When God’s people suffer…

“Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal. He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes. At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the beasts of the earth. For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. You shall know that your tent is at peace, and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing. You shall know also that your offspring shall be many, and your descendants as the grass of the earth. You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, like a sheaf gathered up in its season. Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good.” (Job 5:17–27)

Job’s friends tried to justify his suffering by telling him that God allowed all his troubles as discipline for wrong-doing, and that those who please Him will live without problems. This is a typical conclusion for many Christians who have never suffered very much. We tend to think that God is blessing us because our good behavior has earned it. Therefore the opposite must be true and we deserve those problems.

It is true that God does bless the lives of those who obey Him, but He also uses trials to make us grow. Trials are not always punishment, as the book of Job reveals in its beginning. Satan said Job would never trust God if God didn’t play nice with Him, therefore God allowed Satan to bring tragedies to this man’s life to prove that faith in Him was more powerful than anything that threatened it.

In other words, some of what we suffer is not chastening or correction. It might be a test, or it might be an attack to win our hearts to the enemy’s lies. In such cases, pretending ‘all is well’ would be a lie. The struggle with those lies reinforced by tragedy upon tragedy is very real. Job didn’t know this was a contest for his affection and trust. All he knew was the pain of his losses and the agony of his body. He refused to be a hypocrite when asked how he was doing by glibly replying “Fine” when his world had fallen apart. He told the truth about his feelings:

Then Job answered and said: “Oh that my vexation were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me. (Job 6:1–4)

Yet in his suffering, his heart knew the truth. Even as he struggled with pain and loss, he was still able to say, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” (Job 23:10) Eventually God bailed him out. 

I know a tiny bit of that journey. Some days are simply rotten and I want to die. It might be physical pain or a horrid sense of despair without reason. And I say, “God, if this has purpose for my good and Your glory, so be it. If not, You know what to do.” At that, the situation usually goes away, making it a much condensed version of what happened to Job. And the test to see if I will trust God even in a trial is over, even quickly forgotten.

This is the nature of spiritual war. The battles usually happen right after a vital obedience, yet as He promises, God uses even this stuff for my good. 

Jesus, life with You is an adventure. I have days of struggles, surprises, unexpected events, and test after test. You have blessed me with energy for much of it, long naps when needed, and joy even in the messy parts. Abundant life? Sometimes I want ‘ordinary’ or ‘normal’ but realize that is not the promise that goes with walking with You.

 

Another Test?

 

This morning came with mixed emotions. I was dreaming of a stage play about the gospel. The person in the role of Jesus was exceptionally realistic and the storyline was accurate and powerful. Then my hubby woke me to say he was leaving for the ER. He’d been having some unusual pain and called the health link, answered many questions, then was told to see a doctor within three hours.

That still, small voice whispers, “I am with you” but makes no predictions. My devotions offered this:

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10:29–30)

The first thing I noticed was the absence in that list of leaving a spouse. Family rifts over the issue of faith in Christ does not include couples. While the Bible encourages marriage with another Christian, it does give direction to wives whose husbands are not believers and so on, but leaving a partner for Jesus’ sake is not given as an option. Also, our vows say “in sickness or in health” married couples are to take that seriously.

Thinking that this could be serious and even deadly, it didn’t cross my mind to throw my hands in the air and give up. That alone encourages me. The Lord has blessed our marriage — through thick and thin.

The next thing I noted is that God promises that no matter what the gospel causes me to leave behind, the Lord will amply take care of the hole it might otherwise leave. House, siblings, parents, children, land… none of it will remain a loss. He will fill the gap. Even now, our grandchildren all live far away, but other children call us their grandparents.

Then I saw the verse for tomorrow. One word surprised me:

So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. (1 Corinthians 3:21–23)

All that God gives, leaders, the world, life in the present and future, and Christ of course, includes death. Most Christians I know are thankful for all those things, but pray that none of us experience death. We know ‘all are terminal’ yet death is not considered something that belongs to us, just as much as all else is ours. Few consider death as part of what we have because we belong to God.

Death is often seen as an enemy, but this passage says death is no longer a master but a servant. It becomes part of God's plan, a transition to the next life. Christians are not bound by the limitations of the natural world, including the threat of death. We have a new perspective on both life and death as they are now part of God's larger plan. Death is a defeated enemy.

My hubby may have nothing seriously wrong, but at our age, death is taking our peers and illness is a common complaint. Having a sound, biblical view is vital for peace of mind.

PRAY: Jesus, this unexpected event feels like a test to show me how I should think. It reveal some fears that pop up about what might happen next. You are always good and use all things for good. Enable my faith in You to be an anchor for my heart and mind and also for my dear hubby’s emotions and thoughts. May our words and thoughts trust and glorify You.

 (Later… best case scenario. The CAT scan showed a treatable issue and hubby did not need surgery or be admitted for more tests. He is back home. Thank You, Lord.)

God reveals His will — pay attention!

A friend soon faces surgery to fix a detached retina in his right eye. He had the same problem years ago in the left one. Why? I haven’t a clue. Another friend takes care of her husband as his mind changes daily due to dementia. What is God’s purpose in this? I haven’t a clue. Many families struggle as one or more children (or grandchildren) are prodigals running away from them and from God. Why? I’ve no idea why this is happening either, but I do know one thing:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

God uses all things, even trials, to transform my life. The Bible even says this about my trials:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

A difficulty or trial happens for at least two reasons. God may reveal great faith. When my husband fell in March, he sat dazed on a nearby bench and prayed that he didn’t know the why of this fall, but he accepted it as part of God’s plan for his life. One significant “good” thing is that he does not complain about his pain. He has a stress fracture and the pain goes away only when he is flat on his back, but he continues to take care of his responsibilities without moaning. This trial has resulted in steadfast trust in the Lord.

Trials can also expose sinfulness. Every time I have computer problems, my patience disappears. I am not only annoyed and frustrated, but lack peace and joy indicating the flesh is running things rather than the Holy Spirit. I also realize that this trial is exposing my sinful desire to be in control of things rather than trusting God and patiently dealing with that minor issue of life.

Today’s reading says that the story of Job is enacted in the lives of Christians. It says, “Mysterious providences darken and attempt to ruin the lives of those who have seemed too good to need such discipline. Even to ourselves come afflictions that we cannot understand, and Satan seems so busy in the matter that it is hard to trace the hand of the Lord in it at all. But His hand is in it nevertheless, and He overrules everything. No trial comes except by His permission and for some wise and loving purpose which perhaps only eternity will disclose.”

While most of us can identify with the puzzle of a trial and how easily we complain, I must not forget the rest of Job's story. Eventually God spoke to Job and this man realized that all his complaining and moaning about not knowing the reason for the trial was not an expression of his faith. In his troubles, he was to firmly hang on to the faith that he did have, expressed now and then, but not consistent. He did say:

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. (Job 23:10)

But he also complained that he didn’t know the why of it and God was not telling him. Then, at the end of the story, this man realized that he was not being true to his faith, and he confessed it saying:

I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted….  Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:2–6)

God did not bring that trial on Job to punish him for sins committed. Instead, He used it to show him that faith wins. In this trial and his encounter with God, Job needed to realize this and stick to it. He also needed to confess his failure to do that. In other words, Job was not kept in the dark about why he went through such a severe trial. At the end of his story, God showed Job his attitude so he could confess his doubts, repent, and be restored.

PRAY: Jesus, I know that Your treatment of me is only a mystery for a time, a test to reveal my reactions. Will I trust You? Or will my sin nature fly into action? Do I honor You in the trial? Or do I stop trusting and take a nosedive? If You are revealing sin, You always reveal it to me so I can repent and become more like You. I may not know the reasons for the trials of others, but by grace, You show me  the ‘why’ of my experiences — even if it is just the need to pay closer attention to Your revealed will.

May Jesus be glorified…

God works in incredible ways. Yesterday I prayed long and often for a person in a far-away hospital receiving rare treatment that could be dangerous. This person is constantly on my mind and even as I tried to leave her in the hands of God, I wanted to know how she is managing, what is happening. I called, no answer. I emailed and texted; nothing. This has gone on for a few weeks.

My prayer yesterday was partly about my struggle to let “faith be the evidence of things not seen” rather than asking God to give me something I could see. Still, I could not get her out of my mind. Yet I also was surprised at some of the words that came out as I prayed. It was more Holy Spirit than me.

Still praying and still trying not to worry, the phone rang just after 3:00 p.m. I was shocked It was her. We talked for ninety minutes and she updated me, answered all my questions. The conversation left me stunned. Since then, I’ve felt odd, sort of like this:

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, (Luke 5:4–9)

Peter didn’t expect a catch of fish so when it came in such abundance, he felt the weight of his unbelief and even asked Jesus to leave him because of his sin. This morning, still astonished at God moving to answer my prayer that was so mixed with wanting to trust Him and wanting evidence that He was hearing me. The call reminded me that He is faithful and I can have confidence that He is at work in other prayer requests for other people — but in this case my confidence wavered. He whispered, “You know you can trust me.”

I’ve seen again that God hears and answers prayer whether I can see what He is doing or not. Trust is not about proof but about the character of the One I am trusting.

Trust is not about the extremity of the problem either. It is about the love and power of God. It is also not about how I feel. Facts pull the faith train, not feelings nor even what I can see. I let the lack of communication (not normal for this person) and my concerns for her govern to the point of being anxious instead of patient with God — who is totally worthy of my trust.

This all means that the phone call was wonderful to receive and the length of the conversation was reassuring, yet this call was also a rebuke.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:1–3)

Faith is like that. I have no trouble believing that God created all things by a word, no matter how much ‘evidence’ is presented to the contrary. Yet I let my ignorance of a medical procedure and the absence of communication override what faith was trying to assure me. God is more powerful than my doubts but I wanted to see something rather than simply trust Him. He assured me with that phone call, but it didn’t build my faith. Instead, I feel as Peter did when he saw the catch of fish — guilty of unbelief. I do not deserve the goodness of God.

PRAY: Jesus, what can I say? Not ‘depart from me’ but stay close. I need you. So also does this one I prayed for and who called me. Grow in both of us a greater trust in You, one that refuses to let doubt or feelings or fears pull us into depression or the despair of not trusting You.

Why Pray when you can Worry?

Consecration is about having the obstacles removed that keep God from bestowing God’s full blessings. While the devotional for today say this purging is something we do and describes it as being entirely abandoned to God, that is not entirely true. Our willingness is part of His saving work. Many times I have said to Him, “Lord Jesus, I am totally unable to be all that I should be; You are the Savior — save me from this…” whatever it is where I keep trying but fall short.

The Bible says this:

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:21)

Yet what cleanses us from that which is dishonorable? Is it not this:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

To become clean, consecrated, abandoned to the will of God in that entire surrender of the whole being to God—spirit, soul, and body placed under His absolute control, for Him to do with what He pleases, the only way is through keeping short accounts. This involves recognizing my sin and agreeing with God about it. It does not involve “try harder” but confession and repentance.

Repentance isn’t mere acknowledgment. It is responding to the Holy Spirit in such a way that the sin is replaced with righteousness. That is His work. I cannot remove my sin without the enabling of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes this means a number of tests to determine if it is still my desire to keep on doing it. This is like the young missionary who said, “The trouble with a living sacrifice is that it keeps crawling off the altar.” My old nature is dead/separated from God and I need to consider that to be true.

The other thing to consider is that much of sin is the result of believing a lie. Instead of trusting what God says, life’s circumstances often open our ears to that old Liar who whispers, “God does not really want the best for you…” and we fall for it, take matters into our own hands, and sin.

Consecration is having that “Thy will be done” attitude that no matter what, and then resting in the trust that He does love me and even in tough situations, His will is the most blessed thing that can happen, no matter the circumstances.

In discussions with other Christians, some actually say they are afraid to totally trust the will of God. At that, they are obviously not hearing His Word but the words of the enemy who does not want any of us to understand that God’s perfect will means loving-kindnesses, tender mercies, and unspeakable blessings — even if it also means hard times. Think of Jesus: His greatest suffering produced the greatest blessing God could give us.

Yet in the tough times, that whisper from my enemy produces anxiety. He uses hard times to suggest to me that God is not loving because He is messing with my comfort, my Eden. I need to remember how that old snake tells preposterous and bald-faced lies to keep me from trusting in the love of God and His unfailing promises.

PRAY: Satan uses dreams (nightmares), adverse circumstances, nasty people, even my imagination, to get me to think wrongly about You, Lord. Forgive my foolishness of listening to the lies instead of “storing your Word in my heart” and letting it be “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” — and I pray for those who continually worry because they have forgotten that You love them and that the Liar uses that to keep them from praying.

Passing the tests?

 

READ Psalm 26–30

The children are back in school, some glad for it, others reluctantly. I went back to school twice as an adult. Once to take a bachelor’s degree and once for a master’s degree. I loved the study but not the exams. Would my age and memory work against me? Besides that, I had a history of being ridiculed in high school if I missed a question on a quiz. Kids can be cruel; if they cannot poke at ignorance, they will make fun of good grades.

The psalmist says, “Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.” (Psalm 26:2–3) I don’t like those tests much either. Failure is usually about being oblivious that the test is happening until it is over and I realized I’ve flunked. The up side is that God does not make fun of failure just as He does not exalt me when I pass the test. He is the reason for getting at right — and He gets the credit!

Sometimes those tests involve others who ridicule what I believe. God tells me to “love your enemies” and “do good to those who hate you” and my inclination is to retaliate, or at least hold a grudge. David says:

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. (27:1–3)

The psalmist knew that God would and does protect His people. That means no fear of what people can do to me, whether verbal ridicule or any other intention to harm. He will take care of me and take care of them! “For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.” (27:5) No matter who forsakes me (even if it were my father and mother, v.10) He will take care of me.

Sometimes tests seem like God has abandoned me, or worse yet, that He is angry with me. As David did, I need to remember the truth; God is merciful and His love is plainly stated in the Person and work of His Son on my behalf:

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed. To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy: “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!” You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! (30:4–12)

During an extreme test of faith, I usually do not feel like praising God or being thankful. A friend once said that sometimes we need to act right before we feel right. At the time, that idea seemed too close to hypocrisy but now I understand. When I’m down and feel God has gone, even though my theology says otherwise, I must praise Him and be thankful anyway. By doing that, my emotions begin to change.

When tested and at all times, God tells me my part:

You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.” (27:8)

To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary. (28:1–2)

In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. (31:1–5)

The truth and my anchor at all times is not so much that I am right with God but that He is at peace with me!