Mountain Climbing

I heard a great sermon this Sunday.

In a nutshell it was this:

God was at work making a mountain to mold a man to mature the messenger.

I know you're like... huh? So let me explain.

source

We often attribute those "mountains" in our lives to the enemy,

when really its God who designs the mountains in our lives and places them there 

when He chooses.

I love this passage in the Psalms that reveals how it was God behind all the trials....

Oh, bless our God, you peoples!
And make the voice of His praise to be heard,
Who keeps our soul among the living,
And does not allow our feet to be moved.
For YOU, oh God, have tested us.
YOU have refined us as silver is refined.
YOU brought us into the net;
YOU laid affliction on our backs.
YOU have caused men to ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water;
But YOU brought us out to rich fulfillment.

Psalm 66: 8-12

Knowing this about His sovereignty brings such comfort and peace in my life.

No matter how big the mountain is or how difficult the trial is, 

I know He allowed it in my life for a purpose. 

When we understand this truth it brings such freedom!

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, comes into my life that God is not aware of .  

And  all of it... the good, the bad and the ugly, was lovingly designed to grow me into the woman He created me to be.

(Psalm 139:16)

So back to the sermon..

God is at work making a mountain:

 He at times will put a mountain that is too high to climb over on our own and too big to go around in our own strength and the only option we have is to trust Him.  When we begin to operate in our own strength, As David did in Psalm 30, we might as well begin to look for mountains in the horizon because  He will do what He needs to to keep us humble. Yep. Goes does that. David said in verse 6 "Now in my prosperity I said, "I shall never be moved." Lord by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled."   David recognized that the strong mountain before him was from the very hand of God...and in His love toward him (favor)  God humbled him. The Lord had to teach David a lesson in humility. He still operates the same way today.

God is at work making a mountain in order to mold a man:

He uses these mountains in our lives to shape us into the women He created us to be.

1 Peter 1:6-9 Romans 5:3-4

God is at work making a mountain to mold a man in order to mature the messenger.

Everything God works out in our lives is for His glory. And our purpose is to tell of His glory!

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

source

I had a mountain recently in my life.

It was one that rocked my world and effected our whole family.

I told a little bit about it  {here}.

Those of you who have children who  rebelled against everything you stand for and believe in, 

 who have chosen a wayward path to walk down full of destruction and heartache ...you completely understand the kind of mountain I'm talking about.

It's huge and at times it seems to block every ray of sunshine in your life.

I'm thankful for that mountain and how the Lord used that season in my life.

As Psalm 66 says..the Lord brought us out to a place of rich fulfillment  because of it.

Here's some of the abundance, the rich fulfillment,  I gained ......

~That mountain stripped me of pride.

~It deepened my love for the Lord.

~It grew my faith as I had to just trust Him.  

~It taught me to be patient when at times progress seemed so small and so little.

~It developed in me a greater sence of compassion for other families facing a similar mountain.

~And that mountain grew my love for my daughter.

Here is a little more rich fulfillment,  ...

Lauren's Daddy and I took some of her senior pics this past weekend.

I edited a few and sent them to Lauren.

This is the text she sent me...

 To God be the glory for what He has done and is doing in her life!

Her countenance is full of joy and people can see Him in her life.

Transformed.

I want to encourage you today to look at your mountain with a different set of eyes.

Look at it knowing a loving Father who knows the plans He has for you, to prosper you and bring you hope, has created it for you 

to mold you 

and mature you 

so that you can tell of His glory!

Praise God He is at work making mountains!

"Lord please never stop molding me into the woman You want me to be

and maturing me so that I can me a messenger of Your relentless grace!"

ps. 

 today I'm thankful for:

::my husband's sermons that speak to my heart::

::steel cut oatmeal::

:: a clean kitchen::

::Psalm 42::