A key element of my podcast is understanding how people live their faith and how it supports them. A recent Christian podcast guest, Allyson Hilliard, is a good example. She feels a deep connection with the phrase ‘the Lord will provide’ in the following bible quote, deriving great comfort from it in times of need.
"So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”[1] (New International Version, Genesis 22:14)
She spoke of how the phrase is a touchstone, reminding her that she is not alone in the darkness. God is by her side. Believing in something greater than herself and holding on to some hope has gotten her through difficult times, even life-threatening times.
“If I hadn't had something to hold onto and something to believe in some kind of hope, I wouldn't be here. Like, I mean it literally, I would not be here.”
Allyson believes that God is not just by her side in times of need but has a plan and purpose for her life. She leans on faith in good times and bad. God is in all of it, knows more than she does and has a plan and a purpose for even the bad things that happen. There have been times when bad situations turned out well for her, continuing: “God is still in control. He still loves me, and some way somehow it's going to work out.”
Asked what she does in the hard dark place, she answered:
“I pray for comfort. I pray for understanding. I pray for strength. I pray for peace to get me through. And I believe that even in the midst of the dark place, God’s still with me.”
The prayers bring comfort, strength and hope every time.
Confident in God’s plan, purpose and guidance, she carries on. When the hard times come, as they do, she prays and feels strengthened. And if all else fails, says ‘The Lord will provide’.
Reflection
I am of mixed minds (mixed feelings for sure) about this – by turns in awe of and baffled by such fervent belief. Certainly, I respect it and continue to be fascinated by it, but the surety, beliefs and experience remain a mirage. I believe that that each of us is a unique individual with our own set of skills and attributes, and our job is to use them to the best of our ability.
Click here to listen to Allyson Hilliard’s episode.
The ‘Living Our Beliefs’ podcast is available on Apple podcasts, other major podcast platforms, and through my Talking with God Project website.
Thoughts? Send comments and questions to me at info@talkingwithgodproject.org. I look forward to hearing from you! Méli
[1] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2022%3A14&version=NIV