I know that many of you are familiar with this song. But, please listen before you read my words...
Every time I hear that song the tears just flow down my face. Such truth. We pray for we think we need, what we think we want....but God in all His love and mercy sometimes answers in the completely opposite way.
Can I say that I sit here today grateful for this illness. Yes, grateful!! It is not easy, but I sure would have missed so many blessings without it.
I am grateful for the struggles of teenagers. Not that I wish heartache, pain, angst for my teens. But through it I know that they will be stronger. I KNOW it! They will be used of God in ways that others can't, simply because of their experiences.
I am grateful for the heartache of the past couple months since my relationship ended with "my man". Why am I grateful? Because God showed me who I am. The pain also forced me to be vulnerable with others in my life. I couldn't "stuff" this pain...it just kept coming out. Friendships have flourished like I never would have imagined! Most of all, God in His mercy, snatched me back out of the pit of "neediness" and showed me my true worth.
Blessings come in forms we never imagine. Through the loss of my dad as a child I was given the gift of the most amazing "second dad" ever! Through the loss of my health I was given the blessing of this blog and you. Even in the loss of my marriage I have the blessing of a good relationship with Don.
Through pain God can and does bless us. We need to be looking for His hand in it. He is always there. He is always IN IT with us.
I don't know what blessings you are praying for today. I don't know what hurts you are experiencing. But I do know.....that I have been in the fire and in the pit. And I can testify that GOD IS GOOD! All the time.
He really does bring beauty from the ashes....I am proof.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
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8 comments:
Sometimes in the midst of the raindrops it's hard to see the blessings but if we just wait a little bit... a rainbow will appear.
I've been walking through a storm lately too but on this side of things... I can almost see the rainbow and I know... God is good!
Thank you for this reminder and thank you for continuing to stand strong in the midst of your own raindrops!
Amen and amen. God is good...and He is the ONLY one that can come down INTO the pit to carry us out... Wow...I love God SO MUCH!!
"I have peace like a river, I have peace like a river, I have peace like a river in my soul".......I just felt like serenading you, that's all.
Thank you for this post!
xo
Great testimony! Thank you for posting this encouragement,
s
I'd say you've traveled a bijillion miles!
Just this morning I heard a Christian radio host pray for someone who'd called in. In his prayer he added, "Lord, teach us to suffer well ..."
That hit me. I have never considered praying that way, but you can be sure I will from this day forward.
Pain is part of the human condition. Thank God He redeems it all!
Love,
Kathleen
Sweet Friend,
How your words resonate in my soul. I never dreamed that God would really show me what it means for my faith to be tested...and know without doubt that he took me to a place to choose...me or HIM...my way or His. Not easy.. but worth the trip just to know Him more. Faithfully, lovingly, wonderfully.
You have been and are a blessing to me and many others...keep writing your words, keep singing your songs...God is using everything He has given you....all of it! All.
Girl, I am the proof too. on my own, my whole life turned to ashes. given to Him a beautiful transformation took place. Glad to see you here :)
I am proof too. God loves to work in mysterious ways and I know His ways to blessing are the best. It often takes time to see His hand especially when life is hard.
Yes, you are proof. Thank you for sharing.
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