Saturday, March 31, 2012

Dear God,

It is true what was once lost can be found.  I remember the story of the woman and the lost coin.  How happy she was to find her coin.

Some of the most profound experiences of faith for me are lost and found stories.  Lost hope, found hope.  Lost love, found love.  Lost peace, found peace.

Every time I have lost something or someone, I have had to turn to you.  Being lost or losing something very valuable is scary and sometimes very painful.  Losing hope is the scariest thing.  When I have lost hope in myself or in others, I have become afraid.  When I'm afraid I isolate myself in an attempt to keep myself safe from harm, especially emotional harm.  But when I have turned to you and trusted you to help me recover my lostness, I have felt less afraid and more confident in myself.  I have embraced your love and your love has given me courage, strength, and peace.

When I have lost family members through conflict, I have felt lost because I felt so much loss.  In the brokenness I had to surrender myself into your hands, trusting you to help me find my way.  Each time I leaned on you, I learned lessons about what it meant to be lost and especially what it meant to be found.

When my world takes a tumble and feels upside down and when I get scared, lonely, and undone, I know these are moments that you are calling me to trust you, to learn lessons, and to try new ways of being.  I know you are as near as my breath and I know I do not have to be afraid.  You remind me that a bump in the road is a call to perk up my faith, to take a new look, and gain new perspective.

Lead me
to you,
O Lord;
show me
the way
to new understandings.
Teach me
to trust you
in every situation.
Rid me
of fear
that paralyzes
turning it instead
to faith.

Love, Andrea