I often hear longtime friends of my family say to me, "Dianna, I remember you when you were just a tiny thing in ponytails and bobby socks." This statement is usually accompanied by a wide grin and an embarrassing follow-up story. Some folks even have photographic evidence of my early days in church, with those off-centered ponytails, ruffly dresses, lace socks over opaque tights, with the scuffed up black patent leather shoes. It's always quite funny to look back on those moments. Somehow, those images always conjure up some kind of memory of growing up in the church, no matter how vague.
I grew up singing, teaching and being very active in ministry. You see, Dad was the Pastor and Mom was the First Lady. Yep, you guessed it. I was a preacher's kid, but not the kind who went astray and "sowed my wild oats."
Nope, that wasn't me. The teachings from the word of God were drilled and ingrained in me and I was determined to live them out. In fact, I was pretty sheltered up until the time I went to college and that's when I first got a taste of the "real world" on campus. I had moved on from being that little isolated and insulated girl, to being thrust into the cold, harsh realities of true life. Boy was I ever thrown for a loop! Although I didn't have a desire to participate in the parties, that doesn't mean I wasn't greatly challenged in other ways.
I wasn't sure I would be able to graduate with my belief system firmly in place. Have you ever had a test that tried your faith like that?
The thing is, nobody really warned me about how frequently the things I grew up learning about my Christian faith would be tested--not just by my fellow student-peers, but also by my professors of philosophy and theology. I immediately got hit with varying perspectives, diverse religious views, and questions about God's very existence. Never before did I have to defend my faith, as well as, fight to hold on to it.
I must admit, there were plenty of times when I wavered and began doubting the things I had been sure of once before. But you know what? After a brief shaky period, I realized that nothing could uproot what had been planted in me from the time I was that awkward little girl in bobby socks. All the word I'd gotten over the years, coupled with the intense times of fasting and praying I'd willingly submitted myself to, gave me strength at my weakest points.
There will inevitably be seasons when our "real world" experiences contradict and challenge our faith. They will indeed threaten to halt our ability to graduate or move on from a trial to a triumph, all while hanging on to our belief in God's power. That's why I always stress the importance of consistently sowing into your spirit, by spending time in God's word and in His presence. When the storms of life come to toss you to and fro, the spiritual investments you've made will anchor your soul.
Does that mean you'll never get discouraged? No, because sometimes, when times get really hard, you'll experience feelings of defeat and despondency. But here's the good news. When you submit yourself to God, even in the midst of difficult circumstances and trials, the Holy Spirit will come and minister to you. He'll bring all those things you've sown into your spirit back to your remembrance to fortify you when you feel like your faith is failing and weakening.
Perhaps, your challenge has nothing to do with a direct attack on your foundational principles of faith, or maybe it does. It could even be a season of lack, sickness, relationship turmoil, or some other difficult transition that is testing you. But, whatever it is that has come against you, know that you have all you need to weather this storm.
Thankfully, the power of God that is at work in you, will stabilize you as you travel over the rough spots along this road called life. Today, I don't care what you're going through, God is on your side, sustaining, leading and guiding you all the way through it.
This is not your final destination. You're just passing through. Just like I eventually graduated from college with my faith in tact, you'll graduate from the place where you are with your faith in tact as well. I'm believing with you that God is going to bring you through this fiery trial just like He did the three Hebrew boys when they were trapped in the fiery furnace. When it was all said and done, the Bible says, "...the fire had no power upon their bodies, nor was the hair of their head
singed; neither were their garments scorched or changed in color or
condition, nor had even the smell of smoke clung to them" (Daniel 3:27b Amplified).
I'm just believing that, when your struggle is over, you won't look like what you've been through. I need you to grab hold to some faith today, because graduation is almost here.
I want you to hold your head up and repeat this scripture aloud: "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6 KJV).
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
