“From the Hart” Devotional for June 6, 2024

“God, Grit and Gratitude”
by Julie Hart, Director of Connectional Ministries

But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
Isaiah 43:1

I recently found myself in unchartered territories on my way to an unknown destination. And when I say me, I mean my son. Just like God and his beloved children, where my son goes, so goes I. I am not a fan of the unknown and this unknown brought with it an element of fear. So, I did what I am sure you would do too — I prayed my guts out!! The same three words kept coming to me: God, grit, and gratitude. These three words might help you too if you are sitting in the middle of the great unknown today.

God: Sometimes, the only thing we can do with the limited information that have is to give it to God. When we do, it helps to be specific in our requests. I have been praying for wisdom, discernment, peace, and courage. I have also asked God to put the right people on the path to help us find our way. I share my worries with God and God continues to answer: “Fear not.” I sent the words from Isaiah 43:1 to my son when this all began and words from Isaiah have been showing up since — in devotionals, studies, texts from friends, songs, sermons, and so on. When my son went to God in a desperate moment saying “OK, God. I challenge You. Show me what you need me to see” he opened up his Bible to see Isaiah 41:10 highlighted. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee.” God has answered my prayers by sending the right people, bringing peace, and continuing to point to the words in the book of Isaiah: “Fear not.”

Grit: Once we have given our concerns to God, we cannot sit back and wait for everything to be fixed. We have to do our part too; and sometimes our part can be hard and messy, much like the making of a pearl. The journey from oyster to pearl is not a tidy process; it is gritty and uncomfortable. When an oyster gets a little grit in it to agitate the environment, it eventually becomes a pearl; it just takes time. While waiting for God’s answers, we must remain obedient and steadfast. In Colossians 4, we read: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

Gratitude: Romans 12:15 says: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.” Some of you have felt my pain almost as deeply as I have. I look around and see so many reasons to be grateful — good friends and a loving family that help to hold me up and give me the strength to help hold my son up in this challenging time. He has expressed how grateful he is that I have such a strong and supportive church family that prays, provides counsel, and shows up in countless ways. The witness of your love has helped him to grow in his faith. He recently inquired how you “apply for a prayer shawl” from the church. Of course, all I had to do was make his request known. When I went to the Post Office to mail it off, I was asked what its value was. I told the woman that I couldn’t begin to put a value on it; it was irreplaceable. What was in the box was made with loving hands and praying hearts. For that, I am immensely grateful.

Just three questions about God, grit and gratitude for you today:

What answer are you waiting on God for?
What are you doing to remain strong and faithful while you wait?
What blessings have come to you in this season of waiting?

Let us pray:
God of strength and God of mystery,
We thank you for your presence in our lives. Please give us the strength to endure what lies ahead and the faith to know we are not alone. Even in the darkness, you send people to light the way. Thank you for answering our prayers in your way and time. Amen.