Faith Fuzed Fitness Verse of the Week
Photo credit to Lexy Mata with First Love Devotions
My stepbrother Joshua’s birthday is October 9th. 10 years ago our entire family was rocked to the core. In a moment, all the blame and reasons to fight that kept our families so divided were gone. Why is it that when someone passes we realize that all of that doesn’t matter? Why can’t we see it sooner? I struggled with this verse for all these 10 years. I cannot begin to tell you the heartache and devastation that was left behind after my stepbrother’s passing. Even now I struggle with an ache in my heart to write that there is hope in this verse.
The Plan is not known:
The book of Jeremiah is one that I studied during this loss. This book is about the life of the prophet. Jeremiah was open and raw about his life. In this moment of loss it was most relatable. I did not want to hear about God’s goodness. I wanted to hear something real. I wanted a person to understand the pain in my heart. I wanted someone I could look at, who could see me and say “I know.” I wanted answers to questions I would never be able to ask. Jeremiah speaks truth in his book and that’s what I needed. One song that continually speaks to me is Mercy Me “Even If.” This song is about the struggles that I was facing, as I cried out to God to give me the strength to make it through this and just as Jeremiah was reassured of Gods faithfulness; this song reminds me of the same faithfulness. Even if I don’t know how I am going to make it through, God is faithful to bring me through it.
God knows we’re human:
Jeremiah is most quoted for saying “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 NIV) We love to tell this to babies and new followers of Christ, but I don’t think this was always a hopeful verse because Jeremiah felt doubt in that moment. But God assured him over and over again. In all the trial and turmoil that he faced God never left. Have you ever been with someone who looks for reassurance constantly? How do I look? what do you think? I feel like we all look for this a little. But when I read through I feel like its me, in my hopelessness, Jeremiah just keeps reassuring us that God is good.
Reading this verse over again it makes me wonder, if you knew then why didn’t you do something?!?! You said your plans were not to harm me but God, I’m hurting! The Holy Spirit never left me in my sorrow. Instead he was like Jeremiah, constantly reassuring me. Revealing God in all things.
Where was God in my mess?
God was there in my mom, and dad who had been divorced for over 15 years but offered compassion and understanding to the other; because the children they had were hurting. He was there in my siblings, step or blood related it didn’t matter anymore; we were all family. I saw love and forgiveness and family coming together no matter what parent we came from. The pain didn’t go away, but you know what, neither did God. He knew this was the plan, so he put a sister in my life 11 years before to help each other through it. He put kids into my step-dad’s life and a loving wife; even though we could never fill the void his own son had left, he wouldn’t be alone. He made a friend out of the deepest enemy. Compassion and love is a universal language and it crosses all barriers. He gave us hope that the walls we build would crumble as we went forward in our future.
Prayer:
God, Thank you for always being with us through our lives. Thank you for you plan, even when we don’t understand it. Help us to have faith in your plan regardless. Help us to cling to you just as Jeremiah did, and reveal to us your presence in all things. God we want to lift up those who are hurting. We ask that you would just wrap them up in your love so that on the other side of the sorrow they will look back and know that you never left.
The Unstep-Sister
With Faith Fuzed Fitness
This is for my brothers and sister who don’t share my blood but have a place in my family all the days of my life and beyond!
There are many benefits to working out. Mental health and physical health are directly linked. Check our schedule to plan a time to come to the COMPLETE Yoga class offered by Tricia McGuire.
