Soul Scientist

Psalm 84:10a VOICE Just one day in the courts of Your temple is greater than a thousand anywhere else.

Matthew 6:33 CSB But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

Most days it’s all I can do to keep those truths from the Psalms and Matthew right in front of me.

In front of my emotions and every fear.

In front of my dreams and desires.

In front of my thoughts and temptations.

In front of my choices and circumstances.

Because if I wasn’t doing everything I could to keep those truths in front of me, I’d be curled up right now in a corner letting the fears overcome and the tears over-run. A fear after fear and a tear after tear flood of desperation and doubt. The kind of fears and tears that erode and try to uproot a mustard seed of fragile faith planted deep in the soil of my soul.

For I know this far too well – mine is a fragile faith held in a fragile body kept together by Almighty God.

The same Almighty God Who spoke and all creation was begun.

The same Almighty God Who gave His beloved only Son, Jesus Christ, for all of us.

The same Almighty God Who is enthroned on high forever.

But I’m not curled up in the corner today with tears and fears streaming because that same Almighty God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:26 NIV). That same Almighty God tells me that each day, every day, for all days, I’m the apple of His eye held close in the shadow of His wings. And that same Almighty God gives me bravery for fear, hope for despair, joy for strength, and beauty for ashes.

Better still, our Almighty God does the same for all of us who trust Him with whatever pain or problem, trial or temptation, doubt or denial that’s in front of us today. He knows every detail of every dilemma in our lives. He knows every challenge and condition we’ve tried to conquer and failed.

And still, He loves us.

Almighty God loves us.

He loves us whether we’re curled up in a corner crying or standing firm in His armor ready to face anything in His Name. He loves us whether the fears are all we can see or we’re walking forward in His will, step by step.

Almighty God loves us.

Our Almighty God is the One Who catches our tears and holds them as He holds us – close to His Heart. Our Almighty God is the One Who hears our prayers and answers them in ways beyond imagination or understanding. Our Almighty God is the One Who holds our fragile faith and fragile bodies together in His unchanging strength today.

Our Almighty God is the One Who makes me brave as I rely on Him and His love as unchanging, faithful, and true. He is the One Who takes my little and makes it much as only He can do. Ann Voskamp captured this truth with, “Be brave. Your bravery wins a thousand battles you can’t see because your bravery strengthens a thousand others to win their battles too.”

No matter how long or fierce the battle, our Almighty God has already won every bit of it for all of us, for each of us. Our Almighty God is the One that knows our weaknesses and exchanges every bit of them for His strength today.

He is the One Who will make both you and me brave for the unknown of tomorrow.

And He is the One who will do the same (and far more!) for each of us for all eternity.

Written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2024.

Dear Friends,

Thank you for giving me a place here to share my heart, mind, and soul with you in words and in prayers. Even though I might not know your name or face, I can pray with full confidence for you to our Good God Who knows every bit of you and your needs right now. Only He can conquer all fears, wipe away all tears, and make everything new for you and for me, too.

gratefully,

Beth