When he’s hard to find…
Cainspirations by Kristi Cain, originally published February 21, 2022
DISCOVERING DESTINY.
Overcoming Darkness.
How are you overcoming the struggle to let go? Let’s journey together!
| Sometimes trusting God is easy. In so many infinite and indescribable ways, he can show up when we least expect it and utterly transform our lives. In a magical instant during worship or meditation where his spirit fills us and lifts us into his greater goodness. In a moment of inspiration that leads to an incredible opportunity. In the first blush of love that will last a lifetime. An answered prayer. A restored relationship. A miracle. There are so many earth-shattering, personal ways that God’s presence becomes truly palpable in our lives. But there are other times when it’s much harder to trust him, or even find him. Times when the trials and threats of the world sideline not only our circumstances but our sense of inner security and peace. Times when we wonder what we are going to do, how much we will stand to lose, and why God seems so far away throughout it all. It is easy to feel the warmth of God’s love on your wedding day, and hard when you hit a rocky road and begin to contemplate the “d-word.” It is easy to feel his presence when you hold your newborn baby, but hard when you fear you may lose them to illness or drug addiction. And even beyond outward trials and circumstances, so often it is simply the battlefield of our own mind that takes us far from his presence, leaving us out in the cold. We all have that one emotion which tends to trip us up. For some, it’s an anger that gets away from us, burning down in moments what too often takes years to build back. For others, it’s flight: that drive to run from things that can only be fixed when we roll up our sleeves and work at it. Still others struggle under the weight of sadness that becomes so heavy, it threatens to drown every blessing that bolsters us. For those like me, it’s anxiety: that heart-racing dread of an impending doom built by our own conjecture. Even though God’s presence isn’t easy to detect in the midst of our circumstantial or psychological storms, I am here today to assure you that he hasn’t gone anywhere, nor is he planning to. I want you to consider three Biblical stories that proves there is no limit for how many barriers God’s trustworthiness can break through. Step back in time with me and picture them. A young man locked away for years in a dark prison. A powerful, hot-tempered ruler’s foreign bride, anxiously pacing the palace halls. A large, extended family wailing in open grief over the untimely death of a preteen girl. In prison, the young man had no reason to feel God’s love and warmth, and every reason to feel every angry, fearful, and desolate emotional poison the enemy loves to flood our minds with. And if we look at the road that led him there, it would be hard to blame him. After plotting to murder him out of sheer envy, his family sent him in chains to a foreign land where his master’s wife exploited, slandered, and arrested him. For years, he languished as a ruined man without any reason to trust another soul. In a Persian palace, the teenage bride of a powerful king who deposed his last wife over a trifle faces a grueling decision. Her husband’s best friend is determined to exterminate her entire race, a predicament her people are no stranger to after a long history of having every neighbor’s hand against them from the Canaanites to the Egyptians, Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians and many others. In a day when women are discouraged from even speaking to a man, let alone challenging one, her only option of recourse is to throw herself at her fickle husband’s mercy knowing that having the audacity to approach him uninvited could result in her execution. In a large Jerusalem household, a father weeps over his daughter’s lifeless body. The laments of his relatives in the courtyard are so intense they can be heard throughout the entire block. All of his prayers, physician visits, and connections as a synagogue leader amounted to nothing. Even though trusting God was the last thing Joseph, Esther, and Jairus felt like doing, it was the one thing that saved them all. Even though they might not have felt his presence or heard his voice in these dark moments, they all did a very powerful thing. They found the faith and humility to ask for help. Even though every experience in his life had taught him not to trust his fellow man, Joseph urged two of his fellow prisoners to remember him during their audience with the Pharaoh. Even though Esther had no status, leverage, or standing to use against Haman, she put her faith in the best source of help of all when she asked her cousin Mordecai to pray. Even though every physician had given up hope, Jairus still sent his servant after Jesus to give it one last try. And God took care of the rest: raising up the prisoner to palace life as Pharaoh’s second in command, exalting the young minority bride as the most celebrated female savior of her people, and transforming the grieving father to a miraculous resurrection witness when Jesus said, “Little girl, get up.” So remember, even during the days, weeks, and seasons when God seems far away, he still sees you, loves you, and holds you. Just keep going, keep trusting, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. One day you will reap the benefits of that hope that springs eternal. |
| Want to know your divine calling? Find out with my “Discover Your Destiny” Quiz! |
YOUR TURN!
Don’t make me do all the talking – I’d love to hear from you!
- What are some struggles you’ve overcome with God’s help and the help of others?
- Do you want to hear about anything else? Any prayer requests?
Just shoot me an email – don’t be shy! And I promise to reply!
BEAUTY IN TODAY
Check out these awesome photos from readers like you!
PHOTO CREDITS (top to bottom, left to right): “Death Valley Dusk” by James Knox; “Winter Sun” by Kim Tram Le; “Countryside Sunrise” by Jaimee Chrisman; “Sunny Dozen” by Debbie Troutt.
Want to share your “Beauty in Today” picture or inspirational musings? Shoot me an email and you just might be featured in my next issue!
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Thanks for visiting with us today! I hope I’ve helped you feel encouraged! – Kristi
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Work looks a lot like play for Kristi Cain and includes freelance writing for Crosswalk, inspirational blogging, writing fantastical stories of Christian fiction, teaching English to teens, and being able to say, “I’m a former journalist.” Home is nestled in the Smoky Mountain foothills with her husband and teenage children. If you ever want a little encouragement in your day, check out her newsletter. Hop over to her website for her latest happenings and join her Facebook group, a fun, faith-based community.
Cain’s life experiences and faith journey have lent her the lens through which she shapes stories of unlocking the light of destiny out of darkness. Through her writing, she hopes to encourage people to understand that the difficult places in life can be the very ingredients that shape the greatest destinies.
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Cainspirations by author Kristi Cain 