Wasted Time

When I walked my dog the other morning, I contemplated time. Wasted time specifically. I have found it easy to spend hours on the computer reading Facebook, playing games, or checking my email as frequently as if I were expecting a letter telling me I won the lottery. Hours. Hours and hours spent doing nothing of significant value. Wasted time.

Then I considered God and His gift of my life. A life which has a purpose. A life HE has a plan for. A life with a limited number of days on this planet. How many days of that predetermined lifespan have I wasted? There is a purpose and a work for me to do on earth. What if, by my own laziness or distraction, I fail to complete said work.. Will God extend my days so I have more time to complete it? I don’t think so. I will have to stand before Him and in sorrow realize how much of His gift I wasted. 

Satan’s goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. He distracts us with even good things to keep us from the GOD things. He has stolen many days of my life through distraction. My eyes have been turned from God’s purposes and plans; my focus shifted to other things deemed more interesting or entertaining at the moment.

In these confusing, uncertain days, my focus needs to shift back to the things of God. That means certain things will have to take a back seat, or maybe even be eliminated altogether. Discipline is hard, but I need to make a concerted effort to put God first in ALL areas of my life. If indeed these are the last days, there is a Word to be proclaimed. God’s Word needs to be sent out, and if I can be a tool to further His kingdom, then I must make it a priority. It should have been all along.

So today, a new start graciously allowed by a loving Heavenly Father. A new focus. I may not get extra days of life to complete His assigned work for me, but I will make the best of the ones I have left. No more wasted time.

Rainbows and Promises

On one of my recent walks, I happened to look up to see a partial, but very bright and intense rainbow backdropped against a lone, puffy white cloud. I didn't expect to see a rainbow since the sun was bright and the sky a vivid blue, but it made me smile instantly. It's kind of this thing between me and God; His little nod to me that life's going to be okay and that He's smiling down at me, and I respond with gratitude and love for His presence in my life. It's like a cheerful hug in the sky from a dearly loved friend. 

Rainbows always make me smile, especially since I went through the darkest valley of my life a number of years ago. They remind me that God makes, and keeps, His promises. 

Throughout the Bible we see God has given us many promises, but sometimes they can be hard to lay hold of, or actually believe, because they are written words. They are something we cannot physically hold on to or appreciate with our five human senses. They are promises we have to accept by faith.

Maybe that's why I like rainbows. They are a seeable, detectible example of His many promises to us. They break into our earthly, observable realm to speak volumes of hope to us. 
 
As I continued my walk, I kept looking up to watch the beauty of its multi-colored arch. A neighbor rode by on his bike and I pointed out the rainbow to him. He mentioned someone up the road was taking a picture, but he didn't know of what until I pointed it out. He stopped and admired it for a few minutes, too, a smile crossed his face as he peddled onward.

It occurred to me that most of the people out on this morning missed the beauty of the rainbow. It wasn't the type of weather we would expect to see one, so they wouldn't be looking for it. Others were busy driving to jobs or school, and some still in their homes. 

But whether they saw it or not, it was still there. God's promises are always present and active, even if we don't sense them. 

Perhaps many missed its beauty simply because they weren't looking up. How much of God do we miss because our eyes are focused on worldly things or the cares of the day? We are too busy looking down at the things happening around us. The Word tells us to "look up" for our redemption [deliverance, salvation] draws nigh. {Luke 21:28}

Look up. Look up! When I look up to Him, I begin to see His promises. My faith and hope are increased. 

When I turned around to come home, I could no longer see the rainbow because it was behind me; I was facing the wrong way. I thought about how many people don't see God's promises because they are going the wrong way. Instead of coming TO Him, they are walking or running AWAY from Him. 

Rainbows often show up during storms. Isn't it cool that often during the stormy times of our lives, that's when God reminds us of His presence...of His never-ending promises?

Every time I see a rainbow, I am reminded of what God promised all of us. It is visible, verifiable evidence of a God who is faithful and true to His word. It reflects His love and care for us even in the dark and stormy times of life. 

The next time you see a rainbow, remember the One who created it to prove His promises are true and can be depended on, just like His love for you.

Stuck in a Well

The minute I walked into the house I heard crying. Loud, desperate crying that became more insistent as the minutes passed. Louder and more frantic.

I couldn’t take it. It would drive me mad to sit and listen to it for hours and do nothing. I knew at some point it would stop, but how long would it take, and what would the resulting silence mean? What was wrong? Where were these pleas for help coming from? What could I do?

The farmhouse we lived in was old. The back porch extended the width of the house, and based on its simple wood-framed construction, you could see it had been added years after the house was built. The basement was very rustic--a “Michigan basement.” Cement floor, stone and dirt walls 3/4 of the way up, then a cement shelf at the top of the walls extending 3 feet deep to the foundation of the house. Very dirty, damp, and undesirable.

It was Sunday and we had just returned home from church. The moment we walked into the old back porch; we heard the crying. It was the distraught meows of a cat.

Dad was unconcerned and figured it would find a way out of its situation like most animals did. He ignored the incessant meowing and read his newspaper. Meanwhile, I became more desperate with each minute that passed. I needed to help the cat--wherever it was. I loved my cats and wasn’t about to let one suffer or die while I sat listening to its cries.

The meowing was louder in the back porch, so Mom and I thought maybe it had crawled underneath and was trapped in some way or was hurt and unable to get itself back out. With no way to get under the porch from outside, we went to the basement to look for a possible way in.

Up on the filthy cement shelf we saw an old window built into the foundation which opened to the space under the porch. It was small-- no more than 14 inches tall and 30 inches wide. We propped it open and shined the flashlight into the dirt floored, spider-webbed space. It seemed safe enough, and we heard the cat’s cries louder than ever. It was definitely here, but where? We both managed to wiggle through the window and belly-crawl toward her yowling. When we found her, my heart sank.

She had fallen into an old well. Ten or more feet down, she sat on an old, rotted board to stay dry from the small amount of water remaining at the bottom. She looked up at us, meowing intensely and raising a paw as if to say, “get me out of here!”

Mom and I looked at each other. How would we get her out? We couldn’t climb down, and it was obvious she couldn’t climb out. We decided to lower a container of some kind in the hope she’d get in. It seemed impossible. How do you get a cat to jump into a pail? But we had to try.

Mom found an old tomato basket and tied rope at equal points on all four sides to keep it from tipping. Slowly we lowered the basket toward the cat. It was like she knew her rescue was at hand. Before it even reached her, she was standing on hind legs and jumping for it. Amazingly, when it reached her, she jumped right in! Both pleased and surprised, we slowly began to pull her up. The basket swung side to side with her gentle movements, and the closer it got to the top, the more we could see her positioning herself to jump out. While we considered what to do if she jumped too soon and fell down again, she made her grand leap without hesitation, and landed on the solid ground next to us. She was free! Once out, she allowed me a few quick hugs, then scrambled to make her exit from under the porch to daylight once again.

Before leaving the underbelly of the porch, mom and I dragged a few old boards we found and covered the well opening. No one needed a repeat of this adventure.

                                                                     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Life can deal harshly with us at times. We fall into an “old well” that traps us. It’s dark, lonely, scary, and with what appears to have no way out.

Depression. Grief. Anxiety. Fear. Confusion. Anger. It can be difficult to get out of the pit we find ourselves in. But there is HOPE.

There are lessons to be learned from the cat in the well.

1. When you are in trouble, cry for help.

This can be difficult, especially when there is perceived embarrassment or shame. You don’t need to broadcast your need to everyone, but find a trusted friend, counselor, or Christian you can share with. It may be hard but ask God to lead you to the right person. He will do it. He did it for me.

2. Keep crying until someone hears you and responds. 

Some people will walk past because they can’t hear you. Issues of their own keep their ears closed to the cries of others. Some people will hear you but ignore you. For whatever reason, they can’t or won’t become involved. Don’t be offended. They aren’t the right person to help you. Others will hear you, but not know what to do to help. Keep crying until someone who CAN help arrives. That person is out there. Hold on until they arrive.                                                                                                                               

3. Getting help can take time. 

Sometimes we have to wait for the right person to arrive to help. Sometimes the right tools need to be found. Don’t give up. God’s timing is perfect. He’s never late.

4. Find helpers who are laying on solid ground; the solid ground of Biblical truth. 

Just as my mom and I laid on our bellies on the ground to provide stability in raising the cat, so someone who is grounded in God’s word can offer stability as you are lifted out of your well. When the cat jumped out of the well, she landed on solid ground. Biblical truths will land you on solid ground, too.

5. Once you are healed, cover the past so you don’t fall in again. 

Don’t go back and revisit. It’s done. Live in the present.

Be like my friend the cat. Keep crying until you get help, then once you are free, cover the past and walk out into your newfound freedom. 

 

Raising Daniels in Today’s World

A new school year has begun. With it comes anticipation and hope, but also uncertainty and lingering uneasiness. The past couple of years were filled with unusual, and at times scary, procedures. Masks, on-line learning, and social distancing combined with the fear of becoming ill. Isolation from friends, changes in locations and routines, along with the absence of what was once deemed “normal,” affected students and their families, as well as instructors and others in the educational system. The entire school culture and environment changed. It became very "foreign."

Questions about parental rights to view material being taught, mixed with accusations against parents for “spying” on e-learning courses taken at home, led to fears of indoctrination. "Cultural sensitivity" classes replaced many of the basic educational courses, and we watched as the ABC's took a back seat to other types of instruction. It felt, and still does feel, like we are losing our children to some unseen force of evil.  

It feels like they've been pulled from our Godly influence and teachings and taken to a foreign land to be indoctrinated into ungodly values and ideals. At times if feels like they could be lost forever. 

The truth: there is an evil force after our children. His name is Satan. Our children are the future, and Satan wants to derail and destroy them. He wants them pulled from their potential in God’s kingdom into his kingdom of darkness and will use any means to do so.

God brought me to the book of Daniel.

Daniel was handsome and intelligent, the best of Israel, probably royalty. From childhood, He had been taught God's ways both at home and in temple, so his spiritual foundation was established and firm early in his life. He was grounded and sure of what, and in Whom, he believed. He had developed spiritual strength before he faced challenges and confrontation.  

Then, while still a youth, Daniel was kidnapped by Nebuchadnezzar and taken to Babylon to be indoctrinated into that culture's ways, customs, and religious beliefs. It appeared the devil had highjacked him; his future in God's kingdom short-circuited. But God had a plan to turn what the devil meant for evil into good. He directed Daniel's path--even in enemy territory. 

Although Daniel was instructed in the ways of the Babylonians, he remained faithful to God. Even when faced with serious threats, he never compromised his beliefs. As a result, God honored him with favor among his captors, and he was elevated to the position of a high-ranking official within the Babylonian government. He lived his entire life there as a God-fearing man. 

Our children are our brightest and best, children of the King. Just as Daniel was taught in his youth, so we can instruct our children. Sometimes we think they are too little to understand, but we can still speak God's word over them. The Bible is alive and active, and even if they are too little to comprehend the words, the Spirit IN the word reaches into their hearts and spirits. It sets a foundation for them to build on. It anchors them and helps them hold fast when adversity comes.

When I was growing up, we always had devotions after our evening meal; a short Bible passage followed by a devotion relating to it. As a child, I listened to them, but was often fidgety and wished I could go and play. My attention span was short, but the Word penetrated and infiltrated my spirit. Don't be discouraged if your child isn't rapt with awe during devotionals. Just keep teaching the Word and pointing them to God.  

When our kids are sent out into the world called "school," where culture is hard-hitting and demands a cultural and mental shift, they can stand firm in their faith. It may feel like we have lost them to Babylon, but if they are trained in God's ways and soaked in God's truths, they too, will remain faithful to God in the midst of a "foreign" culture.

There will be temptation. The world has a strong appeal, not to mention peer pressure. Just as the rich foods offered to Daniel had to be a lot more tempting than "veggies again?" our children need to know that the truth of God's word, and His favor are much better than temporary pleasure. 

God took Daniel and used him for His purposes in Babylon. God can use our children in the worldly culture they may be thrust into, as well. God has a plan and a purpose for each of them. Which of them may be the next leader of our country, or placed in some other position of great influence? If they are grounded in the truths of God's word, and have faith in Him, they can be like arrows shot into the world, positioned to bring Godly influence. 

When it seems that our children are being lost to another culture and its ungodly schemes, we need to remember that God has not abandoned them. Just as he was with Daniel in Babylon, He is right there with our children, working for their good...and the good of others. 

Overwhelmed

These past couple of years have at times left me feeling overwhelmed. Our world changed overnight with the arrival of a new virus, and it brought chaos along for the ride. Social media, television, newspapers, highway road signs--literally everything we set our eyes upon--had COVID smeared all over it. Directives to do this, then that, then something else, left people confused, angry, and divided. Information changed daily, statistics reported questionably, fear controlled many, and there seemed to be no escape. I couldn't even go to the store without the reminder of it staring at me from a masked face. It was overwhelming.

Dictionary.com defines "overwhelm" this way: 
"to load, heap, treat, or address with an overpowering or excessive amount of anything"..."to overpower, or overcome, especially with superior forces; destroy; crush." 

The excessive amount of information continually given by the hour was overwhelming indeed, but the second definition really struck me. To "overpower...destroy; crush." At times I felt like giving up, quitting. Life was not as fun as before, and the dark side of humanity rose to the surface. I felt crushed by it all. 

Satan's goal is to see us destroyed, and he will use any and all means available to do so. He'll even use social media; a virus; a "mask debate." He works his way in and sucks us down the wormhole of division and defeat. If everything I see or read or hear overwhelms me, if he can direct my focus on the mayhem and disruptions, he has the power to destroy me. 

So where is my focus? What am I allowing my eyes and mind to linger on and take in? If I continually look at the things of the world, I will be overwhelmed. God tells us to look to Him; to keep our eyes on Him.

I was reminded of an old hymn we used to sing when I was a child. (Don't you love how God brings things to our remembrance at just the right times?) These are the words: 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

O Soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?
There's light for a look at the Savior

And life more abundant and free

Through death into life everlasting

He passed and we follow Him there

O'er us sin no more hath dominion

For more than conquerors are we

His word shall not fail you, He promised

Believe Him and all will be well

Then go to a world that is dying

His perfect salvation to tell

O, Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

Oh, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

What wonderful words of comfort! When we look to Jesus, the things of this world will dim and fade. If it's only darkness we see, He is the light that sets us free. And even in death, we are more than conquerors! We have everything to gain by looking to Him, and in doing so, we disarm Satan and his tactics. Feelings of defeat and inundation dissipate when we keep our eyes focused on Jesus. 

The definition of overwhelmed also means to be overpowered with "superior forces." It's easy to feel outnumbered and overcome by the dark forces at work in this world. Satan, his minions, and those under his influence are numerous to be sure, but in truth, God, His angels, and those following Him, greatly exceed any army of Satan's. 

In 2 Kings 6:8-17, the prophet Elisha continuously warned the king of Israel where the king of Aram would attack them next. These warnings saved Israel, but it angered the king of Aram. He sent his armies to find Elisha and surround his encampment, intent on capturing him. In the morning when Elisha and those with him awoke, His servant saw Aram's mass of soldiers, horses and chariots encircling them and panicked. How would they escape this overwhelming army? 

Elisha told his servant not to fear, for those who were with them were more than those against them. He prayed for his servant's eyes to be open to the spirit realm, and when they were, he saw the hillside filled with horses and chariots of fire. God's forces were present and far more abundant than the Arameans. As a result, the Aramean army was defeated while Elisha and the Israelites remained safe. 

At times, I wish my eyes could see the heavenly forces around me. If I could see the heavenly hosts fighting on my behalf, protecting me, shielding and guiding every footstep, how would it effect my life? Would I witness to others more passionately, pray more fervently, care for others more deeply? Would my fears vanish and the feeling of overwhelm dissipate? 

On rare occurrences God grants someone the ability to see beyond the veil of humanity into the spiritual, but they are by far the exception. The Bible tells us we walk by faith, not by sight. We must know our God and have faith in Him, without the use of our natural eyes. The story of Elisha builds our confidence and trust so that even in the midst of our own battle, even when things appear overwhelming, we have faith and know He is for us and with us. 

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (NLT) tells us this: "8...We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us." (Emphasis mine)

What an amazing passage! When I feel overwhelmed and crushed by the circumstances around me, when the troubles of this world are continually before my eyes, I must stop relying on myself--stop being self-sufficient, independent, trying to do it on my own--and rely on God alone. I can safely place my confidence and trust in Him knowing He has saved me in the past and He will save again.

In these days when the world feels like it could overwhelm and crush me under its weight, when I feel outnumbered in the battle, I will turn my eyes to focus more and more on Jesus. I will recall how God sent vast armies to protect His people and defeat their enemies. I will rely on the God I know and place my confidence in Him. If I am to be overwhelmed by anything, I want to be overwhelmed by Him and His love for me. 

How about you? Are you feeling overwhelmed by anything in the world? In your life? Turn to God and focus on Him. Be overwhelmed with His goodness and love towards you. He will never fail you. 

(Originally posted 8/28/20. Revised 7/28/22)

Pray Like You Understand, Because Maybe You Do

“Wow! I never thought about it that way before!

A number of years ago I had a “wow” moment with God which I’ve never forgotten. He is always teaching me things, but sometimes my learning moments are more memorable than others. When they occur, I always learn something new or see something old in a different way. This was one of those times.

The pastor of our church had been diagnosed with brain cancer. Although we hadn’t been a part of this congregation very long, we felt a strong connection to this man and his wife. They were not pretentious in their leadership role, but easy to talk to and we connected with them, so when his diagnosis was announced, our hearts were broken. That Sunday, the congregation joined together to pray for his healing and for God to be with them in the days ahead.

As I silently prayed from my pew, God began to bring words to my mind. They came quickly and with intensity, so I grabbed pen and paper and wrote as fast as I could. Sometimes I feel like I am God’s secretary, and He dictates faster than I can keep up! Sentences poured out, detailed and specific. Medical terminology specific to pastor’s condition were written; words that reflected knowledge down to the cellular level of a physical body. I stood and stared at it. I had never prayed like that before, and never had a prayer been so specific.

I was a nurse who had used my training for the treatment of physical conditions, but now my knowledge was being used for the spiritual. I Corinthians 14:15 immediately came to mind. "So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding..." (NIV) I had read that verse many times before, but suddenly it rang anew in my mind. A light clicked on. In the past, I interpreted it to mean we should pray in the Spirit and also pray in English, or ones native, or understood language. But on this Sunday, God revealed something a little deeper to me. I could pray with understanding, true understanding.

Dictionary.com defines understanding as "the knowledge of or a familiarity with a particular thing; skill in dealing with or handling something." I had skill in the medical profession. I had a knowledge base that others didn't have. That specialized knowledge gave me the ability to pray very specific, very pointed words into the battle for our pastor's health and life. I had insight and mastery (command, expertise) in the cellular functioning of the human body and illness. When I prayed, I spoke with God-given knowledge; knowledge I had gained in my career, but now used for another purpose-- in-depth, targeted prayer.

You may not have a specific skill set such as a medical background, but you do have understanding in many other respects. God has gifted each one of us. We have natural abilities we are born with, and we have expertise acquired through various avenues of education. But we also have the knowledge we obtain through the "college of hard knocks." 

Some people experience domestic situations which are horrible. Some experience loss of property through storms or fire. Some experience homelessness, lost jobs and finances, or suffer physical ailments and crippling diseases. We all gather experiences, both good and bad. Two of my children died in infancy and I went through a debilitating experience with depression. I understand the trauma and pain of those situations to a greater depth than if they had never been a part of my life, and far more than someone who has never struggled with either. 

We only see the outside of people's lives while we try to imagine what they are going through. I have friends who have experienced a cancer diagnosis. I can empathize with them, but I do not have the ability to know what it feels like to hear those dreaded words the first time. I don't know what it's like to walk into the hospital for treatment which can cause sickness and pain in order to bring the hoped-for cure. I don't know what it's like to lose my hair.

I don't know what it's like to have my house burn to the ground with all my possessions and memories lost forever. I don't know what it's like trying to find immediate housing for my family, or to even find clothes to wear the next day. I don't know the trauma and heartache it brings. 

I don't know what it's like to lose a business or have my finances crash or have my spouse be unfaithful or abusive. I don't know what it's like to live with constant, unabating pain day after day. I don't know what it's like to experience those things, but maybe you do. You have an understanding that others don't. 

Our life experiences give us a unique knowledge base to use when we pray. We can pray in the Spirit as He directs, but we can also pray with understanding, insight into, expertise...mastery. Our prayers can be launched with pinpoint accuracy into a situation like a flaming arrow. 

To simplify; if someone asked me for food, I would give it to them. It may not be the exact food they hoped for, but it would be answering their request. If they asked me specifically for a creamy peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich on white bread with the crusts cut off, it is a much more specific request; one that can be responded to with great accuracy. When they obtain the desired sandwich, it builds their confidence that the next time they ask they will get what they hoped for. Their faith in the food provider is built. However, if they were having surgery the next day, I wouldn't give them food at all, no matter how specific or adamant their request. It wouldn't be good for them in that situation. In fact, it could cause them more harm than good. So even though their faith had previously been built up in the food provider, they now need to trust the provider to know what is best for them.

Prayer can be like the food analogy. We often pray to God rather generically. "Heal Mr. Brown." "Provide for the needs of the Smith family." There is nothing wrong with this as He hears all of our prayers, but we can do more. We have the ability to do real battle for a person's need or situation; we just don't realize we have the tools or weaponry to do so. We often negate the importance of our earthly knowledge base when it comes to prayer. We have the privilege of bringing our God-given talents and abilities--our understanding--not only into this earthly realm, but into the spiritual realm. Our gifts aren't just for the workplace or neighborhood, they are useful in God's kingdom.

Does it mean that when we pray with increased specificity God is obligated to fulfill our requests? No, not any more than any other prayer. God is still sovereign and rules over all, knowing far beyond our capabilities what is best. But it shouldn't deter us from using what He has gifted us with to pursue His best: to make requests or to fight for ourselves or others with all the wisdom and knowledge He has granted.

When someone hears you pray for them with understanding, your words can bring an amazing level of comfort. The knowledge of "I am not alone... someone truly understands," can bring immense reassurance to the hurting individual. It brings hope and healing. After I shared my written prayer with our pastor, he said it was the most meaningful prayer he had received. It was specific to what the doctors had told him, as well. It built his faith knowing that God did indeed know what he was experiencing and what his specific needs were. It brought comfort and reassurance to his heart and soul. Your prayers can do the same.

When we pray using precise words of understanding, we become keenly aware of when God answers our prayers in a specific way. For example, we can pray for someone to be healed, but if we pray for their white blood cell counts to return to normal levels within 24 hours and they do, we not only rejoice, but it builds our faith. It trains us to recognize that God truly does hear and answer our prayers and encourages us to trust Him even more.

God hears and answers all of our prayers; whether a whispered word, a cry of heartache, a shout of victory, or a detailed and pointed word we utter with understanding. He hears them all, but I love it when God shows me something different or awakens me to new ways of being used in His kingdom. I want to be an effective prayer warrior for Him, but warriors don't go into battle empty handed. They go armed. Prayer is one of those weapons we bring to the fight. We can bring our knowledge, our experiences, our expertise, and our understanding to the battle.

Others are waiting for you to come alongside and fight with them and for them. The next time you encounter an opportunity to pray for someone, bring your understanding with you into the spiritual realm. Amazing things will happen.

(Originally posted 8/15/20)

Why Do We Suffer? There IS a Purpose

This post has proven difficult to write. I have friends who recently plunged over the cliff of grief due to the sudden death of a loved one. Others I know have suffered for decades with physical ailments which cause daily pain and struggles. In writing about the hope we have through suffering, I want to use care. I do not want to disregard or diminish the anguish of those hurting.

I know what it is to be in the deepest valley alone with my demons. I know what it is to feel abandoned by God; to be angry with Him...to doubt He even exists. I know what it feels like to have someone throw Bible verses and pious platitudes at me which only served to make my guilt and anger rise. I know what it is to have my pain invalidated. Even though our tragedies vary, suffering is universal, and it hurts. 

I do not want to be like Job's friends. I don't want to add to anyone's pain, so I offer these words carefully and trust they are received with understanding. I want to share the hope on the other side of misery; to lend meaning to it.

I pray you will not be overwhelmed by the dark tunnel of suffering you may enter or get "stuck" inside that murky place. I pray you continue to move forward to the light that does come on the other side. I have been in the pit, and I have experienced suffering like I never thought I would. But God brought me out and I can tell you there is hope. There is purpose in our pain.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~

"Give me one good reason!" "What is your excuse?" "What is the reason for my suffering?" "Why have You allowed this?"

We've all said these or similar words when something goes wrong. We want to know why. Why did this happen? Why am I made to suffer? Why was I "singled out" for this type of pain? Why___? (fill in the blank with your source of suffering) 

If I get a reason for my pain, I feel like it will be easier to accept, so in the midst of my suffering, I ask God why. But many times I don't just ask, I demand to know why. God "owes" me an explanation, or at the very least, a reason. I ask for an accounting, a motive, or even an excuse. I want justification for what I experience. I point my finger at God and want to know why I shouldn't be angry with Him. I want God to apologize to me.

Our friend Job lost everything he had: possessions, family, and health, all through no fault of his own. Many of us experience seemingly random losses or pain and like Job, and like him, we need to accept that we may never know the reasons why. Job faced the rest of his life without answers; with explanations withheld. He had to simply accept the sovereign plan of God in his life.

Still, we wonder. What possible good can come from our difficulties? The "good" lies within the purposes of God. 

Dictionary.com defines purpose as the "intended or desired result; end; aim; goal. The reason for which something exists or is done, made, used..." 

We are eternal creatures and during our time here on earth we exist for the divine purposes of God. He is our Father--our Creator--and we are designed to fulfill His eternal plan on this earth. There is a goal to be achieved. If we cannot come to our pain and suffering with an eternal point of view, it will be hard to ever be at peace with it. It will be hard to accept it, and it will be hard to continue loving the God who allowed it into our lives. 

So why does God allow suffering?

He allows it because He is sovereign. He has an ultimate plan for this world and the people therein, and the main objective is to save people from going to hell. God is a loving father who doesn't want anyone to face eternal damnation, so everything He allows, even our suffering, has a divine purpose; to direct us and others toward Him and His saving love. Sometimes it takes hardship or pain to get us to go to the One who has the best plan for our lives. Sometimes we need to be broken to receive all He has for us. Sometimes we need to lead the way for others going through dark valleys.

Each of us are one piece of the entire picture, and every single person is vital. Just as the "butterfly effect" alleges that one flutter of its wings affects change throughout the world, so our lives--the things we experience and how we respond to them--have the ability to change our world and the people we encounter. Maybe the life of just one person is altered by our words or actions, and those changes ripple down to change others. It is impossible to know the effect we have on other human beings. I truly believe we will meet people in heaven who are there because of some seemingly small word we spoke, some small gesture we conveyed to them, or how we responded to the pain in our lives.

Our suffering brings us alongside others who also suffer. It opens a door--a community or brotherhood of sorts--where we can share the hope we have inside us. We can share our burdens and lighten the load of someone else. We have a witness inside our pain. 

God can use suffering to open our hearts to hear Him. People turn to God at incredible rates during times of tragedy or hardship. Even those who profess no belief in God are found crying out to Him. When sobbing and broken, the cry, "why?" may open ears to hear His voice for the first time. For Christians, Job 36:15 tells us that when we are afflicted, He delivers us through it, but uses the trial to open our ears to His voice. Sometimes the difficulties we endure shut out the world around us and we begin to hear Him more clearly. 

John 9:2-3 tells the story of the man blind from birth. Jesus' disciples asked Him who had sinned, the man or his parents that he should be born blind. Jesus responded that neither was to blame. The man had been born blind--suffered his whole life in darkness--so that the works of God might be displayed in him. Jesus then performed a miracle and restored the man's sight. We may not be the beneficiary of a miracle, but we have to remember that God is able. The blind man did not know he would receive his sight that day. He nor his parents had the knowledge beforehand that Jesus would visit them and bring him sight. Every day he lived in darkness, expecting nothing to change, but one day...everything changed. 

Our lives may have a "one day' just around the corner, too, but even if the miracle doesn't come, our suffering can be used to demonstrate God's work in us. In the darkness of pain, we can shine His light through it, perhaps helping others find hope in Him along the way. 

Suffering effects our faith. It can cause us to abandon our faith in God, or it can purify and strengthen it. During times of distress and pain, Satan slithers in, just like in the Garden of Eden, and whispers his lies and half-truths in our ears. If we entertain those thoughts, they take root and eventually lead us away from truth. Pain causes us to question God and His goodness. In these times, we need to anchor our hearts and minds in the truths of His Word. We need to shelter ourselves in Him, surround ourselves with those who will not only speak God's truth to us, but also confront the lies Satan tries to weave in. Suffering can be the tipping point of our faith. Satan wants to destroy it; God want to strengthen it. We choose which it will be.

Suffering can increase our trust in God. It's easy to give lip-service to our faith and trust when we have few challenges and things are going well. But when our world comes crashing down around us and we don't understand the agony we experience, will we still trust God? How deep is our trust? What is it dependent on? Will we trust Him no matter what our circumstances?

If we do not truly trust Him, there is no purpose to our suffering. We will never make sense of it, and it will fly in our face like a hard slap. But when we can come to Him, sobbing and angry and fearful and hurt, He is always there, loving us every second of every day. He will love us in spite of the mess we made of our lives, and in spite of the many times we go our own way. When we feel His pure love for us, when we experience His healing in our hearts and minds, trust grows. 

Does that mean we anticipate or look forward to the pain life may bring? No, of course not! But when we truly know Him--when we truly trust Him--we can walk through anything in life and know He is with us. We can believe He has a purpose in it, even if we never know the "why" of it. We can trust Him in the valleys of our life.

There are many unanswered questions in this world. Being a Christian doesn't give us the right to any answers. Like Job, we may have to go through the remainder of our days not knowing why things happen. We may never know the reasons. We may never get the miracle. But we can have comfort in knowing that God, in His divine wisdom, has a purpose for it. We are not lost or abandoned or punished just because we suffer. We are part of God's divine plan; a plan that brings glory and honor to Him, as well as hope and salvation to many who don't know Him. If our goal is heaven, and our hearts are trusting God, we can endure hardships in life because we know He has all things under His control. He has a purpose for each one of us; a goal to be achieved. 

Suffering is not what any of us want, but it is inevitable. If this post has angered you, or you don't believe one word of it, I simply ask you to revisit it at a later time. Your heart may not be ready to hear the words written here--I know mine wasn't for a long time. But there is a God who knows each of us intimately and calls us by name to the purposes He created us for. He will be waiting for you whenever you come to Him. Trust His love for you. Don't let your vision be blinded by the pain you feel. See beyond it. See your life through heaven-focused eyes. There is purpose in our pain. 

(originally posted 8/6/20)