Lay it down… Focus… and know It is Well

Recently Perry Noble shared a sermon series entitled Fire and Rain.  

It is not uncommon for something he says to really hit home with me. 

It goes without saying that the 4th message in the series did not disappoint. 

·      It is easier to call down on fire than rain on someone…. especially if you feel like they do not deserve the rain. 

·      Maybe you are not receiving the rain because your umbrella is up. 

 

Often when this happens, I will listen to the message again or I will go back to look at the scripture so I can gain a better understanding of what was happening at the time of the recording.   Like…. what were these individuals going through which provided the stage for God’s awesomeness to be revealed?

 

This happened, but instead of being able to focus on the scripture. life just keep interrupting.  

So I closed my bible.  

 

And some time passed......

 

 

Last week has not been my normal week.  It was hard.  Like very hard. 

 

One of those weeks where you feel like you are getting hit from all angles.  However, it is really hard to identify exactly what is happening because it is all just happening to quickly.  For every step I took forward, fire I put out, or reassuring word I spoke… I took a couple step backwards, rushed to another fire, and had to remind myself of what I was telling everyone else. 

 

And throughout all of these experiences, I kept seeing the image of three circles from a recent Instagram post. 

 

You see, there are three circles …. similar to a dart board. 

The inner circle is your absolutes…. the truth

The middle circle is containing your convictions… things you need to reflect on…. pray about

The outer circle are the opinions, things you cannot control… and should not have your focus.

 

And as the weekend on two actions steps kept coming to mind 

lay it down… and focus.

I mean seriously… these words were in songs, on church signs, and coming out of the mouths of people who had NO clue what was going on in my head. 

 

And those words that was I was speaking to everyone else were the same words God was speaking into me.  And… I just could not figure out why I would have these moments where I could tell others it would be alright and not 5 minutes later I was in a war fighting to keep my own sanity. 

 

It was all so random…. 

 

I confided in a friend from work… 

Let me say that again… LOUDER THIS TIME… I CONFIDED IN A FRIEND FROM WORK… 

She described it as the devil shooting his arrows.   In hopes... something will take me down.  

 

This became all the more real through a discussion

where a lot of perspectives or opinions were shared, but not specific examples….

 

.... the big dummy shoots his arrows… hoping something would hit just right that it would take me down. 

 

Well… I am here to tell you that although he was shooting in the dark, one of those arrows came so close to taking me down.  

 

And then the word “focus” came out of another friend’s mouth

(just in case you are keeping track.. that is two friends from work). 

 

Focus… suck it up and focus. 

 

I sucked it up, took some Benadryl, and went to bed. 

 

On Friday, I drove to work listening to my Praise Music playlist. 

 

Even If by Mercy Me began to play.  However, I decided that I wanted to listen to the version with the testimony, so I quickly switched over to YouTube. 

 

As I listened…. I cried. 

I am including the link here in case you would like to hear the whole testimony… and let me just say… it is worth the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_WSeZh5mWA 

 

At this point you are probably asking yourself, Kerri... how does this all tie together?

 

Bear with me….

 

When I arrived at work, my mask felt damp, so I went to get another one out of my bag.  

 

It was there that I found the mask which I had obviously tucked into my bible from where I had attempted to read the scripture from the sermon series Fire and Rain.

 

I began reading in 1 Kings Chapter 18. 

 

You have Elijah and Ahab….

Elijah is trying to show the people that God is God, the true God. 

He cries out to God… Answer me.

 

Fire falls from the heavens and the people fell on their faces and began to worship…. 

 

and I just heard God say….. when I reveal myself fast it is easy to begin to worship.  

 

So I read on…..

 

The people destroy their idols… and then Elijah begins to pray for what they really need… the rain. 

 

Seven times they had to continue to look for the rain…. and then there was a cloud of rain. 

 

I thought about my week. 

 

When things were good it was easy to have those moments where I could see how reveal himself and just how awesome he was.  It was easy  move forward and even pour that truth   

 

But when I felt overwhelmed, and my focus was off…. 

I couldn’t understand why he just wouldn’t make it all go away or stop…. or give me the rain. 

 

…. and maybe it was because my umbrella was up?  He just needed me to lay it down… and focus…

 

On him

 

And when I did, he showed me the evidence (absolutes, truth) of why I have been called to do what I do.

There is no circumstance (opinion) that will change who I am in him....

 

and I received his rain… and once again knew It is Well… because of him. 

 

 

 

 

Lyrics to Even If by Mercy Me

 

They say sometimes you win some

Sometimes you lose some

And right now

Right now, I’m losing bad

I’ve stood on this stage

Night after night

Reminding the broken it’ll be alright

But right now

Oh, right now I just can’t

 

It’s easy to sing

When there’s nothing to bring me down

But what will I say

When I’m held to held to the flame like I am right now?

 

 

I know You’re able

And I know You can

Save through the fire

With Your mighty hand

But even if You don’t

My hope is You alone

 

They say it only takes a little faith

To move a mountain

Well, good thing

A little faith is all I have right now

But, God, When You choose

To leave mountains unmovable

Oh, give me the strength

To be able to sing

“It is well with my soul”

 

I know You’re able

And I know You can

Save through the fire

With your Mighty hand

But even if You don’t

My hope is You alone

 

I know the sorrow

And I know the hurt

Would all go away

If You’d just say the word

But

 

You’ve been faithful

You’ve been good

All of my days

Jesus, I will cling to you

Come what may

‘Cause I know You’re able

I know you can

 

I know You’re able

And I know You can

Save through the fire

With your Mighty hand

But even if You don’t

My hope is You alone

 

I know the sorrow

And I know the hurt

Would all go away

If You’d just say the word

But even if You don’t

My hope is You alone

 

My hope is you alone

 

It is well with my soul

 

It is well 

 

It is well with my soul