I know I’ve been posting a lot lately…but much is in my heart. Here are a few encouragements to my fellow weary travelers in this life…to those who have said or will say, “I can’t live like this or with this for the rest of my life”…for the one with chronic physical, relational, and emotional pain…BE ENCOURAGED:
Although God will bring 100% healing eternally, sometimes temporally, He chooses to hold us instead of heal us. Thank you Lord for this gift!!!
Without faith it’s impossible to please God, but faith’s focus must be Jesus Christ – and no one draws close to Christ who doesn’t first share in His sufferings.
Sometimes God delivers us from the storm and at other times He delivers us through the storm! It’s completely in His hands.
But I trust in You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hands.” Psalm 31:14-15
You can’t teach about suffering from a textbook!
Jesus is a battlefield Jesus who is at my side in the dangerous, often messy trenches of daily life. He is my rescuer, ready to wade through pain, death, and hell itself to find me, grasp me, and bring me safely through! The more intense the pain, the closer His embrace!!!
Our suffering is the key to helping God’s desires become our desires…why? Because His power is PERFECTED in weakness!!!
In God’s grace, He foresees your fear and doesn’t chide or scold you for it. He anticipates it and provides way out of it for you! Amen!!!
Many Christians don’t see God in their trials. If no dramatic miracles seem to be happening – if the floods aren’t receding or the cancer isn’t in remission, they think God must not be at work. If we could only watch God work behind the scenes, we would have a greatly expanded view of His miraculous work!
God is moved by your tears! He stores them in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). His compassion is so great that He remembers your afflictions for all time. He loves you and suffers with you. Keep trusting and resting in Him…one day you will be TOTALLY free!!!
As Christians, we have been totally and eternally healed of sin by Christ’s wounds (Isaiah 53), but He may not choose to give temporary deliverance and relief from your current pain…BUT whether he grants relief to the temporary pain or not, just remember, that healing is right around the corner in our Father’s house!!!
Bottom line: God can do as He likes. HE IS GOD! As Isaiah declares, “My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” And as Job says, “He stands alone, and who can oppose Him? He does whatever He pleases.”
-I’m indebted to Joni Eareckson Tada. I’m reading her book, A Place of Healing, from where many of these thoughts come.
pastorjfreeman 