reading a great article yesterday of how through them, the trails, our faith grows... how without them, our faith would shrivel away, like a muscle that is not used...
it's so true.. if things hadn't been that bad in my former marriage, if the pain and the suffering in it and when it fell apart hadn't been that overwhelming..
if the pain inflicted by a absent and cruel, selfish father hadn't been that far reaching and ever present, if there had been no sickness and so many losses...
my faith would not be proven genuine and it wouldn't be as strong as it is..
if fear hadn't been that overwhelming I would have not had to run to Him and hide.. I would not have memorized scripture after scripture after scripture to counter the attacks of the lies targeting my weak areas...
my heart wouldn't have been healed and fortified and taught and ... most of all, I wouldn't know Him as intimately as I do...
and how empty would life be...
my father, in ICU, recovering from hip replacement surgery is facing real pain and suffering now that the pain medication that made it look so easy is being reduced and he feels that a big chunk of bones has been cut out of his body and some other artificial piece has been put in....
think of how violent an act that is... and obviously there has to be REAL pain... for a long time...
made me think of how thankful I am that even physically my loving father in heaven has allowed me to get acquainted with pain early on in my life... walking through this throughout my life I have learned to endure... to accept it as part of my life and to surrender to the reality of it...
I have learned who to lean on when pain is happening, physically and emotionally ....
in this world you will have trouble - pain- loss- heartache- but take heart, be of good cheer... for He, who chose to suffer so I would be forgiven and my relationship with Him restored, He, He most definitely has overcome the world.....
so as much as my adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour... I am, by what He, my Savior has done, able to resist, to stand firm, to fix my eyes on Him, being comforted that He is indeed in control of all of this and that He will give me all I need, and ... and that's the best part... will take me safely to His heavenly Kingdom, where I will see clearly what I can only see dimly now, as in a mirror....
to Him be all glory, honor and praise forever and ever AMEN
