“Crisis brings us face to face with our inadequacy,
and our inadequacy in turn leads us to the inexhaustible sufficiency of God.”
—Beyond Our Selves by Catherine Marshall
***
“Cast your cares on the Lord, and He will sustain you.”
—Psalm 55:22
I won’t lie—this week has been a bit of a struggle.
First of all, it’s been hard to see my mother-in-law trying to recover from a fractured hip and broken pelvis incurred recently. It seems the pain is getting worse rather than better, so her family has been taking turns staying with her overnight after she left rehab. I was there two days and one night this week, and it’s incredibly hard to see her in pain.
Of course I also miss my husband who’s been gone all week on a fishing trip that I practically had to force him to go on because the man never takes off from work. But a good friend had a fishing buddy cancel on him at the last minute, so he asked Keith to fill in, and I was thrilled. He soooo needed a break, but I sure missed him.
Then I find out just this morning that my son, daughter-in-law and precious grandbaby will be moving to Spokane, Washington in about two weeks rather than much later in the year as originally expected. 🙁 On top of that, it looks like my daughter and son-in-law will be moving out of state come January. 🙁
Of course the sour cherry on top of this is a brick wall I’ve encountered on book 3 in the “Heart of San Francisco” series where I can’t seem to go forward—always a scary thing with a deadline looming.
Needless to say, I experienced a lot of melancholy this week along with feelings of being overwhelmed. But the week did do one thing—it brought me face to face with my “inadequacy,” even though there was no real “crisis” involved like our quote indicates today. And that inadequacy—melancholy/sense of overwhelm—led me right back to the God who is WAY better able to handle my problems than I am.
And THANK GOD!! Because not only is His “inexhaustible sufficiency” better able, but it’s exactly what He wants us to do!
“Cast your cares on the Lord,
and He will sustain you.”
And, oh trust me—I did—and He has!! Just KNOWING that no matter what crises or melancholy or wall we hit, He is not only able to see us through, He is MORE than willing, has given me all the hope I need to take the next step. And then the one after that. Because the truth is, when push comes to shove (and before!!), He is all we need and more than enough!
More than enough. A statement so brimming with truth and hope that I used it several times in my novels, so I thought it would be fun to end my blog with both clips. The first is from A Passion Denied when Patrick leaves Marcy and the second from A Passion Most Pure when Faith leaves her family.
The door slammed behind him, effectively severing her hope. A frightening loneliness shivered through her, and she listed against the door, stunned at how easily love could be shattered. With a low moan, she turned and mounted the stairs as slowly as a woman twice her age, barely able to breathe. Like a sleepwalker, dully and without purpose, finally collapsing in a heap on her bed. She shut her eyes to block out the pain, but it only droned on in her brain—a mind-numbing lament, suffocating until she thought she would die.
Oh, God, help me! Please! Restore our peace and heal my marriage.
She forced her lips to pray, soundless utterings that seemed to silence the torment inside. She took a deep breath and allowed His peace to quiet her mind, as it had done so many times in her past.
Her husband had left. But God would not. The only balm to her tortured soul.
But more than enough.
***
Bridget set a half-peeled potato down and wiped her hands on her apron, then moved to sit by Marcy’s side. “Marcy, Faith has been wounded deeply. Of course she’s angry with God. What human being wouldn’t be? But she knows His goodness, too, and in the end, it will woo her back. We have no choice but to trust Him. She’s His child too.”
Marcy nodded, and Bridget reached for her hand, her eyes full of hope. “She will come through this, Marcy; I know she will. And do you know how I know?”
Marcy shook her head.
“Because God is faithful,” Bridget said, as if stating a fact no one could possibly dispute. “Faith has served Him with her whole heart, and He will not let her go. But I’m afraid you must. Let her go, Marcy, and trust Him to keep her.”
Marcy’s head jerked up. “Mother, I can’t!”
“Yes, you can. He won’t fail you, and He won’t fail her.”
Marcy shivered, finally nodding. “Mitch has a right to know, Mother. For all his stupidity and failing … he has a right to see her before she goes.”
Bridget sighed. “Perhaps not. What he did … well, I’m not sure I would forgive him myself, nor ever trust him.”
Marcy’s eyes strained with fatigue as she looked up. “He deserves to be heard. I’ll call in the morning. Perhaps … perhaps even yet, he can change her mind.” Marcy extended her hand. “Mother, can we pray together, please?”
Bridget smiled and placed her hands in her daughter’s. “It’s the only thing we can do, Marcy,” she whispered. “But, it’s more than enough.”
***
Yes, it is …
All prayers appreciated for my mother-in-law’s recovery, and I wish you all a MOST blessed weekend!
Hugs,
Julie
