It's alright...

          I was listening to some music recently and came across a song I had heard some time ago. I had been watching a movie and this was one of the songs that was playing during the credits. It’s a song by Melissa Otto called “It’s Alright.” I had never heard the song before yet for some inexplicable reason as I heard it while doing some work in the kitchen, I got emotional and started to cry. I felt as if God was just reassuring and encouraging me that in spite of what, it was alright. He was taking care of me and I didn’t need to worry because He had me covered in His care.
           Maybe today someone needs to know, "It’s alright." The first chorus simply states:
   It's alright, He's by my side
   And He'll take good care of me
   It's alright, He's on my side
   And He knows my every need
          Sometimes we may feel all alone in our situation. Yes, people may be aware of what’s happening or maybe no one knows what in the world we are going through but God does. 
          The woman with the issue of blood was going through a tough time. She was faced with a condition that caused her to be unfairly rejected by society. The Bible doesn’t share with us her feelings of rejection, depression or neglect. We just know that according to Jewish law her constant bleeding rendered her unclean (Leviticus 15:25-33). I’m pretty sure this meant that she could not interact with people as she may have liked, she probably couldn’t attend festive gatherings, in short loneliness was probably her closest companion. Yet, God knew. God saw. God understood. God loved her anyway. And, when the time was right He healed her (Luke 8:43-48).
         When you think that God isn’t listening and watching, He is and, at just the right time, when you least expect it He WILL show up! He will give you that extra grace, that extra cushion, that extra comfort to keep going, to not give up and He is doing that for you today. He may not be ready to take you out of that situation just yet, but He is giving you some strength to move forward, to keep going until that season finally comes to an end...
         His Word says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Just like we feel many times, the apostle Paul was desperate for God to remove a negative situation from his life. So, he prayed about it three times and this was God’s response to him (2 Corinthians 12:7-8). Sometimes, it’s not about getting out as quickly as possible but about learning to survive and thrive while we are making our way out of a situation. We can’t always tell God when to rescue us, sometimes we just have to trust His timing and that while we are waiting He is doing some important things in us. I can honestly say that I am more and more learning to pray for the grace to go through for as long as God needs me to go through. Is this an easy choice? No! But, I am in a different season where trust is not only about, “Lord let it end” but “God give me Your grace as I go through.” I would like to think I am growing and maturing ... I hope I am. But, it is a season and a new level where trust in God is key ... it’s my lifeline!
          We really do tend to forget that although Jesus asked for His cup to be taken away from Him, He still chose God’s will over His own “fleshly” desires and fears. I would like to believe that He too trusted in His Heavenly Father’s grace to give Him the strength He needed to go through with His mission here on earth. It’s nice to know that when He was human like us, He faced situations that helped Him to understand our hurts, our fears, our feelings of rejection, our discouragement. So, at the end of the day God really does know and understand more that we can imagine.
          So, as God has been encouraging me, I would like to encourage you. It’s alright! Even in the midst of the storm, God is saying “It’s alright” not “It’s going to be alright” but “It’s alright.” With God we never have to wait for the storm to end to feel His love, His covering, His protection, His care. God is so awesome that even in the midst of our situation He is taking care of us. I think the greater testimony isn’t about getting out but about how God is helping us to prosper, thrive and survive in the midst of the storm. I end here with the second chorus which says:
   It's alright
   I'm by your side and I'll take good care of you
   It's alright, I'm on your side
   And I know all that you go through
 
         If you have not yet made a commitment to give your life to Christ, I encourage you to do so now. In Him, we have all the grace, strength and support we need to make it and to be our best for Him even while going through!
         

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