This post is an original to my first blog http://www.sikorski7.webs.com (our personal/family/ministry website). It appeared last January. I thought on this wonderful, glorious Sunday I could re-share it with you here. Whether you slept in, attended a church service, or choose to spend your Sunday some other way, I hope that you found time to rest and relax but also to reflect on the goodness of God, your maker.
Are you having a hard time, believer?
I have.
I am.
A lot has changed in my life these last few years. But even more has changed in me. In some ways I feel like I’ve been reborn. What I believed has been shaken. What I wanted was different. Where I formerly focused I’ve since abandoned.
How did I get here? What does this mean? And how is it that I feel more like my-true-self than ever?
Never, not once, though, was my faith abandoned. In fact, all the challenges and situations I’ve experienced have caused me to draw on my faith in a way I’ve never imagined.
Have you ever thought you’ve been trusting God, until you really have to trust God?
It’s a whole ‘nother level!
I know some who get mad at God and walk out of relationship with Him. That thought never even crossed my mind. Although I will admit I gave Him the silence treatment once.
Oh, yeah, and that time I yelled at Him.
Oh..and then there was that time I accused Him of forgetting me.
I guess you could say, we’ve had a less than perfect relationship. But I’m convinced that has more to do with me than it does with Him. I’m the less than perfect one.
This one thing I’m sure of, Ok two:
1. God is faithful and
2. I’m not the only one (surprise Ego!) who has ever felt the pain of loss (Luke 2:36-37), suffered for being a faithful servant (Acts 7:59) or have been depressed (I Kings 19:4).
I received a great reminder of this in my email box this morning from Alicia Britt Chole (her newest book is Intimate Conversations). God’s faithfulness, as the bible so clearly reminds us, is not invalidated by our suffering, it is in our suffering we experience His faithfulness. She reminds us that the writers of the bible,
“… understood rejection, betrayal, wars, hostile living conditions, the loss of children, and family strife. They were well acquainted with homelessness, false accusations, stonings, and emotional deserts. They knew sickness, deep discouragement, failure, bitter conflict, and persecution.”
Ah! so ... I'm not alone!
I am thankful, so very thankful, for the faithfulness of God. For without it there would be no hope. My belief remains certain that my eyes are incapable of seeing the eternal agenda my heavenly Father has for me. Yes, I believe He is that intimately involved in my life. I know He loves me and cares for me and see’s the pain and trials I’ve been through and will probably still go through.
I don’t serve Him to get out of life's pain. I love Him because in the pain I find myself seeking Him in a way heretofore unbeknownst to me.
And I find Him.
Every time I seek Him, cry out to Him, need Him He is amazingly faithful. He is always there.
Be blessed!
"Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:22–23).