It seems that a lot of the people around me are really struggling through some hard times. The recurring theme of conversations has been the issues of loss and disappointment and what is God doing and what does it all really mean and is life really supposed to be this way.
But just this week, my heart and mind have been reawakened to truth. There has been a ray of hope as I’ve prayed and read and listened for God’s voice in my life.
What God has revealed to me has been brutal. He told me that I have wallowed in all of this pain for long enough. In fact, He even showed me that I have been worshiping the pain instead of Him. I have allowed the pain to become what dominates my thoughts and anything that dominates our thoughts is what we worship.
That revelation really hurt. But once He showed it to me and I actually saw it for myself, I am now praying for and working on a shift in my focus --- away from thoughts of the loss, pain and bitterness, and back to the One who is able to heal and deliver me. This is a constant challenge and at this point I am failing more than I am succeeding. But I am praying and asking God to once again give me the mind of Christ, a mind that is focused on God and the promises that He has made to me.
One of my conversations took place on a thread on Facebook with four other people, three of whom I do not know. Everyone shared similar stories of pain and struggles and questions. Then someone posted two verses that opened up a new world of promise to me. It is Psalms 71:20-21:
But just this week, my heart and mind have been reawakened to truth. There has been a ray of hope as I’ve prayed and read and listened for God’s voice in my life.
What God has revealed to me has been brutal. He told me that I have wallowed in all of this pain for long enough. In fact, He even showed me that I have been worshiping the pain instead of Him. I have allowed the pain to become what dominates my thoughts and anything that dominates our thoughts is what we worship.
That revelation really hurt. But once He showed it to me and I actually saw it for myself, I am now praying for and working on a shift in my focus --- away from thoughts of the loss, pain and bitterness, and back to the One who is able to heal and deliver me. This is a constant challenge and at this point I am failing more than I am succeeding. But I am praying and asking God to once again give me the mind of Christ, a mind that is focused on God and the promises that He has made to me.
One of my conversations took place on a thread on Facebook with four other people, three of whom I do not know. Everyone shared similar stories of pain and struggles and questions. Then someone posted two verses that opened up a new world of promise to me. It is Psalms 71:20-21:
“Though you have made me see troubles,
many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.
You will increase my honor
And comfort me once again.”
Isn’t that an amazing passage? Go back and read it again. The psalmist says that God brought the troubles into his life. That’s where this writer says they came from --- from God! We all struggle with the concept of God bringing pain into our lives. But whether you believe He allows it or causes it, we must not get stuck in the pain because the promise is not in the pain. The promise is in what comes next.
The psalmist writes that even though God brought the troubles into his life --- LOTS of painful and bitter troubles --- the psalmist knows that God WILL restore him, rescue him, increase his honor, and comfort him.
How can this guy be so confident? Because God had done it for him before! That’s why he used the word “again” three times in these two verses. This guy had experienced restoration and rescue and comfort many times before. And, since God did those things for him in the past, he is convinced that God is able to do all of them again.
God reminded me that He has done all of those things for me in the past as well AND that He will do the same for me again. That’s where my heart and my mind must be focused as I move forward. There is no limit to His love and grace and mercy for me. God is in the restoration business! He is the ultimate restorer who can take what’s broken and beaten up and make something spectacularly beautiful.
many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.
You will increase my honor
And comfort me once again.”
Isn’t that an amazing passage? Go back and read it again. The psalmist says that God brought the troubles into his life. That’s where this writer says they came from --- from God! We all struggle with the concept of God bringing pain into our lives. But whether you believe He allows it or causes it, we must not get stuck in the pain because the promise is not in the pain. The promise is in what comes next.
The psalmist writes that even though God brought the troubles into his life --- LOTS of painful and bitter troubles --- the psalmist knows that God WILL restore him, rescue him, increase his honor, and comfort him.
How can this guy be so confident? Because God had done it for him before! That’s why he used the word “again” three times in these two verses. This guy had experienced restoration and rescue and comfort many times before. And, since God did those things for him in the past, he is convinced that God is able to do all of them again.
God reminded me that He has done all of those things for me in the past as well AND that He will do the same for me again. That’s where my heart and my mind must be focused as I move forward. There is no limit to His love and grace and mercy for me. God is in the restoration business! He is the ultimate restorer who can take what’s broken and beaten up and make something spectacularly beautiful.
Like the psalmist, I am confident that God will restore my life again. He will bring me up again. He will increase my honor and comfort me once again because that’s how much love, grace and mercy He has for me. And, that's how much love, grace and mercy has for you.
Amen!
