My God is Bigger Than…

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB

When I was a kid, it was often taunted during playground quarrels, “Oh yeah, well my_____ is better than your_____.” Or “my dad can beat up your dad.” And “my mom is prettier than your mom.” I’m sure those same things are being said on playgrounds everywhere today, too. It makes me smile to think of the innocence in those childish statements, yet brings me to a place of adult wonder.

I never was very confident in stating that my anything or anyone was bigger or better than anyone else’s, but I would say it just the same. It seemed the right thing to say for some reason, because everyone else said it, too. Were any of us confident that our dad could beat up your dad or my mom is prettier than your mom? Probably not, but somewhere deep inside, we hoped it to be true. For some reason, we felt the need to defend our parents or our stuff. We felt the need to feel superior to someone, anyone, just for a moment.

As Christians, we will often say with bold confidence, “God is bigger than your circumstances.” Notice I said “your circumstances” rather than “my circumstances…” It’s an interesting dichotomy. Do we believe it for others but not for ourselves? Or is this just another word phrase we say in a very different type of playground?

Someone is in distress and we come up with all sorts of Christian verbiage in an attempt to soothe a hurting heart. “The Lord is with you! He is bigger than your circumstances! He will see you through! He has a plan!” But… do we really believe it ourselves?

Do you want the answer to be YES as much as I do?

I’ll be honest. There are times when YES is a healthy reality in my life and heart, but there are also times when it’s more like an insecure maybe instead. Life circumstances become the bully on the playground, and all I want to do is take my toys and run home. Is God really bigger than my _____?

When life is on track and not much is amiss, I find myself much more relaxed and secure in the arms of my Savior. It’s easier to counsel others to have faith and wait on God’s timing and plan. Did I believe it this morning when I told my son that “God is bigger than his situation?” YES I did! And I believe it as I write this. I believe God is bigger than my anything. Bigger than my fears. Bigger than my hurts. Bigger than my own agenda. I believe He has a much better plan than I will ever conceive.

I can unwaveringly say I believe all of this because He’s proven it to be true. Even when life is a huge mess and I can’t seem to find my faith amongst the rubble, He has ALWAYS come through. He has ALWAYS either taken care of the trouble or carried me through it. He has ALWAYS been there!!

He’s seen me through divorce, single parenting, tough financial times, medical issues, depression, job stress, and countless other hurdles in life. He has seen me through each and every day of my life, even when I didn’t know it. I am so very thankful I know this to be true!

If you find yourself in a place where your YES is turning into an insecure maybe, try this. Look in the rearview mirror of your life. Do you see where God has been? Do you see where He has held you through a storm? Do you see where He has beaten up the bully in your life? Do you see how much He has always loved you? And oh yes, do you see where He’s allowed you to fall, but gently picked you up and shown you a new direction?

Yes, sometimes He lets us make a mess of things because that’s what free will is all about. Sometimes He even allows a bully in our lives in order for our character to be molded and formed into something closer to His image. I’ve heard it said that “God is more concerned about our character than He is about our comfort.” A hard pill to swallow? Maybe. But, isn’t that what any good parent does? If we truly want to see our children succeed, don’t we need to be the bad guy now and then? Don’t we need to let them fall on their face a time or two in order for the growing and real learning to happen? If I truly call God my Father, then I must accept His parenting of me, too.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 NLT

Here is where our faith begins. Each and every day, we decide to trust in the One who can be trusted. It’s a new day. There will be a new bully on the playground. We will say with confidence, “My God is bigger than you! My God can and will handle whatever you decide to throw at me today because He is my Dad and He is able to kick your butt!” I don’t know about you, but that just makes me smile. ☺

Father God, thank You for protecting me through the storms and trials of this life. I am so thankful You are always there to teach, correct, and save me when I need it. You alone are worthy of my praise. In the matchless name of Jesus, amen.

In His embrace,

Toni

Comments are contagious… feel free to share your thoughts.

If this touches your life in any way, please share with others. Thank you!

Subscribe

8 comments to My God is Bigger Than…

  • Marg  says:

    Awesome, my friend, simply awesome!

    • Toni  says:

      Thank you Marg!!

  • Kasi Maple  says:

    Thank you Toni for this post and oh how true it is. I haven’t had to deal with too many of life’s bad circumstances but I am for some reason, experiencing the heavy loss for the Hoffman family who recently lost their 3 year old son, Ethan, when a drunk driver hit their van while coming home from none less than a bible study. This is after they have already had such a long journey with their oldest daughter, Carley, who was diagnosed with an extremely bad childhood cancer when she was 3. She is 7 now and currently in remission but I still can’t seem to wrap my mind around why God has allowed this into their lives? I can’t get the “WHY” out of my mind. I tell myself, who am I to question our mighty savior but it always comes back to….why??? I’ve had a chance in recent weeks to meet with the Hoffman family and their pain and anguish is devastatingly heartbreaking. They are very strong in their faith and have said they simply can’t understand why God lead them through everything with Carley and showed His glory and majesty and healed her….only to take Ethan away in such a seemingly evil sort of way. At this time, they can’t feel the Lord’s presence and feel He is being very “quiet”. They know that He is with them and He loves them all the same but why is He not making His presence known to them in such a horrible storm? This has really shaken me up for the last several weeks. I continue to pray and pray some more but how does one go on with something so horrific as this happens? I’ve decided to organize and conduct some fundraisers this summer to raise money for the Hoffman’s, it’s the least that I can do but I think the thing that bothers me the most is why can’t they feel Him? I’m sorry to be rambling but I’m really struggling with this….

    • Toni  says:

      Dearest Kasi,
      Your words of sorrow and uncertainty have not fallen on deaf ears. My heart breaks for this family and all they have gone through. I’d like to remind you of your own words in order to try to help you with this. (They are very strong in their faith and have said they simply can’t understand why God lead them through everything with Carley and showed His glory and majesty and healed her….only to take Ethan away in such a seemingly evil sort of way.)
      Please notice the word “evil”. Kasi. Deep in my heart, I do not believe our loving Father ever causes evil. I believe with every ounce of my being that God has been weeping with this family and He aches too over their loss. I also believe with my whole heart that He will, somehow, some way, bring honor and glory to Himself and this precious family through this tragedy.
      I do not begin to understand this sort of pain, but I can assure you I’ve suffered greatly in my life. Though I have not blamed God for my suffering, I have still questioned with a huge WHY many times. There isn’t an honest Christian out there that hasn’t. Why does God allow these things? I do not think there is a good answer that will satisfy any of us this side of heaven. I only know we have an enormous amount of evil that lurks around every corner of our lives. Evil that laughs when God weeps and evil that takes great pleasure in trying to get us to question our faith. Unfortunately, free will is for all, including the drunk driver. His or her free will choices caused this terrible tragedy and that person and their family will have to live with it the rest of their lives. Again, I will say, God did not cause this, evil did. God is with you as well as the Hoffman family and will continue to be there through the pain. He is there, but the pain is what keeps us from feeling His presence.
      As I said in my devotion, I could fill you with all sorts of Christian mumbo jumbo filled with well meant, just trying to help messages, but I can only truly tell you from my heart that I know God is indeed with all of you and that He loves each of you passionately. Let Him hold you through this strom.

      Please send me the caringbridge link. I will continue to pray for all of you.

      May the Lord of all creation hold you and the Hoffman family tightly in His arms.

      God bless you Kasi!

      Your sister in Christ,
      Toni

  • Monica  says:

    Thank you Toni for this awesome word! I am now finally getting it myself and what I don’t get the scripture of proverbs 3:5-6 settles in my mind and spirit, then I just cast all my cares on HIM cause HE cares for me, it’s taken sometime for me to get to that place where I can really trust HIM no matter what quite honestly, but like you said when I look in the rear view mirror and look back over the years how faithful HE has been even when I was acting like satan himself, I am so so grateful and thankful and yes I do believe the very word of truth the Holy Spirit brings up in me to comfort others, cause HE first had to just bring it up in me for me when no one else was there, and I have tasted and see that the LORD is truly good, Amen!!!

    • Kasi  says:

      Thank you Toni for your response. I appreciate you taking the time to read my thoughts/concerns/questions and reply to it. I do believe that God isn’t the one that caused this evil but I guess more as to why He would allow it to happen in the first place? If He has a plan for each of us, was this His plan for Ethan and the Hoffman family? I can’t imagine that He would choose for a child to die in such a criminal type of way so then why can’t He stop it? I guess that is what I struggle with. And I know we won’t get the answers this side of heaven but I would be dishonest if I said this didn’t make me angry, however, there are times in my prayer time with God that I feel a little peaceful so I do know that He is there trying to answer but I just can’t understand it. Thank you for your prayers for the Hoffman family. To read more about their story, visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/carleyhoffman. Maybe you can offer them so uplifting words….

      • Toni  says:

        Father God, we come before you to lay the Hoffman family, their friends and family at Your feet. This is a tragedy no one understands. It’s senseless and hurts more than words can express, yet we know You are with them and You love them more than any earthly person can. Please dear Lord, give them hope for tomorrow and the kind of peace only You can give. Please hold this family so close that Your presence is unmistakable. In the matchless name of our Lord, Savior and Friend, amen.

    • Toni  says:

      Hi Monica,
      Thank you for such a lovely response. I’m so thankful you were blessed by these words and that your relationship with our Lord is flourishing! Praise His Holy Name!!

Leave a reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.