I feel like I’m stuck in the molasses swamp on Candy Land. Lose a turn. But I can’t get out. Can’t find another color to move on.

I can’t even truly pinpoint why I’m stuck. When did I even draw that card? How long have I been here and not realized it?

I heard Something Beautiful on the radio by Steven Curtis Chapman. It struck a chord in me.

“…watch God take the most broken things, and to hear Him say, ‘When I get through – you’re gonna be amazed.’ Cause God said, I’m gonna turn it into something different, I’m gonna turn it into something good. I’m gonna take all the broken pieces and make something beautiful like only I could. So put it all in the hands of Father. Give it up, give it all over…”

I love the idea of giving Him my broken pieces and Him fitting those together into something beautiful. I love it when that song is tied to a story where we see the Something Beautiful. But when you’re in the middle of the molasses swamp and staring at all the broken pieces, yeah, it’s not so warm and fuzzy.

And that’s why I’m writing about faith. Mine seems so small. I’m usually the one telling others God’s making something beautiful and today, I need to hear it.

I need to raise my arm out of this sticky, eeky molasses. It takes faith, energy and dependence on my Heavenly Father to raise me up. Which reminds me of another song –

“You raise me up so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up to walk the stormy seas. And I am strong when I am on your shoulders. O You raise me up to more than I can be.”

Yes, Lord, raise me up to more than I can be. This hand is sticky, dirty and yucky but, it’s reaching out to you – only you, for help. I pray you would grow my faith, my trust in you and my love for you.

So that’s where I am. The raw, honest truth. Have you ever been there? Been stuck and don’t see how you can get out? You wonder, does anyone see you? Does anyone care? Yes. They do.

I turned to the Word, nervously even, for I didn’t want to read something that would make me feel more dirty or icky. I turned to Isaiah, and this is what spoke to me. I pray it will speak to you too.

Isaiah 45:1-3

“…to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:

I will go before you and will level the mountains;

I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.

I will give you treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places,

so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel,

who summons you by name.”

Isaiah 45:5-7 “I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me,

that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west,

that there is none besides me;

I am the Lord and there is not others.

I form light and create darkness.

I make well-being and create calamity,

I am the Lord who does all these things.”

Isaiah 45:12-13

“I made the earth and created man on it;

it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,

and I commanded all their host.

I have stirred him up in righteousness,

and I will make all his ways lever;

he shall build my city and set my exiles free.

Not for price or reward.”

Amen. Sometimes we have to wade through the molasses swamp. But God is still there. He hasn’t left and He will raise us up! He knows our name and know right where we are.

This post is part of a series through out the month of October called #write31days. To see the whole series and catch up, click HERE.