But...but....or 'Even so'?

From Holley Gerth and her column Heart to Heart with Holley - a much appreciated dose of inspiration that regularly finds its way into my inbox - and always in a timely manner.  Go figure.

Two little words that will change your world Posted: 29 Aug 2010 10:00 PM PDT I've been hot on the trail of some God-sized dreams the last few years. And the hardest part has not been taking the next step, finding courage, overcoming obstacles. No, the biggest challenge has been the voice inside my mind. It's the one that says, "You can never do this. This is in the way. That won't ever change." You've struggled with that too? We're not the only ones. As Priscilla Shirer says in her book, One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land (B&H Books), the Israelites also battled fear and insecurities: "If there's a single word that doomed this generation of God's people from experiencing Promised Land living in their lifetime, it's this one: 'nevertheless.' They had heard with their own ears the assurances of God. They had seen and certainly tasted the cluster of fruit that more than verified, beyond their wildest imaginations, just how accurate God had been when He had described the land to them.... Nevertheless." She goes on to say that we're all tempted to do the same. I discover those words as I sit on my back porch one evening. As I finish, I lean back and stare into the deep summer sky. I ask God, "What do I say instead?" And like shooting stars, two words blaze across my mind. Even so. Yes, the situation is difficult and the obstacles seem insurmountable. Even so, God will deliver me. Yes, I left my comfort zone about 100 miles ago and all I want to do is eat a vat of chocolate. Even so, God can use me. Yes, it feels like the valley is dark, the mountains are high, and the enemy strong. Even so, God is able to get me to the Promised Land. Even so. Those two little words don't deny the difficulties or paste on a smile that says, "Everything is fine." They acknowledge life is hard. They recognize the obstacles. But in the end, they shift our gaze from what we see to Who we know. And that changes everything... especially us.