So many things that happen around us are hard to understand. The things that I want to happen sometimes don’t and the things that I do not want to happen sometimes do.<\/p>\n
In my life this has been one of my biggest challenges – I have had this NEED to understand as much as possible and have the answer to the why’s of it all. The result of this at times was to try to explain it and have the answers, to the frustration of my family at times – Joel would often ask me if I could just once say “I am not sure or I do not know”. But thankfully, over time, I have realized and admitted that I do not have all the answers and I do not understand why things happen or do not happen. So in these moments I am learning to simply say “I do not understand this and may not have an answer but because of WHO is present in my life I can trust that at the end of it all there will be good that comes from it and THAT hope sustains me”. I also have this deep knowing in my heart that Jesus is present with me in the midst of what ever I face and that He has a way through it when I follow Him and look to Him.<\/p>\n
I have realized that I have a choice in each and every one of those moments – I can drown in the sorrow, the despair, the bitterness or the feelings of hopelessness these moments can bring or I can TRUST the One who has a promise and a plan to bring redemption to every situation that comes.<\/p>\n
To often in the face of disappointment or pain we can often give up, to easily, trusting God, and begin to look for another thing or person or belief to put our trust in – in the hopes that we will find peace and resolution to our current pain or circumstances or somehow gain the understanding we want so badly. I needed to accept this: We will not be able to understand the why’s of everything that happens in this world and I do not think He meant us to. That is why He said over and over again “Trust in Me, Do not fear, I am with you, Do not lean on your own understanding”.<\/p>\n
We live in a world and a culture that has programmed us to want and often times even demand instant results and gratification because we do not want to face another challenge or have to go through another disappointment. We do not want or feel that we are not strong enough to do the hard work it takes to maintain our trust in the face of disappointment and we do not want or like the pain that often leads to our growth and strengthening which in turn gives us the ability to face the next circumstance that comes our way. We want God to just “fix” it all – NOW! We think that somehow He is responsible for OUR choices or the choices of others and that some how He should have FORCED things to turn out differently. We need to understand this concept – God is in CHARGE but He is NOT in CONTROL. He gave that CONTROL over to us and now we have a choice each and every day of how I\/WE are going to use the control that He has given. (Side note – the only person or thing I truly have any control over is MYSELF and I have found that I need some help in that arena as well – working on ME is what I can do).<\/p>\n
A word from Jesus – “In this world you WILL HAVE many troubles, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world” – WOW – two promises are resident in this – First, Jesus promises that we will have trouble – this can be a comforting thought or a disturbing thought – I have chosen it as a comfort – the ability to know that whatever I am facing is something others face as well (none of us are immune to facing trouble and if somehow I think that, then I would be showing that I think I am better than everybody else) and that I am not alone. Second, Jesus told us to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. This leads me to know that if I put my trust in Him then I to will find the way to overcome what ever trouble comes my way. “Even in the valley of the shadow of death He is with me.”<\/p>\n
Final thought – I want to be one of the heroes of FAITH – who believed that even if what they hoped for did not happen in their lifetime, they were willing to do the work of believing and trusting God even in the face of impossible and often seemingly hopeless situations, so that the next generation or the generations after that might have a better life and see the promise come to pass. They were willing to give it all for the future and recognized that the short time on this earth was not the end of the story but they lived for eternity and for the sake of those yet to be born.<\/p>\n
Hebrews 11 – These are my heroes!!!<\/strong><\/p>\n It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise<\/strong>. And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead\u2014a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.<\/p>\n …..Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, the children of Israel……..<\/p>\n All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it.<\/strong> They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.<\/p>\n How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength<\/strong>. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death.<\/p>\n But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God<\/strong> in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection<\/strong>. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.<\/p>\n All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.<\/strong> For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.<\/p>\n Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.<\/span> We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus,<\/strong> the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame<\/strong>. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God\u2019s throne.<\/span> Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people;then you won\u2019t become weary and give up<\/strong>.<\/span>\u00a0 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n So I press on to TRUST HIM in face of everything that might come my way!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" So many things that happen around us are hard to understand. The things that I want to happen sometimes don’t and the things that I do not want to happen sometimes do. 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\nIt was by faith that Abraham obeyed<\/strong> when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.<\/em><\/p>\n