(Psalm 84:4-7) Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.
There are so many times where I've just gotten a super quick reply from God. I'm talking in the blink of an eye type of fast. But other times it feels like forever. I had been praying for the Lord to speak to me. Now I know this sounds so under decorated but why not be real, right? I prayed. Days past. I opened my Bible. God spoke. As I began to read through Psalm 84 my spirit leaped inside and I just knew that this word was for me. What I've gone through in the past few months did change me. It changed me for the better. God made me stronger. The way I think, the way I talk, and the way I see life has changed. I've learned that "the struggle" is inevitable so one can either be obliterated by it or empowered by it. There is a true and beautiful promise in this scripture and it is that when we maintain a close relationship with God He gives us the strength and power to even bring forth blessings in the midst of every battle and valley of tears we walk through. What He showed me was that if I set my heart on, if I focus on, continuing and pursuing through the journey that he has mapped out for me then when I go through tough times He will be right there with me showing me that it is possible to have His joy that isn't all smiles and giggles, yet powerful and fulfilling. Not only will I dig and create a dry land a place of springs but He will also send his rain to overflow the season that I am going through. What does that look like? For me it was discovering true friends that prayed with me and encouraged me, to be able to finish two semesters victoriously when the odds were against me, and to receive the answer to my prayers. I continue my journey and I still face many struggles and I know that there are future struggles but I also know that God gave me the power by His Holy Spirit to dig until a spring comes gushing forth to bring life to what was dead. Hang in there folks. Our God is right beside us.
