Today growwhereyoureplanted is hosting Tune-in Tuesday and you’re invited to join in. I’ve accepted. Here’s how it works:
You are supposed to choose a song with which God is currently speaking into your life and write about it. It is an invitation to worship together. Come on, join us. The King inhabits the throne room of our praises :)
The song I’ve selected is Completely by Ana Laura.
You are supposed to choose a song with which God is currently speaking into your life and write about it. It is an invitation to worship together. Come on, join us. The King inhabits the throne room of our praises :)
The song I’ve selected is Completely by Ana Laura.
I heard this song for the first time in the movie Facing the Giants when a young couple who has been
trying for a baby has come up empty yet again (or so it seems). In the midst of many other challenges in their lives they are confronted with the decision to love God anyway even if it means that He does not grant them the desire of their heart. At the point where this song is played her heart replies to God: I will still love you.
When I was about 19 years old God gave me a dream, a vision. For a number of years my life felt so blessed as God prospered me in every way: financially, physically, materially, emotionally and spiritually. I couldn’t thank Him enough for His kindness and blessings and the healing that He was doing in my life. (My life had not been easy and this rising up had a great significance for me.) I felt a little bit like Joseph, I suppose, when God had given him the dreams. I was excited and focused and full of God’s Spirit! Things were happening in my life.
Then, after a few years things seemed to be coming apart at the seams – at first slowly and gradually becoming more significant over time. The past two years have been the most difficult for me. I’ve felt in my heart to make some life altering decisions and – to me anyway – nothing seems to have worked out as I thought. I was left with a complete sense of “this is not how it’s supposed to go! God, what are you doing?”
It has challenged me greatly in believing the things of God’s Word that have always seemed so easy for me to believe. When I applied it, it worked and now it seemed like it wasn’t anymore. Slowly but surely I started feeling like Joseph who has been thrown in the pit, then sold into slavery and now in prison, and wondering when my day before the king will finally come – at times wondering if it will come… Wondering what Joseph must have been thinking.
In the process I’ve lost most all of the good things that my life had been blessed with, except for the invisible things. But in all honesty that has been the hardest to keep on believing – the invisible things – to keep on holding on to, keep on confessing when everything around you (everything you can see with your eyes) appear the opposite. I wonder what has become of that dream… that vision… I have to discipline myself to stay focused on God’s Word, His daily promises of faithfulness to me, His promise that He will finish the work that He had begun and for me not to give up!
I listen to this song often and it reminds me to surrender instead of trying to grab on, to obey rather than try to get back what I lost, to believe when all I want to do is give up. Will I still love Him even if He chooses not to fulfill the wonderful dream that I had when I was 19? Can I trust Him with my nothingness and allow Him to bring restoration, multiplication and blessing so that I may be a blessing? Can I trust Him to give me beauty for my ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of heaviness…
Isaiah 61
trying for a baby has come up empty yet again (or so it seems). In the midst of many other challenges in their lives they are confronted with the decision to love God anyway even if it means that He does not grant them the desire of their heart. At the point where this song is played her heart replies to God: I will still love you.
When I was about 19 years old God gave me a dream, a vision. For a number of years my life felt so blessed as God prospered me in every way: financially, physically, materially, emotionally and spiritually. I couldn’t thank Him enough for His kindness and blessings and the healing that He was doing in my life. (My life had not been easy and this rising up had a great significance for me.) I felt a little bit like Joseph, I suppose, when God had given him the dreams. I was excited and focused and full of God’s Spirit! Things were happening in my life.
Then, after a few years things seemed to be coming apart at the seams – at first slowly and gradually becoming more significant over time. The past two years have been the most difficult for me. I’ve felt in my heart to make some life altering decisions and – to me anyway – nothing seems to have worked out as I thought. I was left with a complete sense of “this is not how it’s supposed to go! God, what are you doing?”
It has challenged me greatly in believing the things of God’s Word that have always seemed so easy for me to believe. When I applied it, it worked and now it seemed like it wasn’t anymore. Slowly but surely I started feeling like Joseph who has been thrown in the pit, then sold into slavery and now in prison, and wondering when my day before the king will finally come – at times wondering if it will come… Wondering what Joseph must have been thinking.
In the process I’ve lost most all of the good things that my life had been blessed with, except for the invisible things. But in all honesty that has been the hardest to keep on believing – the invisible things – to keep on holding on to, keep on confessing when everything around you (everything you can see with your eyes) appear the opposite. I wonder what has become of that dream… that vision… I have to discipline myself to stay focused on God’s Word, His daily promises of faithfulness to me, His promise that He will finish the work that He had begun and for me not to give up!
I listen to this song often and it reminds me to surrender instead of trying to grab on, to obey rather than try to get back what I lost, to believe when all I want to do is give up. Will I still love Him even if He chooses not to fulfill the wonderful dream that I had when I was 19? Can I trust Him with my nothingness and allow Him to bring restoration, multiplication and blessing so that I may be a blessing? Can I trust Him to give me beauty for my ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of heaviness…
Isaiah 61
4 comments:
Liane, I can't begin to explain how thankful I am for your post. This song truly brought me to a place of worship... tearful worship. God used you tremendously to speak to my heart today. In a way that you could never know... Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. :) And God bless you! So glad you stumbled upon my blog. I'm a new follower of yours.
Welcome, Paula :)
Yes, where would a hand be without an arm, or a foot without a leg, etc. We need each other. God thought of everything, didn't He? ;) I'm just as glad that I've responded to your invitation this morning; it blessed my whole day :) I'm so grateful for the journey.
Hi Liane
I have read your post and it made me wonder, does this apply to a song that is not gospel?? The reason for this is the past week or so everytime to and from work the DJ would play a song and everytime I would find myself humming along, either their playlist are very boring, or am I just not getting the message.
Thanks for the insight that you always give.
Yes, WG, I'm sure it doesn't matter which song. God has spoken to my heart through songs and other things before that doesn't have a Christian/Bible/Church connotation. He can use whatever He wants to, whatever He knows will speak to the person that He needs to hear His voice or get their attention. He is not limited in His means and He knows you well!
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