Many years ago my husband Jack and I were in a season that we like to refer to as our 'desert experience.'
Looking back on it now, I can honestly say that I would not have wanted to miss it. But, in the same breath, I will be thankful to not ever walk those difficult paths again. I do know that I was changed in what was a period of eighteen months, and that I came away with a deeper understanding of my reliance on God, as well as personal knowledge of His character.
It was a time when Jack and I were clinging to the Lord, and to each other. We were standing shoulder to shoulder in agreement that God would supply all our needs, and that He was more than capable of completing this work He had begun in us. Furthermore, we knew that He was not only capable, but willing, and for me that was critical. I came to understand that I was loved enough, just as I was, to cause the Father to do whatever He needed to do.
It was near the end of this season, but when I was still in the pleading phase, that I heard an interview that changed me. It was while listening to this individual, that the Holy Spirit reminded me of God's word, and opened my heart to deeper knowledge of God, knowledge that I really needed to hear. In a matter of minutes my perspective changed and doubt was washed away.
I had been listening to this man speak on my car radio, and when he finished I got out of the car and looked up at an amazing night sky. The speaker was Richard A Swenson, MD and he is the author of "More Than Meets the Eye." Anytime I need to be recalibrated about the sufficiency of God, I remind myself of that evening, where He opened the eyes of my understanding, and said look up!
The following is a paragraph that I often read from Richard's book.
"What kind of Power do we so blithely invoke? He spoke the universe into existence. Nothingness obeys His voice. He controls time, space, matter, and light. He monitors the position of every elementary particle. He is sufficient unto Himself. He does not need anybody or anything to accomplish His purposes. He answers to no one. He obeys only His own counsel. He works on thousands of levels all at the same time. His scientific sophistication is unfathomable. He created the law of physics, and appears to be a 'pure mathematician.' His intelligence is so superior, according to Einstein, that in comparison "all the systemic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection."
Jeremiah 31:35 NIV This is what the Lord says, He who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar- the Lord Almighty is His name.