If Only… Trading My Sorrows
I would thank God if only (fill in the blank). I must remind myself that suffering exists because we live in a fallen world. When I’m under the weight of pain, desperation, worry, frustration and I dare say even jealousy, I remember that God loves me and that His plans for me are greater than I could ever imagine. In fact, He rescued me from the ultimate suffering when He sent Jesus to the cross to bear the weight of my sin and pay the cost through His suffering and death. Psalm 13 (AMPC) has been very real to me in times of trouble: How long will You forget me, O Lord? Forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I lay up cares within me and have sorrow in my heart day after day? How long shall my enemy exalt himself over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; lighten the eyes [of my faith to behold Your face in the pitch like darkness], lest I sleep the sleep of death, Lest my enemy say, I have prevailed over him, and those that trouble me rejoice when I am shaken. But I have trusted, leaned on, and been confident in Your mercy and loving-kindness; my heart shall rejoice and be in high spirits in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.
I’ve also extended a season of suffering by operating under latent gratification. In other words, I would soldier through a tough season on under the idea that “I will rest when… I will enjoy such and such when… I will rejoice when…”. I received very wise counsel back in 2010 from our own sweet leader, Debbie Emerson. She reminded me that I should take time every day to be grateful. It’s so simple for but for me, that was a supreme revelation! Every day? Really? Not just the days when things were completed or different? God deserves the glory each day regardless of my life reflects the “different” that I’m waiting for. So, I started to look at each day with the attitude that Mary mentions on page 76: to trust in God’s heart even when I cannot see His hand. As Mary further comments on page 80, “we run into flawed thinking when we look at our circumstances and try to interpret God’s love and care or seeming lack thereof”. I cannot imagine anyone’s suffering or loss; I only know my own. In each instance of suffering, I’ve asked for and received God’s strength to bear it, His healing to survive it, and His goodness to thrive despite it.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 is His reminder that He knows all our seasons and circumstances and will walk with us and abide in us through each one.
For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
Which Psalm offers you comfort and truth in your times of trouble?
Be Encouraged, Debbie G.
I’ve also extended a season of suffering by operating under latent gratification. In other words, I would soldier through a tough season on under the idea that “I will rest when… I will enjoy such and such when… I will rejoice when…”. I received very wise counsel back in 2010 from our own sweet leader, Debbie Emerson. She reminded me that I should take time every day to be grateful. It’s so simple for but for me, that was a supreme revelation! Every day? Really? Not just the days when things were completed or different? God deserves the glory each day regardless of my life reflects the “different” that I’m waiting for. So, I started to look at each day with the attitude that Mary mentions on page 76: to trust in God’s heart even when I cannot see His hand. As Mary further comments on page 80, “we run into flawed thinking when we look at our circumstances and try to interpret God’s love and care or seeming lack thereof”. I cannot imagine anyone’s suffering or loss; I only know my own. In each instance of suffering, I’ve asked for and received God’s strength to bear it, His healing to survive it, and His goodness to thrive despite it.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 is His reminder that He knows all our seasons and circumstances and will walk with us and abide in us through each one.
For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
Which Psalm offers you comfort and truth in your times of trouble?
Be Encouraged, Debbie G.
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