Often after I past the question of why, I then move to the question of how.
God how would you like to me use this to glorify you?
So right now...I am wondering this. I am staying quiet so I can hear what he might say.
Looking at life right now to see where the how question to be answered.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Suffering...
Suffering...why?
I often wonder why.
I'm not sure.
I wonder when I will be healed. Some days I dont care what day it will be, whether it will be here on earth or in heaven. Those are the good days. :) The bad days I believe this too. Just a bit harder to believe I guess.
I often wonder why I have to be in pain.
I learned that pain is God's gift to us to help us know when something is wrong with our bodies so we can get the care we need. Im glad that He made our bodies in such a way to signal us when things are going wrong.
Back to the orignial question, why suffering?
Is it for us to reflect on our lives, ourselves, others, God or what?
I know my response for the past 10 years has been whatever God, and I dont mean that to be a sarcastic thing. I mean God whatever your will is for the pain, and weird things that go on with my body.
I cry in his arms, they are the strongest. When I relax I see myself laying in His arms, and Him stroking my head and hair ever so gently.
Really I cant think of any other place I would rather be, in His arms being comforted. Because there is no other place I can get comfort that is so loving and gentle.
Those are my thoughts on suffering. I dont know the whys of suffering, but I know who to turn to in times where life is hard. It is easier than what I might resort to.
What is my focus...what will be the response???? I can focus on suffering and how terrible it is, or I can focus on who God is. My response can be one of surrending the battle of suffering with a huge fight, looking to Him for answers about treaments, doctors, and respond with thanksgiving, praise and worship for the things that can be done. The things that can't be done, well He is gonna get the glory cause I dont know how He will use me and the situation I am in!
Below is an execerpt from a Grief Share Devotional that I received in my email.
Excerpt from Grief Share Limited Answers Day 192
Here is the challenge: Do not use your suffering as a time to discover if you believe in God, but focus instead on discovering what you believe about Him. In times of suffering, God does not change, but what you believe about Him, what you understand about Him, may.
You will likely have questions to which you will never receive answers. It is human nature to want all the pieces to fit, to want to make sense of things. But there are times when that will not happen.
"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12).
God, instead of focusing on the questions, I want to start focusing on the Answer--You. Help me to better understand Your attributes and Your plan for my life. Amen.
Suggested reading from the GriefShare HelpCenter
When God WeepsJoni Eareckson Tada
I often wonder why.
I'm not sure.
I wonder when I will be healed. Some days I dont care what day it will be, whether it will be here on earth or in heaven. Those are the good days. :) The bad days I believe this too. Just a bit harder to believe I guess.
I often wonder why I have to be in pain.
I learned that pain is God's gift to us to help us know when something is wrong with our bodies so we can get the care we need. Im glad that He made our bodies in such a way to signal us when things are going wrong.
Back to the orignial question, why suffering?
Is it for us to reflect on our lives, ourselves, others, God or what?
I know my response for the past 10 years has been whatever God, and I dont mean that to be a sarcastic thing. I mean God whatever your will is for the pain, and weird things that go on with my body.
I cry in his arms, they are the strongest. When I relax I see myself laying in His arms, and Him stroking my head and hair ever so gently.
Really I cant think of any other place I would rather be, in His arms being comforted. Because there is no other place I can get comfort that is so loving and gentle.
Those are my thoughts on suffering. I dont know the whys of suffering, but I know who to turn to in times where life is hard. It is easier than what I might resort to.
What is my focus...what will be the response???? I can focus on suffering and how terrible it is, or I can focus on who God is. My response can be one of surrending the battle of suffering with a huge fight, looking to Him for answers about treaments, doctors, and respond with thanksgiving, praise and worship for the things that can be done. The things that can't be done, well He is gonna get the glory cause I dont know how He will use me and the situation I am in!
Below is an execerpt from a Grief Share Devotional that I received in my email.
Excerpt from Grief Share Limited Answers Day 192
Here is the challenge: Do not use your suffering as a time to discover if you believe in God, but focus instead on discovering what you believe about Him. In times of suffering, God does not change, but what you believe about Him, what you understand about Him, may.
You will likely have questions to which you will never receive answers. It is human nature to want all the pieces to fit, to want to make sense of things. But there are times when that will not happen.
"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12).
God, instead of focusing on the questions, I want to start focusing on the Answer--You. Help me to better understand Your attributes and Your plan for my life. Amen.
Suggested reading from the GriefShare HelpCenter
When God WeepsJoni Eareckson Tada
Friday, April 3, 2009
WHY, God Why?!
I often have the question, Why God?
I was reminded of this again this morning through a devotional I have been receiving through an organization called GriefShare. It is a ministry for those who have experienced a death of a loved one. I was involved in a support group that lasted 3 months. A very good program.
I am sure others have the same question on their mind when things happen in their life and they have no answer.
In the past year I have asked the Why question many times. Often times there is no answer, not one I can come up with from myself or others, God doesn't answer either. I get frustrated. I think okay, when will the answer come?
Then my thoughts come back to this verse,
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways, my ways, declares the Lord."
This brings me back to this one thought track I have been having...where is my focus...and what is my response going to be.
In this I am brought back to the thought that God's thoughts may be such that I won't understand the reason he has for things that happen in my life, that I won't understand why. I have decided I dont have to understand why, but trust and have faith that God does know why. I have learned to trust that God has the answer and that He knows best for me in my life, now that is FAITH! I have faith even though I dont know the answer.
Below is the copy of the devotional I received this morning.
The Why of DeathDay 188
Right now you might not be feeling very close to God. You might be thinking, Where is God? Does God really care? How could He let this happen? What does my future hold?
Dr. Robert Jeffress shares the response of a man who lost three of his seven children through horrible deaths to leukemia: "When somebody asks him, 'How could you keep believing in a God who would allow you and your children to experience such a tragedy?', this is what he says, 'In those kind of experiences you have two choices: You can either give up or you can keep believing in God even when it doesn't make sense. Faith means something when it's exercised in the darkness.'"
Dr. Jeffress adds his own insight: "I believe that faith means something when you don't understand the whys. I don't think God ever condemns you for asking why. But in the ultimate analysis, the question is not why but it is Who? God calls on you to believe in Him who said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me. I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live again' [John 14:6, 11:25]. Ultimately you must trust in that."
Lord God, I have so many questions and doubts and feelings of guilt and blame. Where do I go from here? Lead me in Your way, truth, and life. Amen.
If you are in a Season of Grief, you can go to GriefShare to find a group and read devotionals, and even receive devotionals if you would like!
'A Season of Grief' from GriefSharedaily emails to help you through the grieving process--------------------------------------------------------
Grief support groups:Go to the following link to find a GriefShare group near you:http://www.griefshare.org/findagroup/?z=48323
Want to read ahead or resend a previous daily email? Click the link below:http://www.griefshare.org/dailyemails/my/
I was reminded of this again this morning through a devotional I have been receiving through an organization called GriefShare. It is a ministry for those who have experienced a death of a loved one. I was involved in a support group that lasted 3 months. A very good program.
I am sure others have the same question on their mind when things happen in their life and they have no answer.
In the past year I have asked the Why question many times. Often times there is no answer, not one I can come up with from myself or others, God doesn't answer either. I get frustrated. I think okay, when will the answer come?
Then my thoughts come back to this verse,
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways, my ways, declares the Lord."
This brings me back to this one thought track I have been having...where is my focus...and what is my response going to be.
In this I am brought back to the thought that God's thoughts may be such that I won't understand the reason he has for things that happen in my life, that I won't understand why. I have decided I dont have to understand why, but trust and have faith that God does know why. I have learned to trust that God has the answer and that He knows best for me in my life, now that is FAITH! I have faith even though I dont know the answer.
Below is the copy of the devotional I received this morning.
The Why of DeathDay 188
Right now you might not be feeling very close to God. You might be thinking, Where is God? Does God really care? How could He let this happen? What does my future hold?
Dr. Robert Jeffress shares the response of a man who lost three of his seven children through horrible deaths to leukemia: "When somebody asks him, 'How could you keep believing in a God who would allow you and your children to experience such a tragedy?', this is what he says, 'In those kind of experiences you have two choices: You can either give up or you can keep believing in God even when it doesn't make sense. Faith means something when it's exercised in the darkness.'"
Dr. Jeffress adds his own insight: "I believe that faith means something when you don't understand the whys. I don't think God ever condemns you for asking why. But in the ultimate analysis, the question is not why but it is Who? God calls on you to believe in Him who said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me. I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live again' [John 14:6, 11:25]. Ultimately you must trust in that."
Lord God, I have so many questions and doubts and feelings of guilt and blame. Where do I go from here? Lead me in Your way, truth, and life. Amen.
If you are in a Season of Grief, you can go to GriefShare to find a group and read devotionals, and even receive devotionals if you would like!
'A Season of Grief' from GriefSharedaily emails to help you through the grieving process--------------------------------------------------------
Grief support groups:Go to the following link to find a GriefShare group near you:http://www.griefshare.org/findagroup/?z=48323
Want to read ahead or resend a previous daily email? Click the link below:http://www.griefshare.org/dailyemails/my/
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