Just Shaken, Not Stirred?
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were
all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Acts 4:31 (NIV)
There are many events in life that shake us to the core. For children these
events can be as simple as a best friend’s betrayal or as complicated as
divorcing parents. For adults, the incidents that shake us up seem too
many to count: loss of a parent, a child’s drug use, a devastating
financial blunder, unexpected unemployment, the shattering of a friendship,
a frightening medical diagnosis, the end of a marriage – the list goes on
and on. These life events send us reeling, moving through our days shaken
and hurt, confused and often asking “Why, Lord?�
For some, the hurts are so profound that their Christian faith is shaken and
doubts creep silently from the shadows right into their wounded hearts,
subtly eroding their confidence in God’s enduring love until a deep
chasm of fear and uncertainty is formed. Worry replaces prayer and God
becomes the bad guy for not protecting them from such suffering.
Others have a very different experience with trauma. Yes, they are
shaken; swamped by sorrows and wounded by soul-searing fears, but they
do not remain in this state permanently, railing at God and crying “why
me?� No. The shaking of their lives stirs up faith that has laid waiting
like spiritual sediment in their hearts, to the surface as they turn to God for
support and solace in their time of deepest need. Instead of blaming God,
they rely on their freshly stirred and renewed faith to find the courage to
follow His purpose for them in difficult times, understanding that we were
never promised a perfect life, but we are promised that our Father is
always with us, aiding and supporting us when we call out to Him.
This deep stirring of the soul brings renewal, helping us to look confidently
to the cross for strength and help. So deep is our Father’s love for us
that that he gave his Son to die for our sins and, through His innocent
suffering, brings us forgiveness and salvation. Such love will not turn away
when called upon! We are ready to be nearer to God when we are at our
lowest, for it is then that we can let go of a counterfeit belief in ourselves
and instead turn to God for truth.
Our lives are not without purpose, and the events that shape us are not
random. Each of us is precious to our Father, and He is with us always,
even in the midst of our tragedies. Joy will return and healing will occur if
we will only stir our hearts and to turn to our loving Father, for in the
shelter of His arms we will find triumph in tragedy, peace despite pain and
confidence in the face of chaos. When we are deeply shaken, let’s not
forget to respond by stirring our faith into action.
© 2008 Elizabeth Williams
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were
all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Acts 4:31 (NIV)
There are many events in life that shake us to the core. For children these
events can be as simple as a best friend’s betrayal or as complicated as
divorcing parents. For adults, the incidents that shake us up seem too
many to count: loss of a parent, a child’s drug use, a devastating
financial blunder, unexpected unemployment, the shattering of a friendship,
a frightening medical diagnosis, the end of a marriage – the list goes on
and on. These life events send us reeling, moving through our days shaken
and hurt, confused and often asking “Why, Lord?�
For some, the hurts are so profound that their Christian faith is shaken and
doubts creep silently from the shadows right into their wounded hearts,
subtly eroding their confidence in God’s enduring love until a deep
chasm of fear and uncertainty is formed. Worry replaces prayer and God
becomes the bad guy for not protecting them from such suffering.
Others have a very different experience with trauma. Yes, they are
shaken; swamped by sorrows and wounded by soul-searing fears, but they
do not remain in this state permanently, railing at God and crying “why
me?� No. The shaking of their lives stirs up faith that has laid waiting
like spiritual sediment in their hearts, to the surface as they turn to God for
support and solace in their time of deepest need. Instead of blaming God,
they rely on their freshly stirred and renewed faith to find the courage to
follow His purpose for them in difficult times, understanding that we were
never promised a perfect life, but we are promised that our Father is
always with us, aiding and supporting us when we call out to Him.
This deep stirring of the soul brings renewal, helping us to look confidently
to the cross for strength and help. So deep is our Father’s love for us
that that he gave his Son to die for our sins and, through His innocent
suffering, brings us forgiveness and salvation. Such love will not turn away
when called upon! We are ready to be nearer to God when we are at our
lowest, for it is then that we can let go of a counterfeit belief in ourselves
and instead turn to God for truth.
Our lives are not without purpose, and the events that shape us are not
random. Each of us is precious to our Father, and He is with us always,
even in the midst of our tragedies. Joy will return and healing will occur if
we will only stir our hearts and to turn to our loving Father, for in the
shelter of His arms we will find triumph in tragedy, peace despite pain and
confidence in the face of chaos. When we are deeply shaken, let’s not
forget to respond by stirring our faith into action.
© 2008 Elizabeth Williams
