it is well

We’re in a season of anxiety right now. We have kept current on the mortgage, we’re scraping by…but we have been depending heavily on help from family members to stay there. I think that means we’re sinking.

There were times in my life…no, strike that, reverse it…for most of my life, my response to the current stresses and strains would have been predictable. All this stress, I would tell myself, has earned me some kind of reward – maybe stopping by that place that’s only a little out of the way on my drive home, or maybe using a few bucks I don’t really have to pig out on a bag of cookies.

But I’m not defined by those actions; I’m not even defined as an addict. I’m more than that.

See, I have a Father. Not the genetic one – he was good to me, but he would be the first to say that he couldn’t meet my needs like the Father I’m referring to.

My Father isn’t a figment of my imagination, an invention of man created to fill some evolutionary void or weakness of character (or to balance some mental illness).

My Father doesn’t create accidents. He creates children.

My Father doesn’t see fit to have large amounts of money transferred into my bank account, unfortunately. Nor does He encourage me to sit on my patoukis and expect all to work out without any thought on my part. I’m going to try to find a second job, and we’ll take yet another look at how to trim some from the home budget. That isn’t a lack of trust; it is using common sense.

But He does lead me; He shows me that He isn’t just standing by thinking, “Whew – sucks to be him right now.“

He brings me peace.

Yep, things are a mess right now. But I have assurance that we’ll get through it. My Father has seen me through tough stuff before; He’ll do it again.