Music with a message

          When I sat down to read my bible today I really needed to hear encouragement from God.  This summer is turning out to be a little overwhelming for me.  I feel like I am trying to juggle much with very little.   Every week presents something new to mourn, pray about, worry about, or try to plan for.  The needs are more than what I seem to be able to provide for.  I feel like I am about to squeeze the life out of my life trying to control it all by myself.   I wanted a scripture to just jump off the page and let me know everything was going to be alright.  So I read and well.... I have to say nothing jumped.  Nothing relieved the heaviness in my heart.  I closed my bible and still had all the same worry and fret as before.  In fact,  now I had added a little insecurity to worry because after today's reading of Proverbs 31:10-31  I had to be honest, I have some real work ahead of me to be that "virtuous woman".  So I sat with my coffee and my burdens.  I sat with my numerous thoughts and my many plans.  I sat with my tears and my worries.
          As I sat at my kitchen table, I began to hear the songs from my radio station playing in the background.  Songs of hope, songs about bringing your burdens to the Lord, songs about submitting to his will, songs that told of his unfailing love and his desire to lift my burdens from me.  Suddenly words of faith, love, and inspiration were jumping all around me.  I was overcome with the fact that God didn't send me just one song to listen to and lift my heart. He sent me song after song until I received the message, quit trying to squeeze and control my life, and instead surrendered and gave all of it to him.   The moment was tender, sweet, and so very, very real.
          I did hear from God today, it just did not come in the form I expected.   I heard that I can choose to hold onto all of my worry or I can chose to tell God about it.  When I choose to hold onto my worry and my need to control, nothing changes immediately and I continue to feel hopeless and heavy hearted.  When I tell God about my worries, nothing about my circumstance changes immediately but, my heart does.  I let go of trying to control every little moment and I feel hope.  I feel rest.  My heart returns to feeling light.  Instead of being consumed by all the negative things, I begin to focus on the very real and prosperous blessings God has given me.  I begin to worship him for his goodness and provision.  I feel loved because he saw my sadness today and made time for me.  Time to tell me that he truly is  my "refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble."(Psalm 46:1 NLT)