Monday, February 24, 2014

This blog may be a bit foggy...

FOG:



1)  A thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere or near the earth's surface that obscures or restricts visibility.
2)  Something that obscures and confuses a situation or someone's thought processes.
3)  Bewilder or puzzle (someone)
4)  Make (an idea or situation) difficult to understand.


Driving when the conditions outside are foggy can be a stressful thing.  I really don't enjoy it.  But I had something to do out of town that particular day, so I didn't have much choice. 


Have you ever been in a state of "fog"?  Ya know what I'm talking about...confusion, lost, and things just seem so unclear.  It would seem that because of this, that clarity just isn't going to come.  Wrong.  God has spoken to me in that fog...in that uncertainty of times.  Though I could hardly see anything in front of me, God couldn't have been more clear. 


Since we have a 3 year old in the house, my "quiet times" are not always that quiet.  My life is loud at times, sometimes so loud that the voice of God is drowned out to where I can't hear at all.  My foggy drive the other day consisted of 3 hours of windshield time...all by myself.  The only music I absolutely love listening to is Christian radio.  God speaks through music...He spoke to me through the words that I sang.  The fog had not lifted at all on my drive home.  It was getting darker too, so this made driving more difficult.


I've had some pretty serious discussions with God recently.  Things that I just don't understand, but "His ways are not our ways..."  As I was praying, talking, and trying to listen to what God is trying to say to me, it was in that fog that I finally got it!  I'm 41 years old, and I'm finally seeing some things that He's probably tried to teach me for years.  But it's easier when we can see the path ahead of us, right?!??


Here's the deal.  There I was driving in the thick consistent fog, and the only thing I could do was pray for safety...both for me and for the other drivers around...and also to just keep my car between the lines.  I stayed away from the middle yellow lines, just in case an oncoming car did not.  And though it was very difficult to see anything in front of me much of my drive, I trusted God to get me where I needed to go.  Of course I had to pay close attention.  That's a given and a must while driving on the road.  But in our everyday walk with Jesus, we have to pay close attention and not be careless.  Things that can hurt or cause us to detour on our road to God can come out of nowhere, but as long as we keep our "eyes on the road" (to Jesus), He will take care of all of that.


As I was praying that day while staying close to the line I could see, I had God's peace, even in the things I could not see.  Hebrews 11:1 says, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for.  It is being certain of what we do not see."  Certain...think about what that means.  I had more peace not being able to see what was in front of me, more than I have during those times where I've had complete visibility. 


What about you?  Are you having a difficult time trusting God in the fog?  Listen, He sees the big picture.  It's completely clear for Him.  It doesn't need to be clear for you just yet.  He knows.  He sees.  Trust Him...He will direct you.  Just stay close to what little you can see and trust Him with the rest.  Pay close attention.  Don't fear.  Be obedient.


I will always remember that foggy day where God was as clear as can be to me in the areas where I need to trust more.  "God is not a God of confusion" (I Corin. 14:33).  So just remember the next time you have confused thoughts, or you are lost in the fog, just choose to trust Him...even if He chooses not to turn that fogginess to clarity just yet. 

3 comments:

Pat said...

Your insight is always amazing and your ability to express your feelings in such a Godly way makes this mother VERY PROUD.

Pat said...

Your insight is always amazing and your ability to express your feelings in such a Godly way makes this mother VERY PROUD.

Jenn said...

Thanks mom :)

In my favorite sport, tennis, it really is helpful to have a good serve. It could help you in winning more games. In the same way, life is a lot like that. We need to do our best in "serving" others. Jesus didn't come to be served, but to serve. There are many ways to do this. Just maybe, in our service, God will use us "to win one more" for Him...