If you read my last few blog posts of 2024, you'll already know that this first month of the year does mark kind of a new beginning for me. After two whole years of being homeless and moving constantly from one accommodation to another, I've finally found a little flat that Maiki and I will move into when I return to Spain, ten days from now.
This new home brings a huge sense of relief with it. It can be hard to keep praying, to keep persevering when a difficult situation drags on and on, without any sense of breakthrough. It can raise all kinds of questions about whether you're praying the right thing, doing the right thing or even whether you're in the right place.
A Bible passage that I read this week illustrates exactly that kind of situation. In Luke chapter 8, we read the well known story of Jesus' calming a storm and we see how unsettling that experience was for His twelve disciples. As I read the story, it reminded me a lot of my own experience over the past two years:
vs 22 - The disciples knew that they were in the right place; they were exactly where Jesus had asked them to be, because He was the one who had asked them to get into the boat and cross over to the other side of the lake. Similarly, I knew that Jesus had guided me to be in Spain and was asking me to continue to live there.
vs 23 - The disciples knew that Jesus was with them; He was right there in the boat with them as they sought to obey what He'd asked them to do.
So, if you are in the right place, doing the right thing, and you know that Jesus is with you.... you'd think that life would be plain sailing, wouldn't you?
But it wasn't so for the disciples. They found themselves caught up in a very real danger - a storm that was so violent, even the seasoned fishermen in the group were afraid that they were going to drown. Their situation was very scary and, even though they knew Jesus was with them, it seemed that He was asleep and unaware of their fears.
Like the disciples, not only was I sure I was in the right place and was obeying what God had shown me, I also had lots of evidence that Jesus was with me on the journey - inspiring and anointing my missionary involvement, all while providing a series of short term places for me to live.
But, like the disciples, I often found it quite scary to be one of the many thousands of victims of the post-pandemic housing crisis. I didn't imagine that Jesus was "asleep in the boat" or oblivious to my very real challenges... but there were a couple of times when I said, "Lord, my resilience is low; I don't know if I have any strength left to go on."
But Jesus did calm the storm for the disciples, and now He has calmed the storm for me too. I haven't reached the other side yet, but at least it's calmer sailing and I move into 2025 with a more stable foundation (home) for the journey ahead. (Read on in the posts below for news of how God has calmed the storm for me over the past few weeks.)
The rest of Luke chapter 8 tells of some healing miracles, and I found it interesting that all of them were situations that had been dragging on for a long time. Often it's the "chronic" situations, with seemingly unanswered prayer, that really test our faith.
The first healing is of the Gadarene man who had been naked, homeless and demon possessed for a very long time. But the story ends with him clothed and calm again, and Jesus tells him, "Go home and tell how much God has done for you." When we do see a breakthrough in our long term battles, it's important that we give God the glory and share the testimony with others.
The second healing is of a woman with an embarrassing and distressing "feminine problem" - she had been bleeding for twelve years and no one had been able to help her. Yet, at just the right time, one touch from Jesus brought instant release.
In the third situation, the little girl's health had got so bad that she actually died, and people laughed at Jesus when He said He would wake her up again... but He did; He raised her from death to new life.
It reminds me again of how hard it can be to keep believing or even to keep praying for situations that have gone on for a long time - a health challenge that hasn't been healed, an unbelieving family member or neighbour that still hasn't opened their heart to the Lord, a home or work situation that is still difficult and needs breakthrough...
Reading these stories today challenges me to keep praying for "chronic" situations. God's power is never limited; it's more usually my perseverance or my prayer that are limited. I'm asking God to give me faith for the chronic situations that He wants me to keep praying and trusting for in 2025.
