Archive for October, 2008
Pointing Myself To Christ
Recently the burdens I’ve been called to bare have felt extremely heavy. At times I am tempted to doubt God’s promises and wonder if they are too heavy for me. Because of the Lord’s grace and promises I know they are not. I do not write this blog because I’ve somehow figured out how to persevere under trial. I write this blog to remind myself (and hopefully others) of the strength and assurance everyone is offered through Jesus Christ.
In the darkest parts of this valley I often find myself re-reading past posts and it soothes my soul as I remember how the Lord has carried me. I do pray that somehow the Lord will use my journey to point others to Himself but also know that if I’m the only reader it’s helping me to press on.
Psalm 9:9-10 “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
“Consider him who endured…so that you will not grow weary”
In the midst of a difficult trial I often find that I tend to focus on myself, analyzing the situation thoroughly and repeatedly going over the events in my mind. I have found myself doing this recently as my younger brother Andrew and his wife Laura (and consequently my family) are walking through a dark valley of confusion and hardship. Of course as his sister this trial has caused me much heart ache and it’s been hard to focus on anything else but the pain. Although focusing on these things is ok, I was reminded today through God’s word that if I am to persevere and keep going I must lift my eyes and fix them on something else, Jesus.
2 passages of Scripture helped readjust my focus today. The first, James 1:12, says “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” In my grief I find that shifting my primary focus to the promises the Lord has for me leads my soul to much needed rest and peace.
The 2nd passage motivated me by reminding me that Christ is the ultimate example of perseverance – what better person to focus on? Christ saw doing His father’s will (bringing hope to a hopeless world by dying on a cross) as “the joy set before him” and persevered to the end – despite his torturous circumstances.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3
Although these verses don’t take away the pain and the tears completely, they give my heart peace, hope and assurance that there is an end to suffering and that the Lord endured much more than myself in order to ensure this promised end!
Suffering and Death: A Gateway To Unending Joy!
A couple of months ago I finished the book “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn. If you haven’t read this treasure I would definitely recommend it. There are some repetitive parts but overall it has blessed my soul and changed my life on this earth forever. Here’s a quote from the book that, even when you are surrounded on all sides by suffering/death and there’s no end in sight, any Christian can cling to and remember this is only a gateway.
“Anticipating Heaven doesn’t eliminate pain, but it lessens it and puts it in perspective. Meditating on Heaven is a great pain reliever. It reminds us that suffering and death are temporary conditions. Our existence will not end in suffering and death–they are but a gateway to our eternal life of unending joy. The biblical doctrine of Heaven is about the future, but it has tremendous benefits here and now. If we grasp it, it will shift our center of gravity and radically change our perspective on life.” Randy Alcorn
