Day 3 writing challenge:

  “Be still and know that I am God...”

Psalms 46:10

 She sat alone in her apartment. She was always alone there. She sat in the dark corner in a chair and could still feel the sting of the words spoken to her. The tears came. Frustration from the unkind “helpfulness” of someone who was supposed to be a friend. The woman’s words replayed in her mind as she sat, “first, you need to lose weight, do you even care? Maybe if you wore more makeup …”  “ She did not understand the woman’s reasoning in revealing thoughts about her appearance. Hurt was evident as the tears changed to sobs as all the pain and frustration from her life surfaced. Inadequate was the strongest feeling now, then hopelessness, and despair. She prayed, with all the emotion that tumbled from her mouth to God’s ears, she expressed all of the anger, frustration and hopelessness that life had gifted her until now, even pulling things from childhood that still weighed heavy on her heart. She spoke at first in angry tones, blaming God for everything, but then when the anger subsided and gave way to the sadness she begged Him for forgiveness of her disrespecting tone and then prayed for the strength to “change”. Silence followed. That coupled with stillness and the darkness gave way to sleep.  

  In the quietness of the dawn, when all is still, there is a moment when, if you listen,  you can hear the voice of God whispering to your soul. The stillness is essential. You can’t hear Him in the noise and life is noisy, frustration and anger are contentious and they too are noisy, wreaking havoc on the peace in your heart. However, in the stillness she heard His spirit whisper,

“ When the voices of life are taunting you, my child, telling you who you should be, how you should look, where you should live or work and what is or is not success.  Sometimes, it is hard not to listen. When you feel that all is crumbling around you. When your experiences bend you and the storms in life threaten to destroy the things that matter most, it is imperative that you learn how to block out the noise and the voices of the world and listen only to the spirit. It is only this voice that will guide you through the gray matter of life. When you feel alone, when you can’t find a job, when there is not enough money to pay the bills, when nothing seems right and you feel like you are groping for hope and meaning. Just reach out in faith. Listen and find strength in my love … Not only can I hear you, but I am here for you. I will hold you up, I will walk with you. I will take the pain, just trust me.”

The light of this truth, His truth, gave her the strength to face another day.