Tender Places ~ By Paula Moldenhauer

"Deeper, Deeper every day in Jesus, Till all conflicts past, Finds me conqu'ror and in His own image perfected at last. "  Verse 4, Deeper, Deeper by C.P. Jones

There's an on-going situation in my life that is very painful.  I pray often that the Lord will fix it or show me a better way to handle it.  So far, it hasn't changed.  I just hold onto my Father's hand and walk through it.

Sometimes this situation strikes hard and fast.  It jumps out at me from behind the door where it always lurks.  It pounds my heart with flawless precision and attacks my mind with questions and fears.

Other times it is a quiet, ever present ache.  The pain always lives in my heart, hauntingly sad.  I learn to walk with it and accept it.  When I fight it only hurts more, so I accept the empty hole and turn my gaze toward more pleasant vistas.

Perhaps this is the most important I've learned so far in the University of Abiding.  There are things in this life that hurt.  Sometimes they even hurt for a long time.  They attack my most tender places and mock my trust in God.  But no matter how much they taunt me, they cannot change one fact.

I'm hanging from the Vine.  I am never alone.  I am always hooked up to Jesus' nourishing love.  My God waters me, feeds me, prunes me, and enjoys me.  God chooses to be in this earthly garden with me when all common sense says He should just hang out in heaven's garden where it is perfect and safe.

But He wants to walk through life with me.  He wants to stay connected.

I can't always find hope in the circumstances I face.  But, Hope is there when I abide.  He never goes away.  He never disconnects.  He never decides the road is too long or that I was just a bad apple anyway.

"Father, thank you that I can rest in you, abiding in your love, no matter how difficult life becomes.  Thank you that I am not without hope because I am never without you.  Let my life be to your glory as you produce within me the fruit of abiding."

~ A mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God's grace and intimacy with Jesus.  Her website offers book reviews, home schooling hints, and a free weekly devotional, Soul Scents.  Subscribe to Soul Scents at www.soulscents.us.  Visit her blog at www.gracereign.blogspot.com Contact Paula at Paula@soulscents.us.