We serve a gracious and loving God

I honestly have no idea what I want to write about. So many new things are happening throughout the month of August that I feel strung all over the place. It seems to be only for a few days and then I can put myself back together, but the amount of times I have the opportunity to lean on the Lord for strength when I do feel spread too thin is astonishing, but I let them pass by. Whether I am stressed at work, don't get enough sleep, feel overwhelmed at home, whatever it may be, the Lord is still there and still present even when I am not faithful or mess up. It also has become pretty evident to me that work is so different from what they teach you at school. I some days feel like I am in the way, but again you have to remind yourself that God would not have put you where you are if He didn't want you there. Regardless of how you feel there are reasons for you to be here.

Today as I was supposed to be listening to a lecture for work on ethics I kept thinking about this verse from Psalms 86:15 " But You Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth". This world is so unforgiving and where I work I see this more often than some people should. Don't get me wrong the good days mostly outweigh the bad, but keeping your faith with you at work can be hard some days. This is why leaning on the Lord is so important. "He uplifts us with His righteous right hand" like it says in Isaiah 41. And I understand that if there are non-believers who are reading this it can sound far fetched, but truly when you pray there is peace that is given. God doesn't want to see us suffer but He is creating a beautiful testimony within us. I don't have all the answers as to why He gives us things that may seem like too much but I do know that I serve a good God who loved me enough to send His Son for me when I didn't deserve it. 

I am reminded as well of a song from Chris Renzema, Narrow Road, the words say "I will walk wherever you lead me, cloud by day and a fire by evening. You're the lamp that is guiding my feet so I can see where I am going." Jesus is so close to you even when you don't feel Him. There are some days when I wonder if He even hears my prayers but there is a reason why I keep a prayer journal with me. I am a person of little faith and I know that, but I remind myself of the way God has been so faithful to me when He didn't have to be. I have a wonderful family, a wonderful job and work family, a great education, food on the table, and a roof over my head. So even when things don't seem like they are good or that you're all by yourself, He promised that you would never be alone. Remember that. Thank you for reading my jumbled mess of thoughts, I will now be sleeping until Thursday:). 

May the peace and love of God be with you always,

Leah Carpenter