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From the archives….but terribly relevant in my life right now. It’s good to read this “pre-tribulation” post and still be able to shake my head and know it is true.
“It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.”
Psalm 119:71
There is something we don’t get about suffering; suffering exists because of sin. But because God is sovereign, nothing happens to His people but that He is allowing it and using it for His purposes in our lives. (See Job.)
It is not our mission in life to escape suffering, but to submit to what God does through it. Of course our flesh wants to escape, but we are no longer slaves to the flesh, but rather should desire to yield to the spirit of God in us.
“…we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3,4
And God forbid we use suffering as a determining factor for obedience. (“Lord, the thing you’ve called me to is too hard!” Remember Jesus’ words? “Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done.”)
I think of comments I hear about pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood–sometimes my own feelings. It is so easy and seemingly logical for us to reason that we should intervene in the process of life to prevent possible hardship. “But if it’s hard, shouldn’t we duck?”
It is not our job to try to orchestrate the events of our lives that are God’s in order to escape hypothetical or even probable hardship.
I don’t DO things on purpose to cause myself hardship, but doing (making an unaffordable purchase) and preventing (stopping the supernatural, biological process of life) are two different things.
(No intention of starting that particular debate–the principle is applied to all areas of life, but a point I wanted to make.)
I think of suffering like defects people are born with. As a culture, we literally think it our responsibility to do away with such imperfections. The Bible says “it is good for me”.
We need to view afflictions for what they are. When afflictions come about as a supernatural occurrence–not a logical consequence to something stupid we do–we can rest and even glory in that suffering!
Suffering produces the character of Christ. And while it may not be what we prefer, our loving God cares more about our spiritual growth than our temporary comforts.
Listen to what He told the children of Israel…
“And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.” Deuteronomy 8:2
Sometimes, it’s just a simple matter of His desire to hear, “Lord, I will still love you…I will still obey you.”
What is your wilderness? More importantly, what is it wringing out of your heart? A shaking fist, or the cry…“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him”?
Look past your present suffering. Thank God for the crucible that will melt away the dross.
“Refine me Lord, so I may be more like You.”
***I’ve just added GC to the “Circle of Moms Top 25 Faith Bloggers” contest…I’d love your vote! You can vote once a day until June 8th.***
11 comments
O Kelly, this is so painstakingly true. The Lord is calling us to a deeper walk with Him. O how I love thee, Lord. Every night for about a month since that day in April I sit and pray for you and your friends in the valley. Thinking and praying for the children to be stronger for this trial and not have any fears. May He be glorified. ♥
Kelly, you are pulling out some true gems from your archives. My heart has ached for you in such deep ways that it has surprised me, and yet I have also been moved to praise his holy name over the unseen sanctifying work the Father is doing in your life. I seem to straddle between wanting to do anything in my power to ‘fix’ whatever I can for you, and just standing in AWE of the mighty work that God is doing in you, amongst you, for you. When I look at my own children, I think of yours, and my momma heart frets for them. And my prayers flow raw for you, that God fills you for them, and that the fresh purity of them reminds you of God’s goodness to you. When I see my husband’s hard working hands, I think of your husband, the strain of pouring himself out for his family in ways I’m sure he never imagined. And my prayers grow bold for you, that you would be granted a strength not your own. And that you would literally feel the upholding arms of Christ as you seek to refresh his soul with sweetness and love and support. And as you nurse that sweet (gorgeous) little baby, I pray that you are given a double dose of those wonderful ‘relaxing, peaceful’ hormones. The list goes on. It is not a trite thing when I say I pray for you sister. You are being held!
Hugs & love!!
Amy,
It’s words like these that you and many others have spoken into my life, prayers, amazing love and the warmest “hugs” I’ve ever felt from people I haven’t even met that make this walk bearable and even intermittently sweet among in this wilderness.
Thank you for taking the time to send this encouragement to me today!
🙂
Oh, and this post really blessed my hubby and I tonight..thank you!
I just finished watching videos of the devastation done on Tuesday and was in tears…trying to get my finite brain around the whole thing…aching for those people…thinking of your family and everyone around you…wondering how the pieces get picked up and sorted through…and what will come of it all…and then my eye caught my viewing feed…so I clicked on it to see if you had a new post up…and this is what I found. Your post…God’s reminder to me that He is in it. He is moving powerfully…and is Greater than those frightening vortex’s that move in and crush homes and bodies. This is not the end of the story, is it?! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! Psalm 27:14 Praying for strengthened faith, endurance and resolve for your family…and praying for those who have no hope too…that they might find this world a dry and weary land…and realize hope and true joy in the Living Christ.
“Thank God for the crucible that will melt away the dross.”
I love that sentence! My Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines crucible as a vessel so tempered and baked as to endure extreme heat without melting, and dross as any worthless or impure matter separated from the better part.
What a great picture of God’s refining work in our lives! Although the tempering and baking He allows can be unpleasant at times (OK, BIG understatement with the way I usually react to the fire!), God’s refining and purifying process is designed to strengthen and prepare me to withstand even an extreme trial. Reminds me of Romans 8:18, that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Thank you, Kelly, for another great post (repost)! I needed this one today!
I was *JUST* at the Top 25 Faith Blogs site and was looking for you so I could vote! That must’ve been right before you added yourself! So I’ll try to vote everyday!
And my washing machine just overflowed this evening, so the post was VERY welcome!
Oh – and a paraphrased quote from Elisabeth Elliot:
The kitchen sink is not an obstacle,
it’s an altar.
– Elisabeth Elliot
Must read full devotional (where I got this quote from) here: http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/biblical-womanhood/on-motherhood-and-profanity/
I so appreciate your words! I’m so afraid to suffer. My husband and I have been coming to new, deeper convictions from God’s Word that really challenge our hearts. One of them is birth control, should we use it? We stopped last year. I am 41 now and a seemingly fertile myrtle! I had my second child in Feb, 8 days after my 41st birthday. During my pregnancy I LOST 20 lbs and another 20 lbs after delivering due to an excruciatingly painful condition I have called trigeminal neuralgia. (Thankfully, my baby was full term, 7 lbs, absolutely perfect and a wonderful blessing!) It causes pain in my face that prevents me from being able to talk, eat, drink, brush my teeth…just about anything you can imagine that you’d do with your mouth. I get it when I’m not pregnant, but it was amplified during my pregnancy. My midwife thinks it was so bad because of being pregnant (I’ll spare you why but her logic make very good sense). So, needless to say, I’m TERRIFIED of being pregnant again. The pain is also is caused by emotional stress which is usually (maybe always) me not trusting that God is in control and that He wants only the best for my life. I had to surrender to many difficult things during my pregnancy, which were valuable lessons. I wouldn’t take it back nor do I miss that weight I lost I’ve been overweight my whole life…but I do not desire to endure it again. My heart’s desire is to surrender to the Lord’s will, I’m just really scared!