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“I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden…”
The song lyrics jumped into my head and transported my heart to times spent with my dad as a little girl. My dad loves his country music. My sister and I were constantly listening to the “oldies, but goodies” on the radio or his 8-track tapes as we worked on cars or worked out in the woods on job sites with him.
The lyrics of this song also jarred me. I was having a moment. Not a pretty moment, but an honest moment. A moment of questioning God. A moment of desperately seeking to understand with a side of whining.
- Why is life so difficult sometimes?
- Why is it not a bed of roses?
- Why do bad things happen to good people?
- Where is God in all of this?
- Why is this happening to me, my friends, my family.
Followed by moments of shouting and reminding God of His promises and doors He had opened.
- But God you said!
- Where are you?
- Why are you not doing what you said you would?
- Why is the door you opened now seem closed?
Then followed by a moment of silence when I heard … “I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden…”
I know you are thinking: “Could that really be God?” Yes, sometimes, we need the plain simple truth presented in a way we can receive it.
Sometimes, we need the plain simple #truth presented in a way we can receive it. Click To Tweet
I have found myself in a season of wanting to trust God more, struggling to not ask “Why” and yet trying to have the faith to believe for the impossible.
I have been lamenting and crying out to the Lord a lot lately for my family, my friends and even myself. Though the answers to my heartfelt questions and petitions seemed to be unanswered, I must stand firm upon the truths about who I know God to be. Truths about His nature and His character. Truths that can be found in the Word of God.
The truth is, while I may not hear or see an immediate response, I know that God hears me when I cry out in my distress. I know that God is faithful.
We’re going to Bethel so that I can build an altar there to the God who answers me whenever I am in distress and
who is with me wherever I go. (Genesis 35:3 The Voice)
Jesus never promised things would be easy. He never promised us a rose garden. In fact, it is quite the opposite. In John 16:33 He told us to expect trouble. In Luke 9:23 He told us to take up our cross daily and follow Him. The Psalms are filled not only with great triumphs and reassuring promises but also with great outcries and distress.
#God hears when we cry out to Him. Click To TweetThe Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth. (Psalm 145:17-18 NIV)
When we find ourselves in times of distress or difficulty, we need to cry out to God. The One and only God who answers us in our distress and is always with us. (Genesis 35:3) As we call out to Him, we can find comfort in knowing He hears us. Not only does He hear us, but as we walk through adversity we are not alone. He is right there with us as we walk through it.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He sent out his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave. (Psalm 107:19-20 NIV)
God doesn’t just hear us and walk with us, but He rescues, saves and heals us too.
Have you recently found yourself crying out to God?
If so, then let me encourage you:
Hold on to the promises. Jesus is alive and God is a God who saves. He is a God who hears. He is a God who will never leave us or forsake us. He is on our side and therefore, nothing can stand against Him and prevail.
Plan to join me next week for Distressed Part 2, as I share the 4 Steps to Implement When you find yourself in Distress. I am learning to apply them in this season of adversity and crying out to God.
When in distress, hold onto the #promises of #God Click To Tweet
This Week’s Spotlight Post:
This week’s spotlight post is from Lisa Murry.
Why Your Emotions Matter More Than You Think (and 3 ways to cultivate a better relationship with them)
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Debbie Kitterman is a natural born encourager who is on fire for God. She is passionate about equipping individuals, so they can go deeper in the relationship with God, reach their God-potential and claim their Kingdom inheritance. Debbie is a wife, mother, author, pastor, speaker and the founder of “Dare 2 Hear,” a ministry that trains individuals to hear the voice of God. She travels to churches internationally and is the founder and teacher of d2htraining.com, an online course designed to equip the believer in releasing God’s heart. Her writing and teachings inspire faith and build bridges for people to believe and expect the impossible. She is also an ordained Foursquare pastor, currently serving with her husband, John, as senior pastor of Restoration Church in Lacey, Washington. Learn more at: www.debbiekitterman.com
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YouVersion 7-Day Devotional
I am blessed and honored to have a 7-day devotional on the YouVersion Bible App. YAY!!! It is a great way to kick start the 7- days before my on-line Bible Study starts next week. I would be so blessed if you would check it out and share it with your friends. You can find it here: Be The Gift Someone Needs Today!
Have you had the opportunity to read my new book “The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement: Hearing the Words of God for others.” ? This book is about learning to hear the voice of God in our own life so we can respond to those God bumps and little nudges He gives us on a daily basis. God is calling us to be agents of encouragement and to be the gift the worlds needs today.
We live in a time, where those around us are in desperate need of a real encounter with Jesus and in need of encouragement. We are called to encourage one another daily (Hebrews 3:13), and to build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11). My book will teach you how to step out and do just that.
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We all have the opportunity to #BeTheGift of encouragement others need today.
This Week’s Spotlight Post:
Do you wonder if God still speaks today? Do you wonder if He would ever speak to you personally? Do you long to hear the voice of God in your life?
Have your read other books on hearing from God, but long for hands on practical application? or are you looking for ways to move you forward hearing from God?
If you answered YES to any of those questions, then I have exactly what you need. I now have an online e-course designed to equip you in understanding that God still speaks today, and He longs to speak directly to you, through His word, and others. He longs to encourage you, strengthen you and comfort you. The training on this site, is fully based on Scripture, and taken from my training manual Releasing God’s heart through Hearing His Voice.
God is speaking, Can you Hear Him?
d2htrainging.com membership site is open, I invite you to check it out today, and develop a deeper relationship with the Lord, as you learn to hear Him speak to your heart.
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Several Submissions have been featured at Blessed Transgressions, an Online Magazine:
Balancing the Warrior & the Princess We’re Called to Be
Trusting God When it Seems Illogical
Will You Sit with Me? (Jesus is Calling.)
My Post: The Reluctant Encourager was featured here:
My Posts: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year & And So Do We! & Know Your Why & Jesus in Us! were featured here:
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Oh, goodness, Debbie, I wrote a “rose garden” post this week, too–no country music, but the same questions and inadequate response on my part.
I’m going to look up the whole Genesis 35 story and read about that trip to Bethel.
I’ll meet you there . . .
Oh Wow Michele, you wrote on “rose gardens” too ? I have been offline for a week, so I haven’t see it, but I am sorry you are in a place where you are asking some of the same tough questions. Blessings and I pray Genesis 35 ministered to you. <3
So true, Debbie. God does not promise us a rose garden, but He does promise to be with us, even when we are in the thorns!
This week I am sharing Bacon Wrapped Scallops, Loaded Baked Potato Soup and Pork Chops in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce. Have a lovely evening! Thanks for hosting.
Bacon wrapped anything is delish – thanks for the delish recipes.
“Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion.” “Ooh” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”…”Safe?” said Mr Beaver …”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
No rose gardens but HE WILL BE WITH US.
Oh my! It is crazy to read these words at this moment! I read this same paragraph to my son not an hour ago! We are reading The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe for our Bible time for homeschool.
You are so right, He is always with us!
Love this quote from Narnia – thank you Susan for sharing it. Yes, He will be with us, always. and for that I am most grateful 🙂
I needed this word in this season. Thank you. laurensparks.net
I pray that my words help you in this season. 🙂
A good word and fresh insight, Debbie. I remember my dad had that song on vinyl. 🙂
The Scripture does in fact say the opposite to a rose garden…all those in Christ will suffer for His sake (1 Peter). And it reminds me of the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus asked the Lord to take the cup of suffering from Him, but not His will, only the Father’s.
Karen, it’s funny what comes back to our memory isn’t it. LOL Yes, you are so right – the Scripture does indeed tell us it will be the opposite of a rose garden.
Debbie, I agree with you, I believe sometimes we do need the truth presented to us in a way that we can receive it and understand it. I call these “getting hit over the head with a frying pan” moment. I also love Sanctus Real, and can not wait to go back and listen to this song.
LOL Angela – I think if I got hit with a frying pan too many times, I might spend a whole lot of time ducking my head..and not have much left inside my head. But I totally get what you are saying – I like to call these times where God gets out His Holy Spirit baseball bat and wallops me upside the head. – same effect as the frying pan I suppose. thanks for being here to comment and share your thoughts – I am sorry I am a tad behind in responding.
Thank you so much for hosting, Debbie!
Blessings,
Amy
you are most welcome Amy. 🙂
I grew up with country music, some of it was downright depressing looking back. The lyrics are important. I think He will take out the thorns as long as He gets the glory. I want to enjoy my rose garden, and I watch what I sing, or I might have Paper Roses.
Rebecca, you are so right – the lyrics are so very important. We are designed to believe what we say and what is spoken over and about us. I am sorry I am behind on my comments. thanks for sharing your thoughts with me. 🙂 Blessings
I love how God can speak through random song lyrics. I’ve just started a study of the book of Job this week so this is a topic I’ve been thinking about a bit. Following God definitely doesn’t guarantee an easy life but it is so encouraging that we can cry out to him and know that he hears and is with us.
I pray for God’s nearness to be evident to you in this hard season and that His Spirit would strengthen you!
I’m kind of a music junkie in a way and I love virtually all of the genres, so as you can imagine, a song lyric is in my head or playing in the back of mind almost all the time. So I completely relate to hearing God’s voice in the most random lines almost any time of the day. Thank you for this honest and heartfelt reminder that He doesn’t promise happiness, but He does promise His abiding peace!
Kim, I love that you enjoy all genres of music. My husband does too. LOL Music is one of the ways I love to hear God speak to me too. You are most welcome for the reminder. I am so glad that He does promise us peace even if he doesn’t promise us a rose garden. Thank you for sharing your thoughts today
I’m kind of a music junkie in a way and I love virtually all of the genres, so as you can imagine, a song lyric is in my head or playing in the back of mind almost all the time. So I completely relate to hearing God’s voice in the most random lines almost any time of the day. Thank you for this honest and heartfelt reminder that He doesn’t promise happiness, but He does promise His abiding peace!
Debbie, I appreciated your post and particularly how you used Scripture to support your comments around crying out to God, being patient and relying on his promises. We may never understand all the reasons a good God allows suffering, but what we do know is that we serve a good and loving God who stands with us and by us as we walk through the hard experiences of loss and grief. Thanks for the post!
Anne, thank you so much and you are most welcome for the post. I think we all want to understand the reasons, but the truth is, we just have to trust Him and keep having faith in Him. Blessings