God Meets You Where You’re At
Do you struggle with feeling alone? Lost? Or like you just can’t get through another day? I want to encourage you with this: God meets you where you’re at. When you can’t take another step, he picks you up and carries you. He is your strength when you are weak. If you choose to take even one step toward him, he will take the other 99. You can’t do this life on your own, and praise God you don’t have to.
I recently saw a video of this man that was running in the Olympics. His name was Derek Redmond, and he was competing in the 400-meter sprint at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. He was about halfway through the race and, in a split second, he tore his hamstring. He fell to the ground in pain. He literally couldn’t finish the race on his own, no matter how much he wanted it. He tried to stand up and get through it, but you can tell he is suffering through so much pain. Then suddenly, you see his father running towards him and carrying him through the finish line. When the man realizes it’s his father, he threw his arms around him, crying, and they finish the race together. This video nearly brought me to tears, and here’s why: it reminded me a lot of our walk with the Lord. Time and time again, life beats us down. We’re weak, we’re wounded, we’re tired. We physically don’t feel like we can get through the day. But, just like Derek Redmond, we’re not alone. When we are at the end of our ropes, the Lord meets us there and he carries us across the finish line. He doesn’t leave us in pain and suffering and he doesn’t leave us alone to do this life on our own. Because of the redemptive work of Christ on the cross, we have access to our God, and he will meet us every single time, no matter where we are.
There is a parable in the book of Matthew in the Bible called “The Parable of the Wandering Sheep.” Matthew 18:12 says, “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?” That one sheep is so important to the shepherd that he would be willing to leave all the rest of them while he looks for the one that is lost. And it doesn’t just stop there. The passage goes on to say that he will be happier about finding the one that wandered, than about the ninety-nine that stayed. Verse 14 reminds us that, “So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” I don’t know about you guys, but that brings me so much peace and comfort! Not only is he willing to come find us when we are lost, he rejoices when we are found! He wants to find us and walk with us!
We often believe that we have the strength to do this life on our own. No matter where you are in your faith, we all still struggle with this in one way or another. We find ourselves lost in the ways of the world, like the one sheep that wandered off. But it doesn’t matter how far you’ve run or how often you turn away, God is always there. He finds us every time, without fail. He is faithful. He is kind. He is sovereign. And he loves you!
It’s a daily decision to walk with God. We can rest in the truth of Romans 10:9 when it says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him for the dead, you will be saved.” Nothing can take that salvation away from you. But after that salvation comes a lifetime of sanctification, and that requires a lot of work. Sanctification is hard, but it draws us closer to the Lord and guides us to look more and more like Jesus each day. Every day we should be striving to grow, to be better, and to know Him more. Our mission in life is to know God and to make Him known. You are seen and you are loved by the Creator of the universe. Allow him to meet you where you’re at!
Challenges:
Let go of control. God’s ways and his thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9) so allow him to guide you, and choose to walk in obedience to where he is calling you. Even when it’s hard.
Invite friends into your struggle. We weren’t made to do this life alone! Surrounding yourself with Christ-minded people will help point you back to him in moments when your vision is clouded.
Choose to walk with God DAILY. Like I said earlier, it’s a daily decision to walk with him and grow closer to him. I encourage you all, and myself, to choose him every second of every day.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you that your mercies are new every morning. Thank you that we can be present and focus on today and not have to worry about tomorrow! We can trust in your sovereignty and know that you will forever meet us where we are at. Whether we are at a really low and hard point in our lives, or we are feeling very spiritually full, we still need you! May we never choose to walk our own path, but always follow yours and walk in obedience to you. You are faithful and good. You truly want to have a relationship with your children, so let us open our hearts to you and choose YOU every day. I pray for joy and comfort over each one of us. Help us to be vessels for your Kingdom. We love you! In Jesus’ name! Amen!