Rainy Day Lessons in Humility

I'm a bit scatter-brained right now, so forgive me if this post is all over the place. It's raining outside (as usual) and it's a good time to look back and reflect on the week. Even if it's not quite over. Last night was especially fun, since Wednesday is my Awana Outreach. Did you know 4th&5th grade girls are incredibly hilarious? I'm slowly discovering this being a T&T helper. Example-I somehow ended up with the nickname Skittles. Good times.

Aside from last night, the past week or so hasn't been the best to be honest. You know those weeks where your problems seem to consume you? It's like a never-ending tunnel, and you just can't reach the end? Those weeks where you just can't get over yourself?

That's how the past week or so was for me. I was so focused on me, myself and I. I just couldn't seem to focus on anything but the negative. Frankly, it was miserable.

Then Day of Prayer happened Tuesday.

Despite the stormy weather, I decided to go up to the dunes of North Beach. So I grabbed my Bible, Prayer journal, Sack lunch, Jug of Arizona tea, and headed out.

"But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and He answered me from His holy hill." Psalm 3:3-4

 

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 After a couple hours of worship music, journaling, and Bible reading, I decided to go for a walk. During this walk, I began to rant at God. You know the prayers where you tell God how it's gonna be?  "God, fix this. God, do that. God, this is what's gonna happen." As wrong as it is, I think we can all confess to talking to God like this at some point. That's where I was. Telling God how it was. 

That's when the sneaker wave hit. 

Boom.

For those of you in Yakima or elsewhere who don't know what a sneaker wave is, it's pretty much exactly what it sounds like- a sneak wave that suddenly sweeps up the entire beach, MUCH bigger than any normal tide wave. The beach I was standing on a second before suddenly disappeared, and I found myself  running back up the dunes in order to not get swept up. I made it up, and ended up sitting in the same place I was before. 

I took that as a pretty clear "Kate, shut up!" from God. 

So I began to listen. And God began to humble my heart. I never felt His presence so strongly. As I allowed myself to be still in His presence, He gave me a new perspective. He revealed to me how arrogant I've been; how ungrateful of all the blessings He's given I've been. One thought hit me clearer than any other....

When I'm focused on myself, I can't serve others. 

God changed my heart and got me back on track. I'm here to minister and encourage, not have a pity party. When I focus on myself, I miss out on all God has for me. I miss out on His purpose and so many opportunities to be a blessing. It honestly is completely pointless. God gave me that day the ability to surrender to Him my trust. And why shouldn't I? His faithfulness is so real and unchanging. Going through the Old Testament in class this week, that's what's blown my mind the most. I'll be honest, the Old Testament never really mattered much to me before. But realizing that this is actual history, and seeing that these places and people were real in the Achaeology class being taken along with it, I'm beginning to see just how applicable the Old Testament is. God's promises are still ours; fulfilled in Christ!  The same God that continually stuck with Israel through their mistakes will continue to stick with me and transform me.

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps convenent in and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations."  Deuteronomy 7:9

I pray that impacts the rest of your day, in fact, I hope it impacts the rest of your life. God is faithful. God is good. All the time.