2016 Belmont University Lenten GuideSample

Let me paint a picture for you. Kneeling on the ground is a person with arms stretched out wide crying out for a rescue from the raging sea of life. The words they utter say, “Hear me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry.” This is the first verse of Psalm 17. Throughout our lives we go through many struggles. Some people go through financial struggles, family toils, educational hardships and the list goes on and on. Psalm 17 is a long prayer for protection for God. We long to feel those loving arms of comfort hold us in our midst of confusion, trials and tribulations. This picture might have painted a faint version of you. If so, you are not alone. If you’re anything like me, you’re a person who likes control over your life and wants to fix things on your own when something goes wrong. You play yourself out to be Superman or Superwoman and think you are unstoppable. Sound familiar? I love scheduling things in my calendar even if they are months in advance, and I want to fix problems right away. When something comes up that surprises me, I am often overwhelmed and thrown off a little. In my life there have been a few surprises that God has thrown at me: my mother’s cancer, the almost ending of a friendship, and even the struggles of perfectionism in my life. In these moments I found myself crying that first verse of Psalm 17 while pleading for God to fix whatever was going on after I had tried and tried myself. Though those surprises might have been the worst thing that could have happened at that moment, now I can look back and see where God was working all throughout those elements of surprise. It is amazing to take a step back and remember how BIG God is and that He only wants the best for you. This might be the most difficult to see if you’re going through a very difficult season in your life right now, but just know that God is with you, He is for you, and He will never be against you. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful! (Hebrews 10:23) CASEY ENRIGHT Junior Faith and Social Justice