It was 2007, and I had just recently left my home and my marriage due to continued emotional, verbal and physical abuse. My oldest daughter was about three years old at the time and we had just moved into an apartment. On this particular evening, it was raining violently, along with great thunder and bright lightening. So bright that when lightening occurred, it lit up the entire living room like a camera flash causing my daughter to ask the question, “Mommy, who just took our picture?” I laughed and said, “God just took our picture.”
The next day, it was not raining as hard. However, the lightening would still light up the sky brightly. While walking to our apartment from the car, right after a surge of illumination, my daughter stopped in her tracks and said, “Ok God, that’s enough.” In other words, she was telling God that she did not want her picture to be taken anymore. I laugh at this now, but this story has stuck with me for so long. It made me recall the many times of trouble and discomfort when I said “Ok God, that’s enough”. The times of struggling as a single mother, the times of frustration, the times of weariness, the times of not knowing what and how I was going to feed my kids, (only because I made too much for state assistance but not enough for the ability to live comfortably). Those times of “God I believe, but help my unbelief!” GOD, THAT IS ENOUGH!!!!!! Those moments when I felt that if I experience anything else that negatively impacts my emotions, I will lose my mind.
Living in a world where so much is going on, it is imperative that our focus stays on God and not the troubles that are surrounding us. In 1 Peter 5:10 the Bible explains, “ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (NIV) As I was going through the pain and the process, I eventually found my purpose and allowed God to totally restore everything that the enemy THOUGHT he stole from me. Truly searching the Word for a promise that applied to me personally, I persevered through the healing process that it took for me to get to the level of restoration that God showed me. My marriage was not restored; however, I was. My peace, my joy, my confidence, my love for people and my thirst for more of God’s presence has been restored. “He will keep in perfect peace, those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You”. (Isaiah 26:3) I have learned to trust God at a deeper level even in times of uncertainty.
I encourage you to trust God in those times when you want to say, “Ok, God, that’s enough!” – trusting that He is truly making you strong, firm and steadfast in preparation for your next season.
Prayer: God I thank you for all that I have been through because I know that the present trials shall not be compared to the glory that is revealed. (Romans 8:18). God help me to trust you even more and allow me to see my troubles from your perspective. I thank you that I am walking in the peace that surpasses all understanding, allowing that to guard my heart and my mind. In Jesus Name. Amen
About Lewana Harris Read more by this author…
As a single mom, Lewana is a teacher, speaker and facilitator committed to enlightening, encouraging, educating and empowering others to activate their full potential. Lewana enjoys the responsibility of motivating and developing others by providing the tools needed for personal development to enhance and affect the family structure, in turn, affect a community, and ultimately transform the entire city and beyond. When she is not facilitating, she is spending time with her three VERY energetic children, refereeing arguments and judging home-made dance routines and productions.