I think we all try to avoid pain and sorrow... I try to. However, sorrow and suffering is a part of this life. This morning I awoke to two thoughts (I had a restless night and woke up several times in the night):
1. Daniel's three friends in the fiery furnace.
2. The life of Job.
The thought that suffering is a necessary part of the life of a child of God was very present in my thoughts. God doesn't give His children evil gifts, so these gifts of suffering and sorrow need to be cherished and used wisely by me. I need to thank God for everything He gives, including the painful times that cause me to grow in Him.
I went through an exceptionally sorrowful time a few years ago and it ended in a most magnificent way.
ReplyDeleteTo everything there IS a season.
((hugs))
Yes, Susan, your labels are so true, we are getting our perfecting through all God's avenues, including our sufferings putting us on a closer track with our Loving Father/Physician. I pray to be thankful and not resentful. Job is one of my touchstones too.
ReplyDeleteThe suffering I am experiencing now with a dear family member is that I feel mostly "out of the loop" and helplessly throwing little bits of unrequited advice and it's largely being ignored resulting in them having to go down a wrong road to correction while I grieve for the peril they've chosen to navigate.
It's like they are on an unpaved road filled with broken bridges and potholes that runs parallel to the main highway they've decided to eschew just out of sight from lack of faith! I wake in many of the wee hours with my head bursting with dreams of how to get through, but then I realize that it is for each one's journey of perfection and have to give them up to Jesus again.
Hi Ma and Muse,
ReplyDeleteSomething wonderful happened...a talk that I had with a patient today at work. I'll post on it later...
Susan, I can't wait to hear about it:)
ReplyDeleteMusemater,
I like what you said here...I have a family member that sounds a lot like this. I have changed strategies lately from booming down on her with bible truths (including telling her at one point she was going to hell), to just showing compassion and being her friend.
I try to think of how I would feel in her situation. I really like the two road thing. Good stuff.
It's so hard when you don't have the words for whatever reason, and when you try to force them to come out, they don't seem to fit the person or the situation very well and everything is awkward. I like what Petra said on Ma's blog, "I don't want to be fake"...so true.
ReplyDeleteI might post this weekend or possibly it will have to wait until next week...not sure, but it was an "apples of gold in settings of silver" situation that almost had us both in tears of joy....