just rest.

Flame Of God

From prayer that asks that I may be Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee, From fearing when I should aspire, From faltering when I should climb higher From silken self, O Captain, free Thy soldier who would follow Thee. From subtle love of softening things, From easy choices, weakenings, (Not thus are spirits fortified, Not this way went the Crucified) From all that dims Thy Calvary O Lamb of God, deliver me. Give me the love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can dismay The hope no disappointments tire, The passion that will burn like fire; Let me not sink to be a clod; Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God                                        -Amy Carmichael

And so, when the enemy overplays his hand, when he makes it seem that every person you know thinks you a fool, just rest. When he creeps in with smoke and mirrors times 100, when he whispers, "See what you've done, little fool? You've trusted in a God that cannot possibly handle all your problems, who does not hear or see you, who has left you. Now, what are you going to do?! You. Are. Alone." Just rest. When the voices of a dying world speak, cry, scream all around you, at times, as though they are in you, just rest. When they subtly whisper into your ear that you are totally crazy and nieve and have no clue what you're doing, because of what He has asked you to do, because of the path He has asked you to walk with Him, just rest. Rest and know that none of it matters. If you and I have given our lives to Him, if we have begged for His will not ours, then the only opinion that matters is His. 
Yet, the voices do come, at times drowning out anything else. And you know what I would cry out? Bring. It. ON! For here I stand and I will not be moved! May our feet be so firmly planted on the rock of Jesus Christ, may we be so deeply in love with our precious Savior that we will gladly give up reputation, family, friends, possessions, or our very lives, whatever it may be if any of these pull us away from Him. May we not falter when we should climb higher! Oh, let us not want soft things, things that weaken or dim our view of Him crucified! May our faith be stronger our love deeper that nothing can dismay it! Give us an all consuming passion for the things of God! And the cry of my heart echoes, "Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God!" 
Yes, this is all that matters. And my heart aches for those who taunt that living a life foolishly given to Him is a waste! Do you not see? Nothing else matters!!! Give it ALL to Him! For this is so much bigger than you and I, we are but a small piece of the puzzle, but oh, how He longs for our hearts and lives to be given to Him! How eagerly He waits to take the humble little stones we are in His mighty right hand, and with the most accurate precision, send us out to bring down the greatest of giants. For alone, we are only useless little stones, but in His hand we become a mighty weapon used for His glory! Isn't that a wonderful thought?! That if we are in His will, living for His glory, we are right where we need to be and nothing anyone says or thinks otherwise matters? How it gives me hope! How it makes my heart leap with adoration for my King, knowing that He walked this very same road long ago and yet He still walks it with me.
And He gently whispers, with the most beautiful smile on His precious face, "Beloved, you are mine! You are my heart's desire. Can you not feel my arms around you? Oh, they are! How I love you, you'll never be able to fathom. I died rather than live without you, will you not walk this life with me? Will you not ignore the voices, catch a glimpse of my face, take my hand, and come walk this endless adventure called life with me?!" And my heart cries....YES!!! I WILL GO AND DO AND LIVE WHERE YOU LEAD, FOR YOU ARE WORTH THE REWARD OF YOUR SUFFERING! And I simply, truly, deeply adore you Jesus!