With everything in life sometimes running amuck, I can find hope and encouragement in my Bible. My daughter is having health issues, my oldest grandson is struggling in so many areas, and my son has things that I worry over too. I pray about these things every day, but, sometimes I struggle with my faith walk. My extended family has so many issues they are in turmoil over, that it is so hard to reach them. Not only that, many of my extended family on the Native American side, because of their cultural differences, do not take Biblical teachings seriously, nor do they care to learn how to live a Christian life. I think I may be the only person in my immediate family who reads the Bible on a regular basis. I do know that my daughter and my granddaughter pray on a daily basis. I choose to believe that my son does too. Most people only pray when things are going bad or they have a rough patch. Today the words from Romans 15:4 gave me comfort.
Romans 15:4 "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. "
I take a great deal of comfort by reading my Bible and focusing on scripture almost every day. This verse reminds me to hope in the Lord and in his Word!~
So, to those of you who get a texted scripture from me now know, it is how I reach some of my dearly loved family and friends. At my ripe old age of 57, I use the text mode on my phone to reach out and touch someone.
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Hi, Shirley! Great blog! I wish you and your family a great 2010 and the situation is made better for this year and in the years to come. I would say to keep the faith. I know it is very difficult to give up when the situation is difficult. But know that you are not forgotten by God. I have learned though that there are a great many people that will try to convince you that you are being abandoned by God. When I come to this conclusion in my own life--as we all have, I turn to the Book of Job.
ReplyDeleteIn this book, I God allows Satan to challenge Job and caused him to suffer in what I call the key areas of the human psyche. Namely--Physical Suffering; Relational Suffering; Material Suffering, Cognitive or Psychological Suffering and Emotional Suffering. Job suffered physically with boils all over this body. He suffered relationally when his friends (so-called) and even his wife abandoned him telling him to curse God and die as well as the death of all of his children. He suffered materially when all of his possession were taken from him even though he was wealthy. He suffered cognitive or psychological when he could not find anyone human to go to comfort him. He suffered emotionally when it seemed his needs in the above areas came to haunt him days, it seemed, without end.
All Job had was God whom he turned to refusing to abandon God by saying: "What the Lord gives, He may take away. Eventually, because Job remained faithful, everything was restored to him. This tells me that God is aways there unlike the message many of us hear today. But Job's story also tells me that when they become Christians they believe that life will be full, prosperous and easy. They cannot and will understand that the Christian life is not easy nor was presented in this manner by Christ himself. That is why he said to us: In order to be a follower, one must take up their cross daily--not sometimes, when I want to but daily. Each day will present challenges, issues and suffering in some way. The question is: will we turned to God or to ourselves and immediate gratification.
I could go on but I think you get the point. I would not let the pains and suffering get me down but I would pray and continue to pray and read what God has to say. Put your pain and suffering in His hands and you will find your answers. And as you know, they all will not be as you desire but they will be as God will will them. May you be blessed and know that I will pray for you and your each day!
HI doc, I also think of the book of Job. I watcht the battle between good and evil that rages in the lives of people around me and I know what is going on. That does help me understand, I just worry about the kids, grandkids and greatgrandson. So I pray and pray.
ReplyDeleteI was so pleased to see your comment. I so hope you take the time to create a blog and send me a link to yours on here. ((HUG))