Finding sparkles in the ebbs of life

It’s true. Through His providence, God allows trials to hit us; our ebbs of life to actually be seasons that lead us into our flows.

We can choose to look at these ebbs of turbulent difficulties through eyes of distrust and negativity but really….

They are a GIFT.

The ebbs of life are gifts, because they force us to rest in Him, seek His face, and learn that He will perfect that which concerns us…….in His time.

And then those ebbs turn to flows of abundant riches because of Him.

The ebbs, or difficult times when we are emotionally, physically, or spiritually parched, God uses so that we press closer to Him, trusting that the flows of deliverance will at the appointed time wash over us.

When we draw away from His providence, thinking He has it all wrong, we are hurting ourselves and not understanding that these painful ebbs are precisely the dry seasons that strengthen and exercise our faith in Him.

Were it not for these ebbs, would we seek Him?

If we never experienced pain, would our faith grow?

If instead of kicking against our moments of difficulties, we allowed grace to wash over us, cleansing our souls from spiritual seasweed, and renewing our hearts with deep understanding of God’s love, the ebbs are metamorphised into flows.

I once heard Paul Washer preach that the love of God is a deep and vast as the ocean. Even though we can only see a tiny part of the ocean, it’s enormity stretches into the horizon just as we can only really understand a glimpse of God’s love, the reality of it’s expanse is enormous.

He gives ebbs so tiny tokens of His love can be spotted, just like when the ocean’s tide recedes and little crabs, sea creatures, and gorgeous shells can be found glimmering and sparkling in the sun.