By Erin Elizabeth Austin

There are moments in life when the unexpected happens, when a tragedy or problem comes seemingly out of nowhere like a summer storm, and we wonder how we’ll make it through. These moments are life-changing. It’s impossible to come to such an impasse and not be changed. The question becomes, “Will it make me better, or will it make me bitter?”

Last week, I talked about my recent life-defining moment (See Slaying Dragons). If I’m honest, for almost a month I wrestled with the question of how to respond to my personal tragedy. True, no one died, yet for me, such a huge, unexpected sickness had me questioning what God was doing in my life. For four years everything seemed to indicate that God was slowly healing me. Dealing with a brain infection went against what I believed God was doing. I was expecting good to happen in my life and instead, I got pain and drama.

I couldn’t help but think of Job as I struggled to respond to God in absolute trust. Job went from the height of success to living in desolation, and although he didn’t walk away from God like he was tempted to, he did question what God was doing. It isn’t until Job 40-42 that he finally learns an important truth. Knowing God is in charge is completely different than resting in His authority.   
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One of the most quoted verses in the Old Testament is Psalm 46:10, which says, “Be still and know that I am God.” Most people think that “be still” means to “be quiet.” However, the original Hebrew root for this phrase means something completely different. What God is actually saying in this verse is “let go.”  

Let go and know that I am God. 

I’m not very good at letting go. I like order and plans. I like knowing what’s going to happen next. So, to come to a place where I can take a step back, throw my hands up in surrender, and say, “God, this is yours,” is incredibly difficult for me to do. Yet it’s one of the most vital things a believer can do, to come to a place in life of absolute surrender where we can honestly say, “God, I need You more than I need to be healed. I need you more than I need this problem to be resolved. I need you more than I need my family and friends. I’m letting go. Help me know that You are God!”

God, in His infinite wisdom, has a plan for each of our lives. No matter what personal tragedy you’re facing, God can reach into the mess and turn it into something glorious. He’s not overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of your problem. He’s not questioning what He can do to fix it. God is present. He is with you, at this very moment, inviting you to surrender everything to Him. Can you hear Him?

It’s time to let go!
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“Cease striving and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” ~ Psalm 46:10 (NASB)

© April 25, 2018

[1] https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/718319.William_Ernest_Henley

By Erin Elizabeth Austin

Worship.

I heard God whisper this after I asked Him what to do for the twentieth time.

​Worship Me.

If I’m honest, I didn’t like the answer. You see, I didn’t feel like worshipping God. It turns out that because my organs didn’t work for years, they held onto bacteria and viruses. When they started working, they suddenly realized that all the bad germs needed to leave and began attacking everything at once. Like a broken dam after a flood, my blood showed twelve different bacteria my body was trying to fight at once, two of which had the potential to be fatal. Awful doesn’t come close to describing how I physically felt for five months. I didn’t have the mental clarity to hold a conversation half the time, and yet God wanted me to worship Him.

After telling God I thought He was crazy, He showed me numerous times in Scripture where worship was the key to tearing down strongholds, winning fierce battles, and triumphing over giants. My favorite passage is 2 Chronicles 20 where three different armies decided to come together and fight Judah. Everyone came before God crying out for help, and His answer was, “You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you,” (vs. 17). The next day, the people gathered together and they began to worship God. Even though God said He would deliver them, it wasn’t until the people began to worship that the enemy was defeated.

For the past five months, I’ve saturated myself in worship music. Throughout the day, I keep worship music playing in the background, and an amazing thing has happened through this. When I first started, all I could do was sit in silence and surrender. But more and more, worship has become a source of joy and encouragement. It’s become an anthem for my soul, and I’m starting to see God do things I could never have imagined. What I've learned through this is that worship connects us to God’s dynamic power.

Do you have a giant in your life that seems impossible to overcome? Or maybe you have a dragon that needs to be defeated. If you have a relationship with God, there’s good news. God is the dragon slayer! It’s time to shout your battle cry and worship Him!
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“As they started to sing praises, the Lord set ambushes against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the people of Mount Seir who had come into Judah. They were defeated.”  ~ 2 Chronicles 20:22 (GW)   

*Note: If you’re looking for a good place to start worshipping God, check out the music group Rend Collective. They have quickly become one of my favorite bands.

​​​Do you have a favorite quote that regularly motivates and encourages you? If so, please share it in the comment section below. You might just see it in a blog post.