a brute beast before him

Psalm 73:21-28
When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.


Today at church Pastor Greg spoke his message from this passage in Scripture and it touched me so much because of how much it resonated within my heart.


Throughout my life, even the lonesome times when I haven't followed Him and have found myself far away from Him, I have always turned to Jesus when my heart is bleeding and He has always held it in His hands. In my darkest moments when I don't even recognize myself, He is there to hold me up. He is there to be my strength. Just as I touched on early this week, He is always made strong in my weakness.


During the most sorrowful moments scattered amongst my young life, He always envelopes me in the arms of His comfort. When I deserve it the least He is generous to nurture me and faithful to bring me back to Him.


Pastor Greg mentioned that during this week we should consider how the Lord holds our hand through our brokenness and our pain. Greg asked us to appreciate God's nearness and lean on Him in troubles, rather than hiding from Him or walking away because of shame or guilt. Greg urged us to think about how His body was broken so that we could have security and stability with Him.


Since the women's retreat last weekend I have reminded myself daily that He will never give up on guiding me through my life. He knows the deepest desires of my heart and He knows my gifts much better than even I do. Though I do not know, He knows what His plan is. I can rest assured knowing that whatever the objective for my life is, He will fulfill it if I just wait on Him, if I ask Him and trust Him to attain it, if I am faithful to remember and to believe that He is faithful and just and will bring to fruition His promise to me.


Though others have failed me. Though I have failed me. He will not.
He will never go back on His Word.


I am thankful that though I am selfish, though I am undeserving, though I was a brute beast before Him, though I am endlessly flawed, He loves me. He is jealous for me. He cries for me. He hopes for me. He delights in me. He created me for a purpose. His love for me endures forever.

{I took this photos in Austria this Summer.

Being there, surrounded by the beauty and majesty of the Alps, 

I couldn't help but be in complete awe of His creation}