I try, I fail.
I parent, I don’t do a good enough job.
I try to do right with my husband, but I take the wrong approach.
I reverse my car and slam it into my babysitter’s.
I serve another and get anxious in frustration.
I pray to be patient, but I’m impatient with the never-ending tears.
I want to be a good daughter, but feel like I have no time.
I say more of you God, but get distracted by life.
All the time, I feel not good enough, not together enough and not smart enough to do things right.
All the time, I drop the ball in one way or another.
But, under the surface of all my failings, below the layer of trials that lay on me, I have a choice to make.
Under the muck that seeks to keep me stuck in little lies that could lead to my demise, yes, this choice still remains:
Will I believe what God says about me?
Or will I believe what I feel about me?
Because the truth is, my feelings will sink me deeper and deeper into guilt, shame and a feeling of hopelessness, while God’s truth will lift me higher and higher into peace, power and a sense of fullness.
The truth is: God will keep me.
He will keep me in the palm of his hand.
He will keep me from harm.
He will keep his presence in front of me, behind me, above me and below me.
He will keep me in the beauty he displays through the sun, the wind and the waves.
He will keep my foot from slipping.
He will walk me in truth.
He will show me another way when the enemy comes to tempt.
He will guide me by the Spirit.
He will pray for me when I don’t even know how.
He will forgive and throw out every stone of sin I have confessed.
He will never let me go.
He will never forget me.
He will always keep me.
He will prepare a room in heaven for me.
He will comfort me in the meantime.
He will listen to my every prayer.
He will work all things together for good for me, because I love him and am called according to his purpose.
He will always be for me.
He will always advocate for me.
He will help me in my moments of distress.
He will give to me as a father gives to a beloved daughter.
He will be by my side.
He will always know my heart.
He will always know my thoughts.
He will always provide me his truth.
And, he will never pluck me from his hand.
He will never say goodbye to me based on my actions.
He will never ever no-way, no-how, stop loving me.
This is how good my God is!
His words speak like a permanent love letter to my heart.
Because God is who He is. He is the great I AM. If you just ARE, you can never change.
I can change, but he can’t.
I can do a bad thing and feel plucked from his hand, or fall and feel less than or I sin and feel unforgivable, but his character can’t be altered.
I can change how I act, but he is always the same. He is always one ready to forgive, standing right beside me, hand on my shoulder – willing to love.
The question is, “Will I believe it?”
Doesn’t it really come down to faith?
Will I believe he will keep me?
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well. (Ps. 139.13-14)
Did you notice this line – “I know that full well”?
Do you know it full well that you are always his, eternally adored and always accepted because you are a child of the living King?
Let’s go from believing by the power of our mind to believing by the depths of our soul.
It will make all the difference in the world – to know full well.
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Linking with #livefreeThursdays and Five Minute Friday.
Beautifully written and so good for the soul of a mom. Found you on FMF.
Love reading your posts and loved this one. {A FMF friend}
This is beautifully written! And you’ve given me something to think about when you stopped to focus on the words “full well.” How I see them over and over and allow my eyes to just pass over to the words that surround them. Full. Well. Do I know full well, just how much He wants to keep me… Sometimes I think I forget.
Beautiful words, friend. I’m so glad I visited today from fmf. BTW, I love your blog design. I’m working on developing a new layout and am the most non-creative person on the planet. So here’s hoping… 😉
Thank you Jennifer. I am glad that it spoke to you in a meaningful way. Lord, let Jennifer and I know FULL well. Teach us to know. Amen. Thanks for your comment Jennifer.
Wow Kelly, I drove all the way to work fighting those feelings that are trying to lie to me today. Thank you for this reminder, you have really been speaking to me lately. Thank you. I was feeling the vicious-blah-bad-thoughts- syndrome today! Gonna’ find me some truth in that Bible and stand on it!
Yay!! I love your comment Melanie. I love it when God rushes in to make all the difference in our day through his Word. Praise him for that (at least I hope your day turned around). Stand on his word – go girl! Love you.
Thanks for the reminder! He keeps us in all situations… and he knows us full well. Thank you1
You bet! Lord, help us to know FULL WELL. This will make make us well and full – of you!
Yes… this: “Will I believe what God says about me?
Or will I believe what I feel about me?”
We have a choice… and it’s so important, especially when those two things are so not the same!
Great post, my friend!
Thanks Karrilee! Let’s choose right? Feelings have dictated much of my life – but I want more of Him. Thank you for the comment. I love your comments. You always make me smile.
Such beautiful words, Kelly. Words both to prompt reflection into a deeper relationship with Christ and words to infuse hope. Thank you. I love the saying you have on the pic!
Thank you so much Trudy. Yes, God has truth to speak through the power of these words. What a blessing it is to be vehicles of truth. Love this, don’t you Trudy?
The Truth Is….. I just printed that entire list. Because they all are true, but make such an impact when one after another after another they speak the truth in the Bible, the truth about God and his nature.
Happy Friday!
Yes, one after another we see these as a powerful list of God’s truth and nature. You are so right Farin. Let’s hold these tight to our heart and not let them go. Let’s know them full well. Lord, help us.
I know…but do I know FULL WELL? Hmm…that is a good question! There are times when I feel less than the person I desire to be. I recognize, though, that I’m a work in progress. I will always be a work in progress. I’m thankful for God’s hand that gently pushes me along to keep going, keep being, keep growing. Thank you for your encouragement, Kelly!
The full well part really struck me too Laura. I wondered how much my life would change if I knew – full well? Something to pray about for sure. God so loves us – he is just gently guiding us into his image. I love him that he generally doesn’t force rapid change, but just encourages us. Thanks for your comment Laura. You have blessed me.
God will keep me.
Yes, yes He does and I’m so very grateful.
He SO will Suzie. Love you!
Amen, Kelly! Such wonderful encouragement…our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ sees us complete already…we know that full well ❤️
Yes! Let’s hold that truth forever and ever and keep it fully in our heart. Thanks Beth!
I am so glad I linked up right after this post. I needed these words today. Thank you!
I am so glad that these words spoke to you Nicole. God loves you so much!
I think most of us can identify with thoughts of not being good enough. Thank you for speaking to our hearts with Truth, and pointing us back to scripture to find our identity in Christ. So often the enemy attacks with lies in the form of our feelings.
“Will I believe what God says about me?
Or will I believe what I feel about me?”
I commit to believing what God says about me moving forward. So blessed for this reminder today, Kelly!
Let’s do it Tina. Imagine you and I joining hands to grab hold of God’s truths – permanently!