Tag: suffering

Wall of Fire

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And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst. Zechariah 2:5

When walking through life, do you feel alone?

Do you feel often overwhelmed by the world’s rubbish thrown your way?

Tired of falling too often towards temptation?

Walk in your authority from God.

He’s with you. He covers you with His strength, protection, and peace.

Psalm 5:12 reminds us: Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

When feeling overwhelmed by life, picture God surrounding you with HIs favor like a shield.

But it gets even better.

Our verse from Zechariah shares God’s promise of a literal wall of fire.

This wall of fire surrounds you. Nothing can come through.

Picture this wall of fire burning up temptation. Burning up fear. Burning up anything coming your way that is not of God.

Can we still have problems with God as our wall of fire?

Sure. Jesus reminds us we will suffer.

But suffering under God’s plan is different from allowing the world’s rubbish to affect you.

Within God’s plan, suffering looks like glory. Suffering looks like peace. It’s the opposite of how the world defines it.

Paul mentions suffering as a time to boast in God’s strength.

May God surround us as a wall of fire.

May God’s wall of fire burn up anything that comes our way not of Him and Him alone.

May God’s wall of fire burn up our selfish tendencies, placing in us the desire for God alone.

May God’s wall of fire burn up fear when tempted to rely on human knowledge.

And may God’s glory be forever in the midst of us.

Photos by Paul Bulai, Cullan Smith, Olivia Snow, & Zac Durant on Unsplash

Meant for Us

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Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:4-6

Words utterly fail.

It isn’t possible to find adequate words, expressing how grateful we are for your sacrifice, Jesus.

You came to us for this time. Good Friday and Easter.

Your entire life was lived for this purpose.

To suffer and die in our place.

To take our punishment onto your holy and sinless self.

Each drop of spit falling off your face was meant for us.

Each thorn thrust into your head was meant for us.

Each whip lash was meant to tear our flesh, not yours.

Each insulting word was meant to insult us, not you.

Each nail driven into your hands and feet was meant to pierce our flesh.

Not yours.

Not your holy feet who willingly walked this earth, sharing the love of the Father.

Not your holy hands who willingly healed the hurting people clamoring to you.

When you hung on the cross with the weight of our sin, God turned away.

He left you utterly alone.

That should have been us as we are the sinful ones, not you.

We are deserving of death, not you.

Yet you chose to die for us.

You willingly took our pain and suffering away, bearing it all on your own.

But that’s why your death won the victory. Why the devil has been defeated once and for all.

You were and are the spotless lamb.

The Prince of Peace.

The sinless sacrifice for us, Your children.

It’s why we are now set free forever and ever from sin, death, and the grave when we choose You.

When we choose You over ourselves.

When we acknowledge Your sacrifice, cleansing us from our sin.

Reflecting this Easter, it seems impossible.

You, a perfect sacrifice, choosing us over you.

Yet, You did just that. You cancelled our debt for all of eternity.

We are forever grateful.

We are forever yours.

We are forever and ever yours.

Fill us afresh with a new awe of Good Friday. Of your sacrifice.

May we live every day in the shadow of the cross.

And may we live with the hope of Easter, knowing You have indeed conquered it all.

Photos by Alex Noriega, Jon Tyson, Dylan McLeod, & Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Emmanuel

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To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17

What if Jesus never came?

If there was no Silent Night, Holy Night.

No Away in the Manger.

No O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

No Merry Christmas.

Life would be pretty different, wouldn’t it?

No hope for us as we are Gentiles.

Not under Jewish law, which would most likely still be the case for the Apple of God’s eye.

The Jewish people.

As Gentiles, we’d probably believe in some pagan god.

Like the Romans or Greeks had.

Sounds depressing.

Shall we dive even deeper?

What if God didn’t even exist?

Like literally, God is not here, there, or anywhere?

If all this life is for nothing?

That when we die, that’s it?

Pretty awful, isn’t it.

Let’s try it.

Are you upset today?

Nobody cares. Nobody to help you. Nobody to give you any peace or hope.

Confused about life and need advice?

Again, nobody cares. Nobody to help you. Nobody to give you any advice at all.

Feeling badly and need healing?

Nobody cares. No hope there. You are stuck suffering for quite awhile.

Want people to do what you want?

Try yelling. Whoever yells the loudest gets their way.

Want something?

Push and shove your way to the front. You deserve it.

Hate the truth?

Is there even truth?

Lying is normal because there is no standard of right and wrong.

Diving deeper still, there is no moral absolutes because there is no God creating order out of chaos.

A life where anything goes.

Chaos is the order of the day.

Every man for himself.

I can’t take it anymore.

Aren’t you just relieved?

We don’t ever have to experience a world without the existence of God.

When we are upset, need advice or healing, God is right there.

In fact He’s always with us.

And He paved the way for our eternal salvation when He sent Jesus on Christmas.

Emmanuel. God with us. Forever

Photos by Erwan Hesry, David Beale, Annie Spratt, & Josh Boot on Unsplash

Tasting Suffering

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And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:10

How do you identify with Christ’s suffering?

Not a fun topic, I know.

Can’t we all just identify with his happy traits instead of his suffering or forgiveness?

Because Jesus came to earth fully human yet fully God, we can identify with Him when our humanness overwhelmes us.

When life on this earth is less than celebratory.

As mamas, we give our bodies over when producing life.

Our bodies are literally changed forever. Marked with our child.

Further, we give ourselves to them for care.

Whether a child grows within your body or heart, you are forever changed by that child’s mere existence.

Jesus gave his body for us.

He willingly gave up his body for our salvation.

Does all of human creation daily cry out songs of thanksgiving for His sacrifice?

Nope. Not even close.

How many have been lost, not clinging to God’s plan for salvation?

Not recognizing Jesus’ human suffering on the cross for us?

What does Jesus think when those who are lost come to mind?

When those who have rejected His sacrifice beg to do life instead all on their own?

He has compassion.

He sees them through love.

He still wants their heart.

And He doesn’t give up. Ever.

Mothers sometimes get the short end of the stick.

But when we do, we must look to Jesus’ example of love.

He keeps loving even when others don’t love Him back.

Even knowing some would reject His willingness to sacrifice for their eternal life, He still went to the cross for them.

As we keep walking forward during the more uncomfortable times of life, may we look to Jesus’ example and love all anyways.

Photos by Camila Damásio, Larm Rmah, JESHOOTS.COM, &  Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Remaining Fragrance

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Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. John 12:3

I wonder how long the expensive fragrance lingered on His feet.

If the smell remained days later.

Guessing for a few it did.

After bathing? Probably.

Nard was expensive due to its high quality.

It was usually reserved for royalty, sealed in an equally expensive alabaster jar to preserve the special fragrance.

It was the best money could buy.

Mary poured it out on Jesus because of Who He was.

The Son of God.

Our Messiah.

The King of Kings.

How about 6 days later.

Do you think the fragrance lingered still?

That’s when Jesus was arrested.

Through the trial?

Through the flogging?

Through the agony on the cross?

What if God’s timing allowed the fragrance to whiff here and there while Jesus suffered?

Reminding Him of His purpose and identity.

Whiffs of sacrifice and worship while enduring.

How about you?

Do you recognize when God does that for you?

Notice.

Notice the goodness of God amidst the suffering.

Notice the love of God while enduring.

Notice the fragrance of God, who goes before you, stands behind you, and is always right by your side.

Jesus was fully God, yet fully man.

And God was there for Him, too.

Photos by Elena G, Tom Crew, Alicia Quan, & Danie Franco on Unsplash

Kerplop

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Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand. Psalm 37:24

The long school year finally came to a close.

Where was I with under an hour till the bitter end?

In a heap on the floor.

After missing the last step while waltzing down the stairs to assembly, I heard my ankle make a weird sound as I fell to the floor.

Happy summer to me!

Lying on the ground with my head on the stairs, I contemplated what had transpired.

Didn’t have to sit alone more than a couple of seconds before my friend came rushing to my side.

Not wanting to throw up or faint, I laid there quietly, unable to do much else.

My friend summoned help and over the next bits of time, I was covered with God’s provision.

While resting on the dirty stairs, I was cared for. All my needs answered.

When I was at my lowest, God never left my side.

He was in the people who came, helping with different things each time.

He was in my husband’s schedule who had not left for a job hours away.

He was in the friend who recommended where to go.

He was in the doctor’s office that helped me in and out in under an hour.

He was in the details.

He always is.

Yes, He allows things. Suffering.

But He’s always right there along with you.

We can have peace amidst our trials because we know Who is with us.

God goes before us, is beside us, and is behind us.

Every single day.

Even when we go kerplop.

We have no idea how blessed we really are.

Photos by Lindsay Henwood, Denys Sudilkovsky, Kelly Sikkema, & Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

Sovereign Over All

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Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways! Romans 11:33

God, You are sovereign.

Sovereign over all.

You are the Creator of all things.

The Author of all life.

All of our lives filter through Your hands.

Every little piece.

The happy times.

The gut-wrenching moments.

All of us filters through You.

Because You are sovereign over all things.

We wonder why You allow suffering.

Why you allow our lives to fall to pieces.

Why our prayers seem to fall on deaf ears.

Why our tears seem to make no difference.

But underneath it all, You are sovereign.

You never leave us, nor are we absent from Your thoughts.

Within the pit of despair, we must remember You.

If we don’t, we will fall prey to self-pity, overcoming our reason with faulty feelings.

Satan would like nothing better then to silence us.

To silence God when we find ourselves within the pit.

Do you want Satan to grasp even a tiny bit of triumph on your behalf?

You don’t, but he does when you fail to remember God within the pit.

When your mind fills with rejection or despair, Satan wins.

He wins because he causes you to become stuck.

Stuck because you are without the remembrance of God’s ultimate power.

His sovereignty.

Our world is broken and God has a redemption plan.

Jesus came to save us from ourselves.

To redeem our souls for eternity.

But as we remain here on earth, we must remember Him.

We must shine our light for God as He redeems our lives while here on earth.

It’s so hard when in the pit, to stop and remember Him.

But that’s what makes us different from the world.

What sets us apart.

When the world breaks us, as it will in degrees to us all, we will be different.

We will, with God’s help, shine as a light for Him, bringing others to Himself.

Your God loves you.

He craves you.

He’s never going to leave you.

Bring all of it to His feet.

Allow Him to scoop you up into His arms.

He will soothe every hurt.

Wipe every tear.

And walk along side you down the path He has for you.

Because He is sovereign over all.

He is here.

He loves you and He’s got you.

Shine brightly through your broken life to others.

Show the world the love of God.

Your choice to choose God when faced with the brokenness of this world.

And your witness will transform the world.

Photos by Josh Boot , Dave Hoefler,  Sandra Seitamaa, & Kawin Harasai on Unsplash

Honor

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Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor. Proverbs 21:21

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Sometimes God allows something to occur we simply cannot figure out.

Something unbelievable, even in-explainable.

Take Job for instance.

He was an upstanding citizen.

He was a regular sinful man, but he was righteous before God.

Doing all the right things.

Yet, God allowed his suffering.

Nothing Job did to deserve it.

God said so.

I have a dear student whose mother just passed away.

Suddenly, without warning.

One minute laughing, the other minute silent.

She was a strong Christian.

Wife, mother of two, volunteered her life for others.

So why did God allow her sudden death?

I cannot possibly figure it out.

Like Job.

I cannot understand why God allowed Job to suffer.

Why God allows any of us to suffer.

But I do know this:  God uses every situation to bring us and others closer to Him.

If we allow it.

If we don’t instead allow our selfish ways to usurp God’s path, turning instead to anger or self-pity.

But if we allow Him to work through us, eventually healing every wound.

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Unfortunately, there is and will be so much unbelievable suffering in this world.

That is a given.

I think God needs some of His sheep to minister healing and peace to the pain of the world.

Not sure why He chooses some of us to have that job and not others…..

Frankly, it’s not for me to know.

God uses all situations, ugly or beautiful, for His purposes.

All we can do is trust Him in the process.

Trust Him to guide us.

And save us.

If God hand picks you to suffer terribly, allow yourself to grieve.

But bring God along for the ride.

His peace will cleanse your heart and mind.

Yes, your heart will never be the same.

But your witness will stand strong for others, giving hope and light in the utter darkness of the world.

Your light will pull others up from their knees.

Your peace will strengthen broken hearts.

Your faith will point others to the feet of Jesus.

Your living example of God’s redemptive power will break the chains of despair.

Chosen by God.

What an honor.

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Photos by Delphine Ducaruge, Gan Wien, & Robert Metz on Unsplash