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Today I have a guest post from author Jenny Smith who has written a wonderful book called, “Seriously God?” I encourage you to check it out! I have been reading it and it sure does shed some light on things I had not considered before!
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The day I walked through my house one last time was the day I felt most abandoned by God. As I reached the front door, knowing it would be the last time I opened it, all of a sudden I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t open that door and walk to the truck piled high with our belongings. I remember resting my head on the doorframe as tears filled my eyes, asking myself, “How did we get to this place?”
Oh, I remembered all the mistakes we had made, but when we finally began to wake up, we immediately turned to God. We thought he would come through.
He didn’t. Our house went into foreclosure, we moved into a rental house, and God didn’t seem to care.
God had let me down. My whole Christian life had been built on this understanding of God being our provider—the one who we went to when we had a need, knowing he would provide. Where was he? Why wouldn’t he provide a job so we could maintain our standard of living?
Recently, I cried as I listened to a lady on the radio, she was crying as she explained to the host she only had five days until she had to move out of her rental home. They had lost their jobs. She was sharing how many people told her “to have more faith.” Those are hard words to heed when, in your heart, you have mustered up as much faith as possible and you’re still faced with unthinkable circumstances.
I wish I could have spoken to her, telling her how those of us whose hearts feel abandoned can find healing through a passage in John 10:11–14 when Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd.” If only someone would have shared the role of a shepherd when I was going through our foreclosure, I believe it would have made such a difference.
Maybe in your mind, you only see a shepherd walking with a big stick through lush fields while the fat, happy sheep graze. That’s what I pictured and it was far from my reality! So, I never connected with Jesus as my Good Shepherd.
As I thought on Jesus saying, “I’m the good shepherd” I began to wander what he meant. I know the shepherd is entrusted in caring for the sheep as they follow him, and they depend on him for safety and provision. But how does a shepherd actually shepherd?
A shepherd mostly lives in an environment that is hostile to the sheep. Every day the shepherd leads his sheep through rugged terrain, looking for the two basic necessities of life: water and food. The sheep follow him, facing dangers all around—sometimes of their own making when they stray too far. Other times the dangers are simply life in the hostile environment: predators, thorns, and holes in the ground.
I started realizing my life was being lived in a hostile environment, much like the sheep face. The most astounding aspect of shepherding is what happens night after night as the sheep go into the sheep pen. The shepherd bends down running his hands over each sheep with love, carefully inspecting them. He looks for any cuts, debris stuck in their coats, or anything that has hurt them during the course of the day. Within his capable hands is the power to mend, remove, and treat any harm the sheep has sustained.
This would have been so helpful in the midst of my own hurts. The realization of how each night Jesus wants to address my hurts from the day, frees me from the burden of striving to attain my shepherd’s notice. I don’t have to go searching for my shepherd’s care; I already have it! If only I had realized how willing Jesus is to care for my battered heart.
Friend, maybe you’re struggling too. If you are one of the many facing very difficult circumstances, knowing Jesus is your Good Shepherd can bring strength to your daily life as you walk out your door. The Good Shepherd is with you, as you walk through this hostile environment. I promise he sees the hurts, the doubts, and the fears. Not only does he see them, but there is also caring and healing in his hands.
Believers in the early church also faced circumstances where their lives changed drastically in the blink of an eye. They faced it by living lives devoted first to Jesus but also each other. They knew the Good Shepherd not only cared but had entrusted them to be his physical representatives. They came alongside of each other and helped one another.
One of my most vivid memories is sitting at table with a couple we are good friends with. For the first time in our life, we feared we wouldn’t have enough money to pay our bills. I’m talking about the bills that matter: electricity, water, groceries, the necessities of life. We were asking them to pray for us, and they offered not only prayer but money. We decided together to wait until the end of the month. God ended up providing some odd jobs for us, but the impact of their willingness to help changed my view of true Christians. I saw how the Good Shepherd was caring for me.
Their willingness to help is pictured in Acts 4:32 when the early church held all things in common. Are we willing to share what we have, even in days where our instincts tell us to hang on to what we have?
I pray that for those of you struggling to realize what shepherding means to those of us who belong to Jesus. I pray you are surrounded by Christians coming alongside of you with an offer to help. At the same time, I pray all of us take the opportunity to share what our Good Shepherd means to us, and become willing to step in and help where we can.
Giveaway CLOSED
Jenny is giving away a copy of her book to one reader. Woot! Just leave a comment briefly sharing how you this book might help you?
U.S. residents only please. Winner will be randomly drawn and contacted by Friday.
This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure here.
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Even though we are going through some tough times right now, there are some people in our church who are going through tougher things. I would probably glance through the book and then pass it on.
OH MY the first couple of sentences had me drawn in. We are in a place of why and how. Whether I win or not this will be a future purchase for my family ie ME!!
I believe this book would benefit our family because my husband and I are always looking for ways to grow closer to God and learn how to depend on him more completely.
My hope is that it would help me to not only put my “issues” into perspective, but recognized them as “mine” – not comparing them to others.
I was immediately drawn into her store in your post above! I would love to win this book! We have been going through a similar set of circumstances over the past year and I know this book would be an encouragement to me!!!
thanks for offering this giveaway!
Elizabeth of Yes They’re All Ours
I lead a private Facebook group of women whose husbands are unemployed or who they themselves are out of work and struggling. I’ve even lived the horror of unemployment in our own home for 3 very long years. We lost everything. I believe this book will bless so many and I would love to be able to suggest it as a helpful resource to those I minister to in the midst of their storm. Plus, I really want to read it! Lol!
Wow! I love to hear other’s stories of faith and redemption. She certainly seems to have an amazing testimony to that. Would love to read the book to get some insight to my current situation.
I would love to win this book but not for me, for my dear friend. She and her husband have been struggling with so many difficult issues, from health to underemployment. It hurts me to see her so tired and seemingly running out of options. She knows that God will meet their needs but I know it’s still difficult. If I were her, I’d be saying just what the title of this book says! (I think I’ll go ahead and buy it for her and if I win, then I’ll have one for me!)
wow as I read this blog I felt you were looking into my heart. At times I feel alone in my trials and troubles. At times I can not connect my heart knowledge of God and my head knowledge of Him. would this book help with this? If so I would love to read it. Thanks.
I think this book would help me to know how to better help those around me in need. My desire is to be a greater blessing and help to all I come in contact with, even if its to step outside my comfort zone to do it.
This past year has been the hardest ever. We are struggling in many ways from loss of house to loss of a child. This completely spoke to me and I would love the chance to read it.
I have had this book on my Amazon Wish List for awhile now. I don’t often buy books due to lack of extra funds (I just quit my job and am now a struggling – although happier – self-employed Registered Dietitian). I have been praying the same prayers for years (help with health issues and infertility) and wondering when God is going to answer them (I often ask the same question as the book title – Seriously, God…?). But I’ve come to the point where I have to pray for a change in me instead of a change in my circumstances. That’s tough, but I truly believe that God is working for my – and all of our – good!
Praying for each of you as I read your comments!
Would love to read and share with others. Always helps to hear a story and have some encouragement in life’s trials.
This sounds like just an awesome book!! I would love to win it. If not I am definitely buying it soon! We are struggling through some things and I just can’t grasp why. The way she talked about the Shepard is true,but not what we always think He is.
I would love to win this! I really would like to share it with my Sunday school class, like a devotional. Thanks for the giveaway.
Love this message. In the dark times it’s so hard to see how God is working. Sometimes it’s hard to even know that He’s there. What a fabulous image of Jesus running His hands over us at the end of the day, healing all of our hurts. Thanks for sharing this.
I cried when I read this…a friend shared the excerpt with me as she has been that strong support system that God provided me in my times of need. I too have been in a situation where life was suddenly changed. My most treasured and now admittedly only role, that I held of importance was removed from my daily existence…..6 children in my house one day and not the next. The ripple effect has been devastating, but enlightening the same. My Shepherd has led me in a way that I never expected or believed could occur…. I am anxious to see what is next……
When I read the subtitle of this book, I knew I had to read this blog post. I finally graduated from college in 2009 with 2 kids & a husband supporting me. The economy crashed and there were limited job opportunities but I held out hope that there would be a job for me. I even told ppl that He brought me through 4 yrs of college facing challenge after challenge, and I knew that he wouldn’t leave me hanging @ the finish line. As of right now, I’ve not held full time employment since graduating. I can’t find a job doing ANYTHING. Every job I apply for, I get turned down. I’ve prayed about it. @ 1st I kept receiving the message to hold on & to have patience. Now I don’t seem to be receiving any message. I feel like I’m treading water & I don’t know which way to turn. I don’t need to see the destination. I just need to know what direction to go in. I’m in major student loan debt. I’m depressed & have gained 40lbs. I have stopped applying for employment lately b/c I don’t know what He wants me to do. I’ve been sad, hurt, angry, etc. I just wish that I knew what direction that he purposed me for. I don’t understand the current suffering. I feel like I have done everything that He wanted me to do, including graduating with a degree that I felt cld to do but turned away from for 10 yrs before submitting to what I thought was His will. Maybe this book will help me to understand the current situation. I too am a GA girl. I hope that recent tornado in the Aidarsville area left the author’s family unscathed. Thanks for offering this giveaway.
This is our first year back to homeschooling after 5 years of the children enrolled in an academy. I would love to win this book. Thank you Christin, for being real and for being such an encouragement!
Thanks for the opportunity to win. I believe this book would be useful to me because I’m at embarking on so many new adventures at once because of the grace of God. I fasted at the beginning of the year for 5 things and God is exploding them all at the same time. It’s enough to make me ask Him, “Seriously, God?”
I love this explanation of Jesus as our Shepherd. I’d definitely like to read the whole book!