Angela Holland is a lovely writer I met through friends. She has a brand new devotional book debuting today called I Like Storms. Angela and her family just recently completed a journey to adopt a little one from China. You can read more about her adoption journey and grab a copy of her new book at her website, PureandSimpleFaith.blogspot.com. She’s graciously agreed to share one of her devotions with us today. I hope you enjoy it!
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It’s 3:00 a.m.
“Where am I?”
It’s 3:00 a.m. and the alarm on my iPhone has just gone off. At first I am not even sure why I have sat up suddenly and I begin to look inquisitively around the room. After a few moments, I recognize that my alarm is still sounding.
Aimlessly, I move my hand around my bedside table, trying to find the phone. It is in view, but my brain is not communicating with my hands. Disoriented, I feel all around and touch my phone multiple times, but I can’t generate enough motor skills to grasp it. My attempt fails miserably and instead of gathering it in my hands to turn it off, I knock it off my table and . . . BANG! An ear-splitting clang resonates as my phone collides with the floor.
My heart leaps yet again. I fumble around on the floor trying to try to pick up my phone. But because my nerves are not settled from the sudden awakening by the terrible siren alerting my senses to rise, I proceed to knock more items off the table. Now I am even more startled.
Panicking, and almost sweating, I am still unaware of where I am or what is happening. Then I think to myself, “Why is my alarm going off?” Finally as the chaos dies down, I remember.
I set the alarm to check my son’s blood sugar.
Ugh. Gathering my wits, I crawl out of bed to find his bag of diabetic supplies. I slowly fumble with his glucometer, quietly walk into his room, prick his finger and, so not to wake him, make as little noise as possible.
I collect blood on a test strip as sweetly and gently as possible to determine if his blood sugar is normal. If so, I gratefully lumber back to bed. If not, I determine the next care needed to make sure he stays healthy and out of the hospital.
For two years I have been startled by alarms at every hour of the night. Physically it does not get any easier. My body does not acclimate to the experience. Night after countless night, I repeat the exact same scenario of chaos, clamor and disorientation.
Each time, my main priority is immediately submitting that moment to God.
In the same way that my body does not adjust to a sudden awakening by an alarm, my flesh is never comfortable with trials. I remind myself that He loves me and is always with me, even at 3:00 a.m. I am careful that I do not let my situation turn into anger and bitterness toward God.
I do this by encouraging myself and having a thankful heart for all the blessings that God has given me.
Colossians 3:17–And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
“Whatever” in this scripture means that in every moment of life, we give thanks.
We need not assume that He should simply change our circumstances to suit our feelings.
Instead, Christ calls us to have a good attitude and to joyfully serve God in every detail and act, even during affliction.
In trial and darkness, we struggle to have joy and peace. We think to ourselves, “If only God would make things better, I would serve him with joy and gladness! It would be easier for me to have joy and peace and a thankful heart!”
Each one of us has our own version of 3:00 a.m. When we are jarred into recognizing that the reality of life is less than ideal, we must not fail to remember that God is faithful. In those moments, we can still serve as unto the Lord, even at 3:00 a.m. If we have a bad attitude, our attitude will not change if God takes away our 3:00 a.m.
We can still choose to do it all in the name of the Lord, giving thanks, no matter the hour of life we are waking up to.
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Angela Holland is an adventurous mom who has traveled the world. Angela decided to start writing after her youngest son was diagnose with Type 1 diabetes. Angela’s life message is that even when life is not so simple what you need is simple faith.
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