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--This devotion appeared originally on the blog "Growing Into Up" by Jennifer Heidinga, who has made it available here with permission and now also as a podcast!--

Jesus replied, \u201cMy Father is always working, and so am I.\u201d (John 5:17)

Way maker. This morning as I listen to worship music and sit at my laptop, I am moved by the song "Way Maker" by Leeland. It has been the song ringing through my heart as I have battled in prayer over this year against darkness, fear, anxiety, cancer and all manner of other things both during and before this pandemic. It is the song that has brought peace to my soul as life around us all changed with leaps and bounds on a daily basis as the reality of the pandemic slowly settled in. The words of this song ring true. "Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness. My God, that is who You are! " It's so easy to get caught up in life. I find my thoughts drifting on a daily basis away from these truths. Regardless what season we are in right now, God is working miracles in our midst, He is making a way as He lights up the dark places. His promises never fail.

"The miracles of nature do not seem miracles because they are so common. If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion would be the most startling event in the world. \u201d \u2013 Unknown

I absolutely love this quote. Our lives are wrought with miracles and instances for joy, if we will only take the time to look for them. Where can you see God at work in your life? In the world around you? Leeland's song continues: "Even when I don't see it, You're working. Even when I don't feel it, You're working. You never stop working." Even in our times of darkest despair, grief, stress, fatigue (emotional/mental/physical), or anything else that comes at us throughout our lifetime, God is working in it and through it.

God is in control of all things which happen (or don't happen). I was talking to a friend recently who said that the hardest part of this pandemic for her has been the feeling of loss of control. Being unable to control what is happening around her, the circumstances and situations of life. She has drifting thoughts, just like me. But when I think about that conversation I can say that she's never been able to control what happens in her life, and neither have I, neither have you. Sometimes we may 'feel' like we're in control of everything when really, we're just deluding ourselves. When we take an honest look at our lives, we start to see that the places where we hold the tightest grip are the places where God is working within us the most. Nudging, prompting, convicting us to let go of control and trust Him. When we start to give up control in even the smallest areas of life, we not only start to feel his peace on a deeper level, but we can more easily see him at work in our lives and in the world around us. Maybe if we start to allow our thoughts to drift towards the things of God more often instead of drifting towards the fears, anxieties and unknowns of life, maybe then we will more easily be able to see what Leeland sings about in the song Way Maker. God is making a way, he is lighting up the darkness, he is working miracles even in the mundane. He is in control and he is working in us and in our midst, whether we see it or not.

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