On going low…

As I walked through this current season of turmoil and stress, one thing I heard over and over were the words, “go low.”
This led to a commitment to bow low in the face of difficulties, and has proven to be one of the biggest blessings of my summer. When faced with challenges on every side, there were days when I wanted to assert my authority and demand my own way. In the face of uncertainty, I longed to take control and force a way through the difficulty. As exhaustion and frustration wore away at my reserves, I wished to defend my little corner of the world, or at least my heart. Instead, I fell into the grace of God and learned again to go low.

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God,
and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.  
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
2 Peter 5:6-7

This verse has been life to me this summer. When tumultuous winds blow, I have learned to run, not walk, to the One who holds my life. There in the shadow of the Almighty, I am reminded that He is the Good Shepherd, and even when we walk through the valley He is with me. His strength and power comfort me. My life has not somehow slipped through His fingers. He is still Lord of my Life… Lord of all Life. When I bow before His Glory, I find peace.

So, there in the quiet of my relationship with Him, I find both His Power and my position. From this place of humility, I can see His magnificent supremacy and my insignificance, except to Him. He has called me His beloved and made me His own. From this place, I find a new position. A way to walk that grounds me, and makes me less vulnerable and less volatile. I go low. I bow low before the One who holds my heart and my life.

I don’t have to cling to my rights, because I trust Him to deal rightly with me.
I don’t have to defend my place, because I am in the center of His hand.
I don’t have to justify myself when accusations fly, I can trust His knowledge of me.
I don’t have to erect a wall around my heart, because He has promised to be my defender.
I don’t have to cling to my place, if He wants to move me, I will not be able to stop Him.
I don’t have to create a new plan, If He wants me to stay, no one will be able to move me.

When I find myself in difficult times, I can find my place in the One who called all things into being. He is not far off and aloof. I can share my worries and the weight of the world, which I am not well suited to carry, with the God who knows my name. This is the God who knows not only what is happening in my life, but how what is happening is affecting my heart. He knows the inside too. He cares about me, so He cares about the things that burden my heart and set my mind to racing.
In the midst of the difficulty, this would be enough, but there is a promise in this verse. A promise that when we go low, He Himself will lift us up. In the midst of the fire, we feel like this will be our life forever. The promise of His presence would be enough, but there is a promise for honor here. He will honor our position of humility. In fact, humility is the only position He honors… so, go low.