Trust God’s Heart

Like me, you have probably said, “I don’t know what God is doing. I don’t understand why God is allowing this to happen.” Our finite minds cannot fully comprehend God’s wisdom and unsearchable judgments. And some things are not for us to understand, but to simply obey and trust Him to reveal to us when and if He chooses to do so. Our limitations often keep us from grasping some things that happen in our personal life and in the world. Therefore, God hasn’t told us everything beforehand. He does so on an ‘as needed’ basis.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33)

If He told us everything we would have no reason to have faith in His word or to trust Him. In our humanity, we have a tendency to be totally independent and do things our way rather than God’s way. Over the years I have learned that as painful and disappointing as life events are, I must trust God.  The words of Babbie Mason’s song, “when we don’t see His hand, trust His heart” ministered to me during my “why” days.

“The LORD our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions. (Deuteronomy 29:29 New Living Translation)

In chapters 27 through 29 of Deuteronomy, Moses summarized a review of God’s covenant with the Israelites.  He outlined the curses and blessings that would result based on their choice to obey or disobey the terms of the covenant. The essence of his review was to remind them to obey the terms of the covenant so that they will prosper in everything they do. He rehearsed their past experiences in Egyptian captivity. He explained the blessings for obedience and the consequences of disobedience. He told them about the devastation and desolation of the land if they didn’t keep the covenant. The question of the surrounding nations would be, “Why did this happen?” The answer would be because the terms of the covenant were not obeyed.

The above passage quoted from verse 29 of chapter 29 ended with the matter of accountability relative to Yahweh’s sovereign decision. Here is the relevance for us today: There are some things that God in His Sovereignty, infinite knowledge and wisdom do not reveal to us; therefore, He does not hold us accountable; but we are accountable for what He does reveal (uncover) concerning His instructions, plans, and purposes. Ultimately, we have a choice just as the Israelites—obey and be blessed or disobey and suffer the consequences. Yes, even under the dispensation of grace, if you’re wondering.

We may never know, like or understand the why in a situation or the what about circumstances. Nevertheless, what we should do is trust Him completely, draw closer in our relationship with Christ, be confident in His promise to never abandon (forsake) us, and be assured that He will carry us through our wilderness wanderings, provide for us and comfort all who turn to Him as our loving Father.

God has a purpose for everything! I know it is easy to blame God for the painful things that happen in this fallen world. However, blaming Him does not change anything. God is still God and He is not intimidated or threatened by our feelings. He still loves us unconditionally. Remember, He knew us before we were conceived (beyond your understanding, right?) He has planned that all things work together for our good. 

Dearly beloved, you may not know, like nor understand the what or the why God allows things to happen in your personal life and this world, my encouragement to you is please trust His heart, which is filled with unconditional love for you.

When you don’t understand God’s plan and can’t see His hand, you can trust His heart.

Think about it! Talk to Him honestly about your feelings. He listens and He cares.

Copyright 2017. All rights reserved. Majestic Worldwide Ministries, Inc.

When there’s no light at the end of the tunnel

How long is a little while?

The struggles in life has a way of making you feel there is no end to the tunnel.  Darkness seems to cover you like a blanket with no sign of a light.

Unashamedly I admit, over the last fifteen years I asked consistently, “Lord, how long is the pain of betrayal, broken relationships, grief from the loss of loved ones and possessions going to last?  When will the struggles end?” Needless to say, He did not give me a specific timeframe.  Instead, He always reminded me of His Word.   After a while, I stop asking how long and started rehearsing the promises He had given me.  My attitude changed. The more I meditated and spoke aloud His Word over my life and situations, the more my anxiety was replaced by God’s peace.  Still there were nights I cried myself to sleep, but I never stopped rehearsing the promises. I held on to them regardless of what I felt, saw and experienced. I believed God!

Like me, have you looked for the light at the end of the tunnel and wondered how long your troubles would last?

Just know you are not alone while traveling through your tunnel a little while longer.

I posted the following status to my Facebook page earlier this week.   Reading it again the next day or so was like getting a burst of energy from an energy drink.

Your suffering is temporary. Go through the “making” process.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 5:10 NIV.

During the time Peter wrote to the Christians, persecution was not just confined to the churches in Asia Minor. Christians were suffering from intense persecution almost everywhere in the known world of that day because they were preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ. Peter wrote to remind and console them and us too.  He was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write and encourage them to emulate those who had successfully gone through the test of suffering.  It is important and beneficial to surround yourself with people who have successfully endured some dark days of suffering and can offer you the encouragement you need to stand firm and not give up.

Suffering on this earth—although it appears to be endless—is temporary.  It is much easier to focus on the uncertainty of the length of time we will suffer.  Only God knows the duration of our sufferings.  He sovereignly defines the ‘little while’.  No one’s time of suffering is the same.  Remember Job? He suffered the loss of all things, including his health.  Through it all, he held on even enduring the criticisms and misunderstandings of his friends.

Your suffering is temporary. God through the “making” process.

The duration of your pain will be different from others, but the focal point should not be the time frame.  Focus on the promised outcome after the set time (little while) of suffering is completed.  After you have suffered a little while, here are four (4) things the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself do:

•  Restore you.  Whatever is broken or missing, He will mend and repair so that you are complete. However long you suffered, afterwards you will be restored.  Your restoration may be physically or spiritually.
•  Establish you. Suffering affects our mental health; our thoughts are usually focused on our condition and circumstances.  It’s easy for spirits of depression and oppression to control our thinking. God will make you stable in your mind; you will need mental stability. He will make you strong in mind. A strong and stable mindset is essential to your well-being physically, emotionally and spiritually.
• Strengthen you.  Suffering affects you emotionally; therefore, God will make you firm in your emotions. Where you are emotionally weak and unsteady, He will strengthen your soul.
• Settle you. Because your whole being has been shaken by your suffering, God will settle (establish) you.  He will lay again a firm foundation to uphold you so that you are stable in all your ways, not wavering, but confident in the God of your salvation.

Why would God do all this after you have suffered for a while?  Because it was never God’s intention for us live in a place of darkness, defeat, disappointment and discouragement .  Again I ask, remember Job?  At the end of Job’s suffering, however long it was, God restored him and all he lost with double.  God’s desire from the beginning has always been for our good. His will is for all mankind to live victoriously through faith in Jesus Christ (John 10:10). His desire is that we be ‘whole’ human beings in a loving relationship with Him.  All that He allows to happen in the life of His children is scripted with purpose. It is usually in times of suffering and adversity that we draw closer to Him through prayer and supplication.  Moreover, He draws closer to us. During suffering is not the time to become bitter; look to God for the better.

Yes, the struggles in life has a way of making you feel there is no light at the end of the tunnel, and darkness covers you like a blanket with no sign of a light.  But, we must remember the promises while traveling through the tunnel of darkness. Get in the Word of God because the entrance of His Words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130). May you be enlightened and encouraged by this post.

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Your turn..

What will you do when it seems like a ‘little while’ has turned into a long while in a tunnel of darkness?

Will you admit that you focus more on ‘how long’ rather than promised outcome after the suffering?  If you admit yes, what will you do differently after reading this post?

Meditate on this Word: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”  -Romans 8:28

Thoughts and Prayers

By Michael Brick and John L. Mone of Associated Press

 

Once again, grief and sorrow has invaded the lives of families and friends. This time, 1840 miles apart…from Boston to a small town, some may have never heard of–West, Texas.  Although the scenes were different, the pain is the same–immeasurable. Hearts are broken, people died, injuries are substantial and grief is like a blanket of darkness covering the minds of all affected. 

Some will call these explosions just coincidental . Some will dig deeper for hidden messages and spiritual meaning. Yet,  some will write them off nonchalantly as “life happens”.   Unashamed, I’m persuaded to believe nothing in life just happens!   Whatever you choose to believe, the one thing I believe we can agree on is that pain is not prejudice.  And as long as we live on this earth, pain is inevitable. Whether intentional or accidental, the one thing that these explosions, miles apart and different scenarios, has done is bring hope out of tragedy and turned our hearts and mind to prayer and solace in believing others are thinking about the injured and the many who face the pain of separation and grief.

When everything around us seems to explode, once again we are given the opportunity to embrace each other in love, offer words of comfort and pray believing that God hears and Jesus mourns with us, even though “evil” maybe rejoicing.   But in the fullness of His time, there will be no more pain, tears and sorrows.  This life, as we know it, will no longer be and those who believe and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord will be with Him in eternity. This is our hope in times of adversity and tragedy.

Praying!

 

 

Related articles

• Finding Hope in the Midst of Grief (hillsbiblechurch.org)
• Push through pain in prayer. (xxchristiangirl.wordpress.com)
• West, Texas mayor: ‘I ask for your prayers’ (khou.com)

 

9/11: Lest we forget…

Photography by: Pool, Getty Images

Lest we forget that day that we mourned together as a nation, we may never learn to celebrate together as a nation.

So every year on September 11th, we are reminded that pain is not prejudice and sorrow does not segregate on basis of national origin, color of skin, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender.  If that day we mourned together as a nation has taught us anything, it should be that we are all human beings, frail at our best; that life is sacred, and we can be here today and gone within an hour.

And lest we forget, we must be reminded that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

It is my prayer that we as Americans will rise above petty differences, and pessimistic perceptions; put an end to polarizing political views, and outlandish promises to get elected; stop racial ratifications, and repent of immoral and illicit behaviors; seek God’s forgiveness, and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and live in peace and love with one another as brothers and sisters.

Photograph by: Spencer Platt, GETTY IMAGES

I pray for those who suffered such great loss on that day eleven years ago.  I pray that they are healed and restored, and they are able celebrate the life of their loved one and friends each year with happy memories that will give comfort and peace.

May God continue to bless America, and shed His Grace on her.

Again we mourn

Here we are again, a Nation mourning the loss of our fellow Americans.  We have been hit with another tragedy that pierces our heart, redirects our focus and reminds us of what matters most.

My thoughts and prayers are toward Aurora, Colorado, the family and friends of the victims, the survivors, and yes, the family of the suspect apprehended by law enforcement.   I can only imagine in part the grief gripping those who are trying to comprehend this atrocity.

As in the past when tragedy struck,  many are asking why. My question is not so much as to why this happened.  After all the mass shootings we’ve had, my question is when will we as a nation and a people come together before a tragedy shock into reality…stop us in our tracks for a day, bringing political agendas to a halt…when will we as a nation fall on our knees crying out to God to save our lives before innocent lives are snuffed out, or when will we hold prayer vigils in our neighborhoods and churches before a massacre.   It’s obvious sadistic crimes and unimaginable violence have transferred from the big screen, and video games into minds of our children, youth and young adults. It’s reality with real guns and ammunition that kill innocent people—young and old.  It is not the figment of one’s imagination penned in a script to be acted out on a stage. It’s being played out in real life by real people in desperation.

Life is sacred and fragile, and death is a reality.  But that reality can be even more painful when it leaves us wondering what could have been done to prevent such a tragic outcome; or are we doing everything we can to save lives, or are we doing more to destroy lives and promote hopelessness among our own people.

Tragedy is not tailor-made for certain class of people.  Pain is not prejudice.  We are all human—we all bleed red blood; we all hurt regardless of the color of our skin,  religious beliefs, gender, or sexual orientation.  Death does not discriminate. And evil is ever-present lurking to lure any unsuspecting soul into the abyss. Moreover, God is always present to help us get through any tragedy when we open our hearts to receive His comforting strength, believe His Word and obey it. I choose to believe that we are still blessed and that He mourns with us, again.

Jessica Ghawi, aka Jessica Redfield is just one victim that has been identified and her story is one we should take notice of. Her life was spared last month in a mall shooting in Toronto, but today her family mourns her loss.  We mourn with you.  On June 5, 2012, she posted her thoughts on the Eaton Center shooting in Toronto on her blog.  Her story is one that should redirect our focus, and change our perspective on what matters most.  Here’s an excerpt from her blog:

I was shown how fragile life was on Saturday. I saw the terror on bystanders’ faces. I saw the victims of a senseless crime. I saw lives change. I was reminded that we don’t know when or where our time on Earth will end. When or where we will breathe our last breath. For one man, it was in the middle of a busy food court on a Saturday evening.

I say all the time that every moment we have to live our life is a blessing. So often I have found myself taking it for granted. Every hug from a family member. Every laugh we share with friends. Even the times of solitude are all blessings. Every second of every day is a gift. After Saturday evening, I know I truly understand how blessed I am for each second I am given.

I feel like I am overreacting about what I experienced. But I can’t help but be thankful for whatever caused me to make the choices that I made that day. My mind keeps replaying what I saw over in my head. I hope the victims make a full recovery. I wish I could shake this odd feeling from my chest. The feeling that’s reminding me how blessed I am. The same feeling that made me leave the Eaton Center. The feeling that may have potentially saved my life.

Related articles

• Police: Shots fired at Canada mall, 1 dead (cnsnews.com)
• One dead in Toronto Eaton’s Centre shooting, eight victims in total (vancouversun.com)
• Police: 14 dead in Colorado theater shooting (kansascity.com)

Grace to handle “it”

My very dear and close friend sent me this word today!  It was two weeks ago (Friday afternoon, June 8, 2012) that I received that phone call about the passing of my only grandson, James, in a single car accident.  It changed not only my agenda for that day, but I believe it also changed my agenda for life.  Like an oversized arrow,  it pierced my heart and left a hole so big that only the Master can mend with GRACE.   This word is so “on-time” for today.  I just had to share it with my faithful readers.  Just as I am being strengthened and comforted by God’s Holy presence, I believe there’s someone else who needs to experience God’s grace too.  We may never understand or even like what God allows to happen that so deeply grieves our heart, but I choose to believe there’s a purpose and plan beyond our comprehension.  And, at the end of the day, I am compelled to say, “Lord, I trust you.”

“HE GIVES MORE GRACE.” JAMES 4:6 NKJV

 

The grace to handle it

          Nancy and Ed Hulzinga were at church rehearsing for the Christmas program when their home burned down. It wasn’t their first tragedy that year. Three months earlier when a friend, a widow with two teenagers, died of cancer, the Hulzingas took her kids into their family. So when the house was destroyed it wasn’t just their home they lost, it was the home of two kids who’d already lost their parents. The following week, as they sifted through the ashes, they found a slip of paper that survived the fire. On it they read these words: “Contentment: Realizing God has already provided everything we need for our present happiness.” God gives you “more grace” when you walk through the fiery trials.

One Bible teacher says: “Our perspective changes when we catch a glimpse of the purpose of Christ. Take that away, and it’s nothing more than a bitter, terrible experience. Suffering comes in many forms, but His grace is always there to carry us beyond it. I’ve endured a sufficient number of trials to say without hesitation that only Christ’s perspective can replace resentment with rejoicing. Jesus is the central piece of suffering’s puzzle. If we fit Him into place, the rest begins to make sense.” Donna VanLiere writes: “When life blindsides us…and the diagnosis, abuse, foreclosure, broken marriage, death, or financial collapse brings us to our knees…grace says there’s more love after infidelity, more joy after the diagnosis, and more life after financial ruin…grace is real…an indomitable gift with power to change your life. But it comes with one condition – like any gift, you have to reach out and take it.”

 Bob Gass

The Word for you today.

 

Thank you, Bob Gass for this timely word!!!