God's Alternative Scenario

The Holy One calls to me this morning.  One of the main reasons I journal is to "possess" the lessons and wisdom I am given in different situations and for application to the circumstances I face in life.

Journalling has been an important activity for so long as I can remember.  Journalling for me began like "letters to home" telling my Heavenly Father what I was experiencing and feeling along my earthly journey. 

I spent quite a few years complaining and longing for answers and making requisitions for needed resources.  Little by little I noticed I was writing down thoughts not my own and began to recognize and acknowledge that these thoughts came from another "Someone" who was not part of my thinking process; so close yet clearly from One who brought another perspective.

I began to say, "Let's get God's perspective" on each matter and I discovered the more I declared that thought as my desire, the more my thoughts and opinions would change.

Growing up, I was not taught about the role of the Holy Spirit as my internal Counselor so it took a while to identify His voice as that of my Shepherd Jesus.  Thankfully the Lord continues over our lifetime to teach, instruct and gently lead us into all Truth.  The Presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit within is the greatest Truth after Salvation through Jesus the Christ, that we can trust and build our life of faith upon. 

In this broken world, we are living with continuous threats of evil and I notice that fear motivates us to take ungodly action or paralyzes us from grasping or taking hold of the good will of Heaven that Jesus modeled when He walked among us.

Today the Holy One speaks into that place of vulnerability and weakness in my thoughts:

"Share with Me your fears ad I will give you my "alternative scenario".

I am no stranger to the Lord's miraculous intervention in my life.  Each event stands as a testimony of His love and protection over me and those I love. Today He reminds me of His "alternative scenario" when I gave birth to my youngest son.

I had my last two blessings in mid-life.  The wisdom of Dr.'s back in that day was a doom scenario of birth defects in children born to women in my age bracket.  I had given birth to my daughter two years before we were given the news that we had another baby on the way. 

My daughters conception and birth was one of those miraculous interventions and a beautiful answer to a prayer for the desire of my heart since together we had 4 boys to contend with.

As with many of the Lord's miracles, discouraging attacks come with the turf.  During that pregnancy with my daughter, my body was in a state of revolt, not uncommon during pregnancy but distressing to me as in high blood pressure that required immobility and family demands that added stress.   Birth was induced and labor a bit more difficult since having decided to go "natural" and with the risk assessment being higher than in my younger years.

The news of this unexpected pregnancy brought a fear to my heart and all the horrible "what-ifs" began to flood my mind.  Knowing my fears the Holy Spirit engaged me one day and asked me to talk with Him about all I was feeling.

I unloaded and told Him flat out, "I cannot do this".   I have learned over time that the best policy with my Lord is brutal honesty.  No faux bravery, nor phony faith, nor pride that "I am woman hear me roar".  Just the truth in my hard emotional places.

Fear was over-whelming my joy and I was thankful to share the burden without pretense.  Ever so gently He walked me back through to the Garden of Eden, original sin,  the penalty on Eve for her original sin and then He walked me to the Cross with a question:

"Did not Jesus nullify every curse and pay the penalty for sin? Like pain in childbirth?"

But then He went even further with a mind blowing promise:

"If you ask and then trust Me, I will give you a pain-free childbirth experience!"

This was an alternative scenario that never crossed my mind as a possibility.  Evil seems to have a corner on the "What-if" market and as always, threatened a doom scenario just as I tried to wrap my brain and life experience of 3 "normal" physical births around God's alternative scenario as a possibility.

I even laughed about how my Lord would humor me with this thought just to get me to be wiling to face what I couldn't back out of.  But true to His promise and despite my incredulous attitude, that miraculous alternative scenario to the one the Devil painted in fear and dread actually did happen and I was the delighted recipient of a promise fulfilled via a miraculous intervention. 

Interestingly, the Holy One took me again to His Word and this promise for the months of preparation for the birth:

Isaiah 66:7-8, "Before she was in labor she gave birth.  Before her pain came, she delivered a male child.  Who has seen such things?"

Many would rightly point out that this verse was not written by Isaiah personally foreseeing the birth of my precious last born son, but there is no doubt that God had us in mind and delivered His promise as I delivered my son.  ***note to self: not taking the Lord seriously is a dangerous proposition and it almost caused me to give birth on the way to the hospital as I was waiting for pain to signal the time and yet pain never came. 

Today the fear scenario that evil has been suggesting regarding circumstances in our lives has brought me to petition for our Lord's alternative scenario; the one that brings hope and peace for the days to come.

In this fallen turf with enemy oppression, we have been tempted to believe that the doom and gloom scenario are the only reality for us here on earth.  However, in God's eternal picture, His good will is not an alternative scenario but rather part of His glorious plan.

I look forward to seeing the Lord's alternative scenario unfold in the days to come and delight to bring Him praise in the process.

The Spirit is calling.  Can you hear Him?