Lonely

Aloneness is not the same as loneliness.

A person who is alone has no one around.

A person who is lonely is not paying attention to those around.

I am never alone. Even when people are all gone. I have One who is with me always. He never leaves me nor forsakes me.  Yet, I feel lonely because I choose to not look for Him. I miss His movement in the clouds. I miss His smile in a child's laughter. I miss His hug in the wind. I miss His love letter in the spring flowers. I miss His caring gaze in the little daily things.

Look.

He is there.

Peace in the Pause

Peace in the storms of life is so often what we desire. But, what about peace in the pauses? What about having contentment in those moments when God is not speaking or moving mountains? 

As Christians (and humans), our natural response when we are hurting or in trouble is to run to God. It is like a child running to a parent when he/she skins his/her knee. It is an innate response.

God promises in Hebrews 13:5 that He will never leave us. This means He is with us ALL the time. That is a somewhat frightening thought, and a very comforting thought. God is always there, loving us and caring for us. He is ready to help and forgive when we ask.

Psalm 23:4 reminds us that the Lord is there to help in hard times. His rod and staff are a comfort to us when we are in trouble. They remind us that He is there and He still cares for us. But think about it, verse 2 of the same chapter says that He is our shepherd even in the quiet pastures and by the still waters.

Life can be very tedious. Living day-to-day. Going to work. Making dinner. Cleaning the house. Even reading our Bible and going to church. Could it be that we forget to stop and really spend time with the One we are praising and "living for"? 

When there is no immediate distress or thorn in the flesh, we get comfortable. We forget that we are not the ones making things run smoothly. Then the irritation that life is not hopping begins. The little dictator in all of us comes out and tries to run the show and make plans. We forget to trust Him, and Him alone in times of pause. 

These moments of pause may be times when He is threading delicate threads through our lives to be seen later. He has a purpose.  In His time, He will push the play button. Until then, trust that He is in complete control of the situation.