Navigating Teenage RebellionSample

Day 13: Standing on His Promises, My Solid Ground 

Where was any solid ground in my shaky world of 4 teenagers navigating various forms of rebellion and rising up? What could I count on? Only God's word is trustworthy. His promises are true. What God says he will do, he will do. I needed to hang on to His promises! I needed some solid ground!

There are times, however, when it feels as if God has failed us. Does He really know what is going on in our household? How long is long enough to wait on an answered prayer? Very often in the midst of our grief and brokenness, we cannot see the big picture. We cannot know what God was doing. How long do I pray and hope and believe? Till death do I part? Yes!!!

Scripture affirms time and time again that God never fails. His Word is the same yesterday, today and forever. We must remember in times of desperation and grief that we may not be seeing God's good and gracious purpose from our current vantage point. This is when we have to trust in God's promises. He is the Knower and He knows what is going on when I truly do not! I do not have the mind of God nor His eternal perspective. That is where I rested.

When you feel faithless or hopeless, when you believe that God has left you, take refuge in His Word. It has stood the test of time. Let it be your shield. Let it be your source of protection. His promises can be fully trusted, no matter what our circumstances may be.

I counted on Him to work “all things together for the good” as I loved Him and wanted His best for our family. I counted on Him to make “beauty from ashes” and to “restore what the locusts had eaten”. I needed His mercies to “be new every morning” and Him to “be strong when I was weak”. These scriptures become my lifeline of hope, rest and peace. I couldn’t trust my teens. Heck, I couldn’t even trust myself. I came to a resting place where I chose a quiet resolve and a confident trust in the Trustworthy One. 

His Word and His promises were the solid ground in my shaky world.