About a week ago, I wrote about Envy and Discouragement. The entire world was seemingly against me. All my efforts seemed fruitless — blogging, work, spiritual pursuits, my house sale. I wrote in my journal that I felt like I was pushing a huge boulder uphill.

In the midst of it, I went for a walk, hoping God would give me a glimpse of who I am in His eyes. I prayed He would bring me one small piece of encouragement.

Just one.

In the ensuing week, he has brought me one piece of encouragement after another. A phone call from my dad. A woman wrote me a loving email about how I inspired her four years ago. Two people I rarely talk to or see referenced reading my blog. Words of affirmation from several professional colleagues. Two new business opportunities. And, the biggest encouragement…MY HOUSE HAS SOLD (at exactly the price God showed me when I listed it)!

Yay, God!

Once again, He has shown himself faithful. He has pulled me out of the muck of societal expectations and my own misguided thought patterns.

Unreliable Emotions
Why do we so often fall prey to our emotions? Why do we let our emotions or unplanned (negative) circumstances lead us into a black hole? The truth is our emotions are rarely a reliable gauge of reality. Particularly in dark days, they don’t often point us to God. Just when we need to remember God’s past faithfulness the most, our emotions leads us down a different path.

For as much as we like to believe we have gotten smarter throughout the generations, the truth is we’re so much like the Israelites who wandered in the desert for 40 years. They quickly forgot how God had delivered them from Egypt and through the Red Sea, provided food from heaven each day and water from a rock, and a cloud and pillar of fire to guide them along their route. What more could they want? And yet they questioned God. They thought their days in the desert were murderous compared to living in slavery in Egypt. They didn’t trust God for the future even though he provided for them in the past.

Remember
Words our pastor shared this weekend ring true for me as I think about my recent dicouragement: “Remember in the darknesss that which he has shown you in the light.”

Today, as I reflect on 10 years of self employment and the sale of my house, I see God’s light — his hand in my life. By blogging and journaling and discussing where I am with others, I hope that I am able to remember this time when the darkness rolls around again. It’s easy to praise God in the good times but our faith deepens when we can praise him in the darkness.

For a related devotion, see More Treats.

Thanks!
To each of you who encouraged me this past week — or ever, thank you. You were a voice from God speaking to me.

Psalm 121
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
3 He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

5 The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.

7 The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.