Posted on by sufficientgrace4u

Life Sucks, But Hope is Strong

Life sucks sometimes.

There is no getting around it. Nor should we try. This is not our ultimate destination. This is not our forever home. We are made for more. And we should want more… the more that is found with God. If we were content here, we may never strive for the more waiting for us in heaven.

Knowing that doesn’t always make it any easier when we are personally struggling or our friends and family members are. Watching a loved one in the hospital, handling a difficult diagnosis, knowing that the plans we have made may be interrupted or even destroyed by something we cannot control is HARD and painful and it can take us down. But one thing is for certain. The pain, the struggle, the hardship is temporary. It is of this life, not the next. And you are not alone. Everyone struggles. Everyone has pain. Everyone has hardship. And they have for thousands of years. Despite thousands of years of innovations and technology, we all still struggle and suffer and cry. And through the struggles we grow. Through the suffering we persevere. And through the tears we hope. For God has a greater plan than all of this. He knows how to strengthen us, our resolve and our faith, so that we can persevere, endure and hope for the future He has planned for us.

Two thousand years ago, James wrote:

Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it. But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind.

James 1:2-6

It is hard to see a trial as a joy when we are going through it. But if we can turn it over to God, ask Him who can do all things, for the wisdom, for the strength, for the faith, for whatever we need, we can rest in the assurance that He will provide what we need (even though it may not be in the way or the timing that we might want). We can persevere and our faith and our perseverance can grow. As much as we may not want to admit it, if we want more than this world, more than this life, we do not want a life of ease, a life without struggles and suffering. As Paul says, we want to boast of our afflictions, and the endurance, character and hope that they produce:

Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Romans 5:3-5

God is all around us. Even on our darkest day, He is there holding our hand when we walk, wrapping His arms around us when we sit, and sitting beside us stroking our face when we sleep. He knows, even when we do not, that we can (and will) persevere and endure, and although at times, we may fall, he will catch us, pick us back up, wipe the dirt and tears away and take our hand again (if we let Him). We just have to hand it to Him, with faith and trust. God has never promised us a perfect life here on earth. Jesus said:

“In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

John 16:33

Our perfect world is coming. And while I selfishly hope and pray that that perfect world is no time soon for my loved ones and friends, I trust in God’s timing, God’s plan and God’s love. I have courage and hope because of Him.

Lord,

Watch over my family and my friends. Give them the strength to endure the trials before them, the faith to persevere and the hope that comes from being in your presence. In Jesus name, I ask that you drive out any demons that may surround them. And Lord, if it is your will, I ask that you heal them. I trust in you and your plan. Help them to know your love and have courage to rest in their faith in you.

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u

Heal thyself

This morning I was told the common advice given to women — take care of yourself or you won’t be able to take care of others.  It is easy to get caught up in caring for others.  It is easy to put ourselves last.  Tonight, the Bible told me the same thing:

 Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible.  To the Jews I became like a Jew to win over Jews; to those under the law I became like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law—to win over those under the law.  To those outside the law I became like one outside the law—though I am not outside God’s law but within the law of Christ—to win over those outside the law.  To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some.  All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.

Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win.  Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.  Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing.  No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:19-27

Run so as to win.  As a former athlete, this last paragraph hits home.  We all want to win.  In life, we strive to win all sorts of prizes, awards, human praise.  We fight for little league trophies, scholarships, promotions, accolades.  Our kids spend hours at practices for sports or dance or gymnastics.  We spend hours at work for the end of year bonus or the promotion that seems out of reach.  We practice or work day and night for that human achievement.  We run faster to beat the person beside us.

Run so as to win.  But what about the ultimate prize — the imperishable one.  Are we running for it?  Are we striving for it?  Are we fighting for it?  Are we training for it?  Do we spend as much time as we do searching for human crowns?  Do we spend even half as much time?

Run so as to win.  And if we do spend the time focusing on the imperishable crown — do we remember to take care of ourselves?  Do we remember to heal ourselves?  To run our own race too?  To make sure that we are not disqualified at the end?

Lord,

Help me to train for the ultimate race.  The race that more than one can win.  Help me to use the discipline of an athlete training for the Olympics.  Help me to not run aimlessly.  Help me to help others, but not forget about myself.