Do you ever have to "preach" to yourself?? I have been finding that I am needing to do a lot of that lately. I have been a Christian for many years. I have heard countless messages on trials... their purpose, how to handle them, and such like. This latest trial that our family is going through is a doosy!! It has rocked our little world to the core. Over the last week, I have found my mind replaying something my pastor said many years ago.
DO NOT FORGET IN THE DARK WHAT YOU LEARNED WHILE IN THE LIGHT.
I went through a tumultuous health crisis this past spring. By the time school was letting out for the summer, I was really beginning to feel a lot better, and life was normalizing again. We were getting back on track financially from my having to take some time off work. The kids were great...they are at such a fun age, everyone getting along great, grades were great, and life just seemed good. Paul and I were as close as ever. I spent a lot of good, quality time with the kids hiking and swimming and just having great fun. My walk with God was great and I was reading a challenging and deep book about the preacher Charles Spurgeon. I remember saying to my hairdresser (who also happens to be family and a great friend) one day in mid-July, "this summer is just peaceful. Things are just really good right now." And then four days later, a crisis happened...and two weeks after that the beginning of our major crisis happened!
I give that background story to be able to draw in the "light" and "dark" times. I can not tell you how much I now appreciate the beginning of my summer. God gave me a time of rest. A time to recharge. He gave me a time of "light." During this time and other times through my life, I have learned that "God is good, always. God is always up to something good in my life, always." I have learned that "God will always meet my genuine needs, always." I have learned "all things work together for good." I have learned "I will never leave you nor forsake you." I could go on and on!!
But when these "dark" times come, it is so easy to forget what I have learned in the light!!! It seems like a lifetime ago that I was sitting almost carefree on the beaches watching my kiddos play and hiking trails with them. But in reality, it was barely a few weeks ago.
This dark place is so very dark right now. But it is only when I force, and I do mean force! my mind to focus on the things that I know are true...the things I learned in the light... that my darkness begins to brighten. I wish I could say that I do not falter. I wish I could say that my faith is so strong. I wish that I could say that I do not ever doubt God's plan for all of the struggles that I have faced over the last five years. I wish I could say I know a purpose in it all. I can not! I would so love to just know "why!" But for now, when I focus my mind on a verse that I learned way back in elementary school, I find comfort. "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you..." I learned this in the light. I must BELIEVE it in the dark!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
Out of the storm
I love the story of Job. Job is going along in life. He has a good family, successful, and he loved God. Then, in the span of just one day, he lost virtually everything. The first chapter of Job records three times the phrase, "while he was still speaking another messenger came to tell..." That's one very bad day!!! In the chapters that follow, we observe Job in his journey trying to make sense of this dark part of his life.
We know from the beginning of the book of Job, God allows, dare I say encouraged, the devil to challenge Job's faith. God tells Satan, "there is no one on earth like Job, he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." (ch. 1:8) But Satan shoots back that this is only because all is well in Job's life. So God allows Satan to test Job. How can this be?? Isn't God supposed to protect us from evil?? Was God there for Job??
These questions bring me to the meat of this post. A specific phrase is recorded twice for us (in 38:1 and 40:6): "and God answered out of the storm." God spoke to Job. And it wasn't words of condemnation!!!! He didn't say "how dare you sit here in ashes wishing you were never born"!! God did not get angry that Job grieved his losses. When God spoke, it was words of love!! God spends all of chapters 38-39 and much of 40 describing His love and concern for all of creation. One part that my mom heart especially loves is 39:1-2 "Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? Do you know the time they give birth?" If God cares about each wild animal and even knows exactly when they have babies, certainly he cares for me and the struggle I am in!!!!!
Reading deeper into the words, "and God answered Job OUT of the storm," I found immense comfort. Yes, Job was in a storm. Yes, God ALLOWED this storm. But Job was not ALONE. God answered him, and was IN THE STORM WITH JOB!! God did not just allow Satan to attack Job and walk away as uncaring and unconcerned. He was silent for a while, but was always there!! Then, He wraps Job in words of love and care. He says, "brace yourself like a man, I will question you, and you shall answer me." (38:3, 40:7)
Yes, our God does allow storms to rage in our lives. But take comfort, He is right there with us, right in the midst of the tumult! Can I say, like Job, "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted... surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know... My ears had heard you but now my eyes have seen you." (excerpts from 42:2-5)
When we can answer with a heart of peace, somehow that storm seems to calm, and then one day we discover that wonderful truth of "and it came to pass." Storms do come to an end eventually!!!
We know from the beginning of the book of Job, God allows, dare I say encouraged, the devil to challenge Job's faith. God tells Satan, "there is no one on earth like Job, he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." (ch. 1:8) But Satan shoots back that this is only because all is well in Job's life. So God allows Satan to test Job. How can this be?? Isn't God supposed to protect us from evil?? Was God there for Job??
These questions bring me to the meat of this post. A specific phrase is recorded twice for us (in 38:1 and 40:6): "and God answered out of the storm." God spoke to Job. And it wasn't words of condemnation!!!! He didn't say "how dare you sit here in ashes wishing you were never born"!! God did not get angry that Job grieved his losses. When God spoke, it was words of love!! God spends all of chapters 38-39 and much of 40 describing His love and concern for all of creation. One part that my mom heart especially loves is 39:1-2 "Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? Do you know the time they give birth?" If God cares about each wild animal and even knows exactly when they have babies, certainly he cares for me and the struggle I am in!!!!!
Reading deeper into the words, "and God answered Job OUT of the storm," I found immense comfort. Yes, Job was in a storm. Yes, God ALLOWED this storm. But Job was not ALONE. God answered him, and was IN THE STORM WITH JOB!! God did not just allow Satan to attack Job and walk away as uncaring and unconcerned. He was silent for a while, but was always there!! Then, He wraps Job in words of love and care. He says, "brace yourself like a man, I will question you, and you shall answer me." (38:3, 40:7)
Yes, our God does allow storms to rage in our lives. But take comfort, He is right there with us, right in the midst of the tumult! Can I say, like Job, "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted... surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know... My ears had heard you but now my eyes have seen you." (excerpts from 42:2-5)
When we can answer with a heart of peace, somehow that storm seems to calm, and then one day we discover that wonderful truth of "and it came to pass." Storms do come to an end eventually!!!
Monday, April 2, 2012
My most favorite scripture
I had to smile when I saw April's verse of the month for my church. Many Christians have a "life verse." A verse or passage in the Bible that is very special to them. I Corinthians 10:13 is that verse for me. I believe I "found" it somewhere between my junior or senior year of high school, because I remember putting it on all of my book covers my senior year. As the years have gone by, this verse has become soooooo precious to me!!!! So, in honor of Heritage Church's April memory verse, please allow me to share more comfort from God's Word.
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (KJV)
In its context, this verse really is talking about things that tempt us to sin. It is powerful to think of this verse in light of that, but great comfort comes from the realization that this verse can also be applied to trials that come into our life.
Wise Solomon tells us "there is nothing new under the sun." This verse repeats this by saying "no [trial] has taken us but such as is common to man." When I really think about my trial in light of world history, it somehow really minimizes it to know that countless others have gone through it before me! This tends to put me back into a proper perspective of who "I" really am!
"But God is faithful" This phrase is the foundation for the whole verse. Without God's faithfulness, we would have nothing!!! This has also been a very hard phrase for me to really learn. It sure doesn't seem that God is faithful when your life falls apart or things are not at all going the way you really wanted them to. God seems mean and uncaring at those times. HE IS NOT!! The verse continues, "who will not suffer you to be [tried] above that ye are able." We see God's compassion!!!!!! God will not allow me to have one bit more of a trial than what I am able to handle! What a comfort!!
All trials cause us to grow in our character. The final phrase of this verse is what I have quoted the most and has brought me comfort beyond words through the years. Even now, I am choking back the tears as I write them! "But will WITH the [trial] also make a WAY OF ESCAPE that you may be able to bear it." God does not promise to take away my trial. He promises I will be able to bear it!!!!
I have countless examples of this, but probably the most vivid one for me was right after my divorce. I found myself single with four very small kiddos, the youngest just a few weeks old. I had been working a few hours a week at a nursing home before the baby was born, but was on extended leave. As I began combing job sites for possible jobs, my heart broke over the thoughts of having to put my children in day care. My passion is being a stay at home mom, and I sobbed many hours over not being able to do this. I "happened" upon a job posting from the very nursing home that I was still technically employed at. They had a full time position; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 7PM-7AM. Right about this same time, a young woman came to live with me. She would, in exchange for discounted rent, watch my kiddos on the nights I worked. She was far more of a blessing to me than I can ever say!! This schedule was NOT easy. But it allowed me to provide for my family, still be at home with my children ALL week, and only miss putting them to bed at night on the weekends!!! Yes, it was physically exhausting. I averaged 8 hours of sleep per weekend for almost two years.
The trial was great. However, He did not ask me to do what seemed unthinkable. Instead, God gave me a way that was bearable for me!!! What makes this story even more amazing is when I found out I wasn't even supposed to have that position. It should have never have been posted on that job site. An internal employee had applied for it, but had been over-looked. The nursing home had to create a job for me, since they had already officially offered me the position when the mistake was discovered!!!
I praise my heavenly Father for caring enough about my character to NOT take my hard times away, but to give me a "way of escape" so that I can handle it enough to grow!!!
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (KJV)
In its context, this verse really is talking about things that tempt us to sin. It is powerful to think of this verse in light of that, but great comfort comes from the realization that this verse can also be applied to trials that come into our life.
Wise Solomon tells us "there is nothing new under the sun." This verse repeats this by saying "no [trial] has taken us but such as is common to man." When I really think about my trial in light of world history, it somehow really minimizes it to know that countless others have gone through it before me! This tends to put me back into a proper perspective of who "I" really am!
"But God is faithful" This phrase is the foundation for the whole verse. Without God's faithfulness, we would have nothing!!! This has also been a very hard phrase for me to really learn. It sure doesn't seem that God is faithful when your life falls apart or things are not at all going the way you really wanted them to. God seems mean and uncaring at those times. HE IS NOT!! The verse continues, "who will not suffer you to be [tried] above that ye are able." We see God's compassion!!!!!! God will not allow me to have one bit more of a trial than what I am able to handle! What a comfort!!
All trials cause us to grow in our character. The final phrase of this verse is what I have quoted the most and has brought me comfort beyond words through the years. Even now, I am choking back the tears as I write them! "But will WITH the [trial] also make a WAY OF ESCAPE that you may be able to bear it." God does not promise to take away my trial. He promises I will be able to bear it!!!!
I have countless examples of this, but probably the most vivid one for me was right after my divorce. I found myself single with four very small kiddos, the youngest just a few weeks old. I had been working a few hours a week at a nursing home before the baby was born, but was on extended leave. As I began combing job sites for possible jobs, my heart broke over the thoughts of having to put my children in day care. My passion is being a stay at home mom, and I sobbed many hours over not being able to do this. I "happened" upon a job posting from the very nursing home that I was still technically employed at. They had a full time position; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 7PM-7AM. Right about this same time, a young woman came to live with me. She would, in exchange for discounted rent, watch my kiddos on the nights I worked. She was far more of a blessing to me than I can ever say!! This schedule was NOT easy. But it allowed me to provide for my family, still be at home with my children ALL week, and only miss putting them to bed at night on the weekends!!! Yes, it was physically exhausting. I averaged 8 hours of sleep per weekend for almost two years.
The trial was great. However, He did not ask me to do what seemed unthinkable. Instead, God gave me a way that was bearable for me!!! What makes this story even more amazing is when I found out I wasn't even supposed to have that position. It should have never have been posted on that job site. An internal employee had applied for it, but had been over-looked. The nursing home had to create a job for me, since they had already officially offered me the position when the mistake was discovered!!!
I praise my heavenly Father for caring enough about my character to NOT take my hard times away, but to give me a "way of escape" so that I can handle it enough to grow!!!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Wear it until you love it
A movie was made back in the late '90s starring Leonardo DiCaprio called "The Man in the Iron Mask." If you remember this film at all, the basic story line is that a long ago king of England had twin sons. One was raised as a prince (Lois), the other (Phillip) was hid away, not knowing his true identity. Once Lois becomes king, he had his twin brother thrown in prison, his face covered with an iron mask. The Musketeers come along and break the forgotten prince out of prison and have this grand plan to replace the evil Lois with good and humble Phillip. Getting to the point of why I am beginning this post with this story... when Lois finds out Phillip is trying to replace him, there is an epic showdown between them. Phillip begs for Lois to do anything to him but please do not make him wear the mask. Lois' words are so powerful as he hisses with disdain: "back into the mask you will go and into the world you hate. You will wear it until you love it!!!"
I have often compared that scene to trials in my life. I have struggled hard with understanding God's love for me. I find myself thinking many times that God is like Lois, making me do something I hate and then keeping me there until I love it! Logically, I know this is completely unbiblical. God is not some giant thumb in the sky waiting to squish me. But it sure does FEEL that way sometimes!
Numerous times through the years, my pastor has referred me to the main points from Quieting a Noisy Soul by Jim Berg. My God loves me. He always has my best interest in mind. God is always up to something good in my life. Really?? Even when my marriage fell apart, my health is failing, I am loosing my house, battling a rebellious step-son, or I am completely exhausted from trying to balance working and being a mom?? YES!!
Jer. 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." It took me many months for me to really "get" this verse. How could God say he has plans not to harm me when I have had nothing but physical and emotional harm the last five years?? How could I have a hope when I could not even dress myself?? Two stories came across my path last fall that, as I meditated on them, cause the light to slowly dawn for me.
Corrie Ten Boom, a famous survivor of the Holocaust, told the story of how her older sister said they needed to be thankful for everything... even the fleas that infested their prison space. Corrie could not even begin to imagine how to be thankful for the horrible bugs that bit them and caused such pain to them. But then she realized that it was because of the horrible fleas that the guards did not enter the area, thus allowing the women to read their Bibles and pray as much as they wanted!
A woman was speaking on the radio show Mid Day Connection... she told about how she and her husband had been having severe financial difficulties and had lost their business and home. They ended up moving into a family member's abandoned mechanic shop that also had an apartment in the back. It was in horrible disrepair and had many critters living in it! But she came to love that place so much because it is where she learned to rely on God as her only sustainer. She said words that burned into my brain... "I came to never want to leave that disgusting old kitchen, because it was in that kitchen where Christ became so special to me. He was all I had."
As I have thought on these two stories through the last many months, I get it now! Yes, hard times happen. But it is through these hard times, that God shapes my attitude. These last five years have some HARD times!! But I never want to forget them or the closeness that it has created with my Lord and my family. "Wear it until you love it" has taken on a whole new meaning for me. It's not to say that I don't want things to get better, but I appreciate these hard times because I have grown so much through them!!!
I have often compared that scene to trials in my life. I have struggled hard with understanding God's love for me. I find myself thinking many times that God is like Lois, making me do something I hate and then keeping me there until I love it! Logically, I know this is completely unbiblical. God is not some giant thumb in the sky waiting to squish me. But it sure does FEEL that way sometimes!
Numerous times through the years, my pastor has referred me to the main points from Quieting a Noisy Soul by Jim Berg. My God loves me. He always has my best interest in mind. God is always up to something good in my life. Really?? Even when my marriage fell apart, my health is failing, I am loosing my house, battling a rebellious step-son, or I am completely exhausted from trying to balance working and being a mom?? YES!!
Jer. 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." It took me many months for me to really "get" this verse. How could God say he has plans not to harm me when I have had nothing but physical and emotional harm the last five years?? How could I have a hope when I could not even dress myself?? Two stories came across my path last fall that, as I meditated on them, cause the light to slowly dawn for me.
Corrie Ten Boom, a famous survivor of the Holocaust, told the story of how her older sister said they needed to be thankful for everything... even the fleas that infested their prison space. Corrie could not even begin to imagine how to be thankful for the horrible bugs that bit them and caused such pain to them. But then she realized that it was because of the horrible fleas that the guards did not enter the area, thus allowing the women to read their Bibles and pray as much as they wanted!
A woman was speaking on the radio show Mid Day Connection... she told about how she and her husband had been having severe financial difficulties and had lost their business and home. They ended up moving into a family member's abandoned mechanic shop that also had an apartment in the back. It was in horrible disrepair and had many critters living in it! But she came to love that place so much because it is where she learned to rely on God as her only sustainer. She said words that burned into my brain... "I came to never want to leave that disgusting old kitchen, because it was in that kitchen where Christ became so special to me. He was all I had."
As I have thought on these two stories through the last many months, I get it now! Yes, hard times happen. But it is through these hard times, that God shapes my attitude. These last five years have some HARD times!! But I never want to forget them or the closeness that it has created with my Lord and my family. "Wear it until you love it" has taken on a whole new meaning for me. It's not to say that I don't want things to get better, but I appreciate these hard times because I have grown so much through them!!!
Monday, March 12, 2012
His mercies are new every morning
You can't go to church for very long without learning the hymn "Great is Thy Faithfulness." It is practically a staple of the Christian faith!! This great song comes directly from the Scripture in Lamentations 3. I went through deep emotional pain with my divorce. But it was the helplessness of physical suffering that brought me to my lowest points. I hated that I could not dress myself without help. Paul had to cut my food long after my surgeries. I missed playing the piano so badly! I still struggle to open a water bottle.
I will never forget the night when the full weight of Lam. 3:23 hit me. I had been busy with all the functions of being a busy mom all day, and then went right into work for my usual 12 hour night shift...of course not having rested at all. My hand began throbbing badly, and I found myself in the soiled utility room running my hand under hot water to relieve the pain. As I stood sobbing (yes, with dirty laundry and trash all around me,) allowing the hot water to ease my physical pain, I cried out silently to the Lord, "I can't go on any more, and yet I still have 10 hours left of my shift!" Almost instantly, a voice inside my head said, "his mercies are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness." If God can give new mercy each morning, surly He can carry me through my all-nighter! As I went back out to continue my work, I was comforted by this. I can not even tell you how many times I recited that verse through that night and many nights after!!
In the days that followed, I looked the verse up and found that a huge chunk of Lam. 3 is so special! It has quickly become a go-to passage for me when needing comfort. If you look in my Bible, you will find that verses 18-42 are all underlined and then also verses 55-60!!!
"...and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "the Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for Him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him." (Lam. 3:20-25, NIV)
The phrase "yet I call this to mind" hit me so hard! This must be a deliberate act! I have to choose to remember that God's grace sustains me. Oh, and then there's that word "wait" again! I really don't like to wait for my trials to go away!! I want it to be gone now. But, "the Lord IS good to those whose HOPE..." This verse is in the active, present tense. God IS good. I must put my TRUST in HIM and thus I have HOPE!!!!
I can't tell you all is roses now in my life. But I have a hope and a peace... because His mercy is new each morning!!!
I will never forget the night when the full weight of Lam. 3:23 hit me. I had been busy with all the functions of being a busy mom all day, and then went right into work for my usual 12 hour night shift...of course not having rested at all. My hand began throbbing badly, and I found myself in the soiled utility room running my hand under hot water to relieve the pain. As I stood sobbing (yes, with dirty laundry and trash all around me,) allowing the hot water to ease my physical pain, I cried out silently to the Lord, "I can't go on any more, and yet I still have 10 hours left of my shift!" Almost instantly, a voice inside my head said, "his mercies are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness." If God can give new mercy each morning, surly He can carry me through my all-nighter! As I went back out to continue my work, I was comforted by this. I can not even tell you how many times I recited that verse through that night and many nights after!!
In the days that followed, I looked the verse up and found that a huge chunk of Lam. 3 is so special! It has quickly become a go-to passage for me when needing comfort. If you look in my Bible, you will find that verses 18-42 are all underlined and then also verses 55-60!!!
"...and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "the Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for Him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him." (Lam. 3:20-25, NIV)
The phrase "yet I call this to mind" hit me so hard! This must be a deliberate act! I have to choose to remember that God's grace sustains me. Oh, and then there's that word "wait" again! I really don't like to wait for my trials to go away!! I want it to be gone now. But, "the Lord IS good to those whose HOPE..." This verse is in the active, present tense. God IS good. I must put my TRUST in HIM and thus I have HOPE!!!!
I can't tell you all is roses now in my life. But I have a hope and a peace... because His mercy is new each morning!!!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Patience
Psalm 40:1 "I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry."
I used to think I was a very patient person. I am great with small children, and love working with the infirmed, elderly, or handicapped. It takes a lot to get me really angry. Very few people have ever seen me yell. Over the last year, I have learned just how short my patience actually is. I hate waiting!! I hate feeling helpless, and I want it gone NOW!! i struggle with some chronic illness and injury. I want to be healthy. But God has asked me deal with long-term health issues. I have a heart's desire to be at home with my children and not work outside the home. This is a Biblical and good desire... but I want it NOW!! For reasons still not completely clear to me, God has chosen to ask me to wait for these things. I have complete peace that He will grant my desire to be home. But God is asking me to wait.
My Pastor once spoke on the verse above. He stated that in the original text, the word "waited" literally means "in waiting, I waited." Being the forever-thinking-like-a-mom that I am, I relate this to my pregnancy days. The last month was pure torture all four times!!! My body never wanted to give up the babies, and I would contract for days and even weeks sometimes. Just when I would think surely this is the real thing, all would stop. "In waiting, I waited." And waited some more!!! But delivery would always come, and I had a sweet baby in my arms.
"... He turned to me and heard my cry." This is a promise; again, an absolute!! God DOES hear us!!!!! He may ask us to develop patience, but Jesus cares!!
I love the old song "Does Jesus Care"
"Does Jesus care? Oh, yes, he cares! His heart is touched with my grief. When the days are weary and long night dreary, I know my Savior cares!"
I used to think I was a very patient person. I am great with small children, and love working with the infirmed, elderly, or handicapped. It takes a lot to get me really angry. Very few people have ever seen me yell. Over the last year, I have learned just how short my patience actually is. I hate waiting!! I hate feeling helpless, and I want it gone NOW!! i struggle with some chronic illness and injury. I want to be healthy. But God has asked me deal with long-term health issues. I have a heart's desire to be at home with my children and not work outside the home. This is a Biblical and good desire... but I want it NOW!! For reasons still not completely clear to me, God has chosen to ask me to wait for these things. I have complete peace that He will grant my desire to be home. But God is asking me to wait.
My Pastor once spoke on the verse above. He stated that in the original text, the word "waited" literally means "in waiting, I waited." Being the forever-thinking-like-a-mom that I am, I relate this to my pregnancy days. The last month was pure torture all four times!!! My body never wanted to give up the babies, and I would contract for days and even weeks sometimes. Just when I would think surely this is the real thing, all would stop. "In waiting, I waited." And waited some more!!! But delivery would always come, and I had a sweet baby in my arms.
"... He turned to me and heard my cry." This is a promise; again, an absolute!! God DOES hear us!!!!! He may ask us to develop patience, but Jesus cares!!
I love the old song "Does Jesus Care"
"Does Jesus care? Oh, yes, he cares! His heart is touched with my grief. When the days are weary and long night dreary, I know my Savior cares!"
Monday, February 13, 2012
All Things
I have had so many Scriptures that have taken on such deep meaning during my desert times. Right up on the top of the list is Romans 8:28. I'm sure many of you could quote this verse right now. I first memorized it way back in elementary school, I'm sure! I even learned it to a cute little peppy Sunday School song. It's sounds so great and cozy, but so many times we can use this verse to trick ourselves into thinking our life should be nothing but roses because we have Christ!
"And we know all things work together for good, to them that love the Lord, to those who are called according to his purpose." Please allow me to pick this verse apart word by word.
"And we" This pronoun usage is very important. It includes the reader. It doesn't say "and pastors know" or "and only mature Christians." The usage of the word "we" makes this verse immediately personal.
"And we know" This is an absolute. It doesn't say "we think" or "we hope." It leaves no room for doubt.
"And we know all things" Again, an absolute word. You know that saying, "all means all and that's all all means!!"
"And we know all things work" This word "work" is loaded. When the Dr. that delivered Kristen was preparing me for what labor would be like, he said something that has stuck with me all these years. He said that it is called "labor" for a reason. If it was supposed to be easy, it would be called "a walk in the park!" The very word "work" denotes that the task will not be easy.
"And we know all things work together" Scripture does not say each individual thing is good, but promises that circumstances will weave together.
"And we know all things work together for good" This is where the rubber meets the road. So many times we think this means all things are going to be good. It says "for good." Was my debilitating hand injury good? No, but it worked for my good by making me lean on my Lord more!!
"And we know all things work together for good, to them that love the Lord, to them who are called according to his purpose." I am so NOT going to get into the theology of election. Someone else can have that debate on their blog!!!!! What is unmistakable in this last phrase is the comfort it gives to Christians. God gave this verse specifically to comfort His people!!!
"And we know all things work together for good, to them that love the Lord, to those who are called according to his purpose." Please allow me to pick this verse apart word by word.
"And we" This pronoun usage is very important. It includes the reader. It doesn't say "and pastors know" or "and only mature Christians." The usage of the word "we" makes this verse immediately personal.
"And we know" This is an absolute. It doesn't say "we think" or "we hope." It leaves no room for doubt.
"And we know all things" Again, an absolute word. You know that saying, "all means all and that's all all means!!"
"And we know all things work" This word "work" is loaded. When the Dr. that delivered Kristen was preparing me for what labor would be like, he said something that has stuck with me all these years. He said that it is called "labor" for a reason. If it was supposed to be easy, it would be called "a walk in the park!" The very word "work" denotes that the task will not be easy.
"And we know all things work together" Scripture does not say each individual thing is good, but promises that circumstances will weave together.
"And we know all things work together for good" This is where the rubber meets the road. So many times we think this means all things are going to be good. It says "for good." Was my debilitating hand injury good? No, but it worked for my good by making me lean on my Lord more!!
"And we know all things work together for good, to them that love the Lord, to them who are called according to his purpose." I am so NOT going to get into the theology of election. Someone else can have that debate on their blog!!!!! What is unmistakable in this last phrase is the comfort it gives to Christians. God gave this verse specifically to comfort His people!!!
The heart of this blog
The desire for this blog is very different from my past blog or even my facebook page. It is the brainchild of many months of thoughts. You will not find funny quotes from my kids here. I will not be writing about any family vacations or things we do here. You will not find any "soapbox" statements here. I have struggled hard through the last five years. I have weathered many storms, but none so tumultuous as my physical struggle of this last year. It rendered me almost useless both pysically and spritually for a time. As I struggled with finding a purpose for why I was allowed to go through such deep pain, I began to SEE people. Everywhere you turn, people are hurting. Deep, gut-wrenching pain. And so many times, people do not want someone to "fix" them as much as they want someone to care. I mean, really care. Someone to come along side them, put an arm around them, and lift them up in a prayer.
It was in this realization, that I found the purpose for why God has allowed me to struggle so hard these last five years. I have always been a sensitive and caring person, but through the struggles of life, my "Barnabas" qualities are being fine tuned. It is my deep desire that this blog will be a source of encouragement for the hurting and weary of heart.
With the title "Oasis of Peace in the desert of life," I would like to paint a picture of the trials of life being a vast destert full of hot, dry, parched land. But in the midst of this desert, you stumble upon a cool stream complete with shade trees and lush green grass where you can rest. This "Oasis of Peace" comes from Christ.
It was in this realization, that I found the purpose for why God has allowed me to struggle so hard these last five years. I have always been a sensitive and caring person, but through the struggles of life, my "Barnabas" qualities are being fine tuned. It is my deep desire that this blog will be a source of encouragement for the hurting and weary of heart.
With the title "Oasis of Peace in the desert of life," I would like to paint a picture of the trials of life being a vast destert full of hot, dry, parched land. But in the midst of this desert, you stumble upon a cool stream complete with shade trees and lush green grass where you can rest. This "Oasis of Peace" comes from Christ.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)