So many times, I watch for God to work in my life, waiting patiently, wishing He would move a little faster, but trusting that He will come through. It was during one of those times that I realized that if I looked backwards through my life, I’d see the work he had done already, and my impatient sould could be comforted. I also realized at that time, that if I looked I had heard literally millions of testimonies during my life which showed God’s love and proved he was working. Thinking of that, I wondered at the inability I seem to have to retain those stories as current testimonies. After all, the stories in the Bible, which happened thousands of years ago, still seem fresh and valid to me, why, then, do I not treat the stories of God’s deliverance, healing, and love that I’ve heard about in my friend’s life stick with me? Once they are told, they disappear in the mist of old memories, not quite so clear or current.
Literally every time I’ve been in the pit, and working my way out, a friend will come along that shares a testimony. I hear it, am amazed, and then forget it. But, isn’t just having them share it with me at the right time, a sign of how God is working in my life? And, what about the miracles I’ve actually experience? Like the Israelites lost in the desert, I seem to forget the amazing, unbelievable things he’s done for me. One time, I was sure my husband would kill me (literally, not figuratively) because I had singed the only clean pair of work pants he had to wear the next day. I prayed that night and asked God to watch over my children, and told Him that if it was his will, I’d accept my death, rather than be mad at him that it was coming. I hung up the offending, white baker’s pants, and went to bed, knowing that in the morning, hubby would see them, be in a rage, and come after me. But, instead, he got up, got dressed, and left for work. I heard him leave and couldn’t figure out what happened. When he got home that night, he was in a good mood and I snuck in, after he changed, to check the pants he wore to work. They didn’t have the singe marks that had been there the night before, but they did have the gold thread in the same place where I had mended them before they were singed. God had changed the blackened, burnt material to white and whole! A true miracle, which I could not explain.
Right now, I’m in a financial trial. I’ve just finally figured out the leak in my bank account and will be able to dig out, but it’s been going on for a long time and to call my position “in the pit,” is actually an understatement. I will need a financial boon from somewhere, and I’m trusting God to bring it to me. But, even though he has not given it to me yet, he has shared a testimony of a close friend, to let me know I should continue to have faith, that God always comes true. Let me share it with you.
My friend, Jo, received a call from her daughter who had just had a baby after losing one a year before. Jo and her husband, who didn’t live with her at the time, had promised to be there. Jo tried to call her husband to tell him to meet her there, but she could not get through on his phone. Finally, after looking a while, she found that he was in a hospital after being involved in an accident between a car and his bike. He had terrible brain injuries and the bills were piling up, plus, he was on the edge of death. She assessed their finacial need and it was huge. The only answer she could find was to get into her Bank of America account, where they had 70,000. BOA wouldn’t release the money for five days and she couldn’t wait that long. She sought help from a lawyer who told her to wait, cause she couldn’t do anything. She told her lawyer that she “wasn’t going to accept that answer as she believed that her God was bigger that that.” His reactions was, “Fine, but Jo, you are going to have to accept it cause there is no other way.” She was on her way to her daughter’s house later that day when she got a call from a friend she hadn’t seen for a while, who had heard about her husband. “What can I do?” asked the friend.
Jo’s answer was “Nothing unless you have the keys to Bank of America.” and then she explained the problem.
“Give me your account number,” said the friend. Jo refused, telling her she couldn’t borrow any more money, that she couldn’t repay the loans she already had taken. But, it turned out the friend had taken as job as a manager of the BOA, and was able to release the money. Five minutes later, Jo reached her daughter’s house and checked their account. The money was there.
Although God is letting me wait and learn some lessons about keeping track of my bank account and looking ahead, He was giving me a testimony, via my friend, about his amazing power and he will give us what we need in His time.
How many other people have shared their testimonies with us that we listen to and forget. It is so clear that God is powerful and he is “here.” Every day, whereever we are, he is there. He knows our need, like the birds or the lilies of the field, and he will meet them. I guess it strikes me how many people these days suffer from depression and anxiety, and how many times faith should be strengthened by shared testimonies.
I hope some day I learn to retain what I hear and to always remember God is with me. He’s done so much for me, it would be easy to replay those times through my mind and remember. Yes, he gave his son to pay for sin and redeem his children, but he has done so much more, so many times! I hope you are able to replay what you have heard and share them with others. Who knows, you may be the tool he uses to lift others!
