Look to the Rock

Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn(Isaiah 51:1)I love this verse. This passage helped me through some of my most difficult days after my thyroid cancer and the onset of my anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. I would speak it to myself over and over.There are times in my life when I forget the spiritual roots of my new nature in Christ. When I am in the midst of a setback in pain, anxiety, or depression, how quickly I revert to my old nature of doubt and unbelief. I need to remind myself not only of Who lives within me, but of my Christian "family tree". Hebrews 11 is the great Hero Hall of Fame in Scripture, bearing testimony to the believers who lived by faith, regardless of their physical circumstances and sufferings. Our Lord himself was the perfect example of faith and trust in the Father's plan, never fearing or wavering during times of trial and temptation.We are "cut" from the solid rock of Christ. I see the stones in his "quarry" as representing the countless believers who have lived and will yet live through time. These stones vary in shape, size, and usage. Some of them may be crushed into finer pieces than others. Some may be more prominent than others. Yet they all are chiseled from the same block of stone – Christ, the Chief Cornerstone. When I am tempted to fear and give up hope, I need to remember that I have the strength and solidarity of Christ, and that I am surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses – my brothers and sisters in the faith. Then I will not fear, even when it seems that the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea (Psalm 46:2). I'm not only standing on the solid rock, I'm part of it. Prayer: Lord, when all around me gives way, help me to stand on You – my solid rock. Let me not forget my spiritual heritage, and may it be a source of comfort and inspiration to me. Amen.Bronlynn Spindler is a wife and mother of three grown daughters and lives in Fredericksburg, VA. God's grace and strength give her the ability to deal with chronic back pain, depression, headaches, and fibromyalgia. You may contact her at spindler@cox.net.