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He has made everything appropriate in its time.
Ecclesiasties 3:11
Giving up in mid-ride isn't an option - it's foolish!A depressed church member told his pastor, 'I'm tired of trying. I've been down so long, I can't muster up the faith to believe God for deliverance anymore.' The pastor said, 'First, you can never justify quitting, because you have the Lord on your side. He won't quit on you, He promised He'll 'never leave you nor forsake you [so]...do not be discouraged' (Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV). Second, His Word says, 'If we believe not, he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself' (2 Timothy 2:13). It's not just a matter of your faith, it's a matter of His faithfulness.
When you can't seem to believe, instead of focusing on your faith in Him (or the lack of it), begin to focus on His faithfulness to you!' What great counsel for the roller-coaster ride of life. Now, let's add some more encouraging observations, God doesn't owe us an explanation so we shouldn't look for one, but He promises us an exit. He 'will with the [testing]...make a way to escape, that ye [might] be able to bear it' (1 Corinthians 10:13). Until He gets you out of it, He'll get you through it. Your part is to stay on the roller-coaster. He's producing good in all your circumstances. 'And we know that all things work together for good to them...who are the called' (Romans 8:28). God puts pits and peaks together, and out comes your good. Fifth, while He does so, the Son and Spirit intercede with the Father for you, daily (See Romans 8:26-32 and 34-39). With all that going for you, how can you fail to make it?
Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.
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T
:o)
P.S. I'm an organist, too. I wouldn't call myself a singer, but I often lead the singing from the organ bench.
-KR
God is the Father, surely, but I always remember the Pope Giovanni Paolo I's nice words: "God is both Father and Mother".
Sorry to put you on the spot.. okay if you don't have any experiences in this area. I was just interested.
My life is littered with experiences that show me God is faithful to all His promises. Recently he has shown His faithfulness in the area of provision. Just 2 months ago I was in a financial predicament. I had come to a long summer break when I have no work and because of dwindling jobs throughout the year I was down to zero in my bank account. One morning I was a desparate point when I was approached by a couple in my church with a cheque. They had felt that I needed it.
That was God being faithful to me and I often focus on things like that when I need encouragement.
Would love to hear your experiences too.
Have just posted on the same theme.
This morning I sat listening to a popular TV preacher who was speaking about how we need to count our blessings. The central theme of his message was the idea that we should deal with pain by countering negative pain with positive blessings. It occurred to me that this is an unhelpful paradigm because it is a form of rationalization. I liken it to the idea of someone telling a person who smashed their thumb with a hammer that things will be better if they will just focus on their other nine pain-free fingers. This kind of pseudo-rationalization only heaps more pain on the pain.. it is a form of backdoor blame that causes us to feel responsible for pain that we have had no part in.
Feel free to check the rest out here and let me know what you think.
Pouring our heart out to a true listening friend is a good way to process pain. Often my conversations with God resemble this kind of pouring out of my heart. When we come to God with our pain we are responding to Jesus when He said:
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
It is so encouraging that Jesus acknowledged our pain in this way and casted an invitation to involve Him in our pain.