The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Fearful (08/23/07)
You turned my wailing into dancing;
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.
That my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever. (Psalm 30:11-12, NIV)

The Lady has walked through the best of times and the worst of times. In the finest of times she feels like she is standing atop the most majestic mountain or soaring the skies as the wondrous eagle, feeling the wind beneath her wings. She knows intimacy in her relationship with God. She feels alive and so filled with His love that she prays it will spill out of her onto others, those who need the hope and encouragement of Jesus Christ. For she knows that every human heart is created to feel complete only in the love and fellowship of its Creator.

In the darkest of times, her heart has felt as if it is broken into a million pieces. She has felt as if she would like to crawl into a deep dark hole and never come out again. She does not wish to face her fears, nor her difficulties or disappointments. She knows shame and guilt on a most intimate level. During the worst of times she has fought for her life on a dark and stormy sea, trying desperately to rise above her circumstances but never able to do so by her own power.

“Lord, help me trust you more.” For a time in her life, this becomes her daily prayer, alongside her worship, praise, and intercession for others. She even offers it up publicly at every opportunity, wherever she may be that prayer requests are being sought. She has lived with such fear that she believes this will be the most important request she’ll ever put before God. “Simply help me trust you more, Jesus. And whatever the difficulty, I pray that on the other side, I will somehow look more like you.”

When she turns her eyes upon her Savior, during difficult circumstances, she is astounded. She learns that if she will ask Him, He will, without fail, remove her mourning clothes and clothe her with unspeakable joy. Time after time He turns her wailing into dancing until she truly realizes that her life will be one long beautiful dance with Him, as long as she walks by faith and not by sight.

When God so chooses, He will change her situation, in His perfect wisdom and will. At other times, it is she that He chooses to change, not her circumstances. She learns to Praise Him in the darkest of valleys; to recognize that without “light” there would be no “shadow” in the valley of death. Yes, the Light, His Light, is always with her. One especially sweet day she realizes, with true awe, that she can and does look forward to seeing God at work, bringing Glory to Himself, during even the most horrific of times.

On a particularly terrible day she is so filled with fear and shame that she thinks she will surely die. She opens her Bible and in a still small voice, as soft as the whispering wind, God says to her, “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57:15, NIV) And then, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart,” (Psalm 51:17). She is comforted by the beautiful Words of God. She gives him her broken, contrite heart and her lowly spirit is lifted up and revived. “I trust you Father, Daddy, I trust you with all my heart. It’s all about you, Lord, it’s all about you.” Though nothing has changed around her, the pain and fear in her heart recede. The joy that resides there, instead, is indescribable, glorious, and truly powerful.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 855 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Allison Egley 
09/01/07
The first line of that scripture reminds me of a song I used to sing in youth group. Unfortunately, I can't remebmer the whole song, but it started "Rejoice, rejoice my weary soul,
Your hope is in the Lord alone, And He will never leave your
Or forsake you so rejoice"
Then in the chorus it had the line "You turned my mourning into dancing, I will rejoice." If I find it, I'll post the whole song for you. :)

I would have given the lady a name. It would have made he more real, I think.

Over all, great job. I liked the scripture you wove into it.
Myrna Noyes
09/05/07
I am a lady who has also "walked through the best of times and the worst of times" during my life. (At least they seemed so to me at the time!) I can relate to your character's emotions, struggles, and joys. I loved the Scriptures you chose, and I appreciated your strong, true message! Good job! :)