Spiritual foraging

By: Carole L. Haines

My body clock went off at about 4:30 this morning. I got out of bed around 5 and went outside to watch the sunrise. There was a beautiful deer in my neighbor’s meadow. I watched her a long time, foraging for food, even let her nibble a few of my lily leaves. I went to get my camera but spooked her. Watching her forage reminded me of when I get up in the morning and I am hungry for God and His presence. I forage through the Word, pouring out my heart and listening to His. I am so desperate for Him. I don’t know how people live without Him, He is so good to me. It’s amazing how we can pour out our hearts to Him and He directs us as we sit in His Word and read. I was praying about a struggle I have had all my life, and like Paul said,

“⁸ Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. ⁹ And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9a)

I too have asked the Lord many times to deliver me from it. But He has chosen to deliver me in it and through it, but not from it. I know how hard it is to have a condition that God could so easily deliver me from, but He has not answered my prayer as I would have liked. Instead, He has proven to me that His grace really is sufficient, and that power is perfected in weakness. Paul goes on to declare,

“Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. ¹⁰ Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12: 9b-10)

Finding contentedness amid unanswered prayer can be difficult. But this is why I forage for nourishment in God’s presence and His Word every morning, for long periods when I can. My weakness drives me to Him, draws me toward His Word and His power, because i have none of my own. Therefore, I have learned to appreciate this difficulty, this distress, this unanswered prayer. Perhaps you are struggling with a difficulty, an addiction, a medical diagnosis, a mental illness. God is greater, God is stronger, God is faithful. This weakness of mine has caused me to write and encourage many people. God has a good plan for you, even though it includes suffering or difficulty.

Trust Him, Dear Believer, lean back deep into His Chest and fall into rhythm with the rise and fall of His breath. Spend lots of time in His presence. He may not bring you out of your difficulty, but He will bring you through it. Practice spiritual foraging. Gather wisdom from above and comfort from the Word. He is with You now and forevermore. He is enough. Amen