made it, but nobody sees how we struggled, studied, prayed, fasted, cried, contended and suffered for it.
Only GOD was there all the time.
Unbelievers may even think we are just natural “winners”.

But we know better.
We know that we would’ve never made it without GOD.
WE know how much contribution in this victory is from ourselves and how much GOD “chipped in”, how many obstacles HE removed, how many insights HE gave us, how much wisdom came from HIM, wisdom without which we would have never done this or went there or talked to this person…..how much help HE sent to get us there.
In my case, regarding the victories I have been able to receive, I know my own part I played was only very small – and GOD was the one who did the rest.

The more I know HIM and the closer I get to HIM, the more I am aware of how little I can do and how much HE does in my life – the little “coincidences” when we went somewhere and talked to someone and in retrospect, we can see that the course of our life changed in that moment – but in that moment, we had no clue…..

GOD is a BIG GOD, yes.
But HE is in every small thing and every moment of our lives.

Even better than a father.

Yes, I lost my father last week.

And that’s sad.

But can you even imagine I had lost my HEAVENLY FATHER? Unbelievable for me!!!

There were even times in my life when I had no contact with my earthly father, plus, he was 82 when he left and our parents are meant to leave before we do – right?

But GOD gave us something unbelievers don’t have.

WE still have a FATHER – all our life long.
Every second of it.
A FATHER who knows everything about us – and everything about everything!
A FATHER who can do anything.
Whatever it is.
Who can give us everything.

I feel that this loss has even brought me closer to GOD.
Has made me see and understand more what a great gift I have been given.
Unconditional, timeless, eternal love.
Unlimited wisdom, support, power and guidance.
Everlasting truth and freedom.

What I realized is looking to any earthly, worldly source for anything only limits us.

People are just humans.
Nothing less, but also nothing more.

GOD is limitless. Omnipotent. Omniscient.

And I am grateful that MY HEAVENLY FATHER will always be with me.
Through this time of loss and also through my times of gain, success, joy and victory.

HE is with you, too, my friend.
HE loves you.
HE listens.
And HE answers prayer.

I hope you know HIM, if not, please refer to the homepage of this blog and consider giving your life to CHRIST.

I hope and pray that this will inspire, encourage, bless and heal you. And that THE LORD will bless you abundantly in all areas of your life; that HE will keep you and shine HIS face upon you, and bring you peace. In JESUS’ name I pray. AMEN.