BEAUTY FROM ASHES

Have you ever gone somewhere with no expectations whatsoever; not expecting anything to happen yet still open to anything? As our youth group waited during the layover in Texas, I kept praying quietly, “Lord you know my heart, let Your will be done.” I was not planning to go to this youth camp in Pennsylvania but after speaking with my youth leaders, pastors and parents it was decided that I go along with the other youth in my church. I was excited to see some friends I hadn’t talked to in over 5 years. But I was also a little nervous and anxious as to how the camp would turn out to be. 

It’s true that youth camps are for having fun and meeting new people. But it’s also a time for having fresh encounters with God. And that’s what I took back home with me. Yes, I had so much fun every day at camp and I got to meet amazing people. Yet the one thing that stayed with me, was the lessons we were taught. And one of them was shared on the last day.

Pr Sherie was leading worship that last morning but before starting, she shared something that spoke to me. She had had a skating accident during camp. What puzzled her was that in all of her experienced years as a skater, she had only fallen once. But in a small rink at camp, she fell again. Out of all the places! So she asked God, why did He allow her to fall? And God answered her, “Because you got confident. And it’s the same when you walk with Me. When you become too sure of your own ability and strength, my presence begins to depart from you. You get confident, and with the smallest of difficulty, you fall.”

In my heart I kept praying, “God, don’t let me get too confident! I don’t want to fall. I don’t want to forget your mercies towards me. I don’t want your presence to leave because of my confidence.” I’m so grateful I had the chance of going to this year’s camp! I took back home valuable life lessons. It’s so important that we remain humble before God. His Word says that He is close to those of a broken and contrite spirit yet he despises a proud heart. (Psa. 138:6, Is. 57:15) It’s usually in the lowest place that we are closer to Him. It is at His feet that we hear His tender voice. It is there that we truly know Him.

May we constantly seek His presence and may we never forget His faithfulness. Without Him, we are nothing. He surrounds us with His love and mercies towards us are new every morning. Let us never forget them, but rather may we praise Him for them daily. 

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