Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. James 1:12 (MSG)
Facing life's challenges, no matter how large or small, is contingent on one thing - our understanding of just how much our God loves us. There are so many different discussions regarding bad things happening to us in this world. Some believe God allows it, some say God is testing us, maybe God has merely set this world in motion standing back and watching as life unfolds, or maybe bad things just happen in this world. There may be some truth in all of these, but regardless of the origin, hurt hurts, trouble troubles, and pain is painful. It doesn't change the experience and it does not change the results of our circumstances.
Depending on how you see the heart of God, you may or may not understand where you go when life hurts and when challenges threaten to overtake. Our hearts only know that we want the pain to stop and we need help. Oh, how often I have faced life's challenges and have cried out to God, "Where are you?" I remember as a child shopping with my Mom and getting lost somewhere along the way. I remember the feelings of overwhelming panic and fear as I could not find her or see her familiar face. Just as a lost child goes looking for his parent, so do we look for the familiar eyes of our Father. It is almost as if we feel He has abandoned us during these times because surely He would not allow us to go through this kind of hurt. Hurts and trials remind us of our inability and cause us to question Him; fear creeps in to tell us that we will never overcome and the hurt will never go away. Hopefully we can grasp the truth of our Father's heart. His heart is always bent towards us even when we cannot see Him and even when the painful times come.
If we can truly grasp His love and how high, and wide, and deep it is, then we will understand that no matter what comes our way, our God is quick to love, quick to save, and quick to heal. Believe me, I understand the true pain of losing a child, a marriage, or a dream, but the truth is that if we grasp how much our Father loves us, then His heart is already making a way for our hope, our healing, and our restoration. His love is so encompassing that it knows no boundaries - even when the worst of life is thrown in your direction, the best of His love is there to help. He does not love us less and therefore just allow us to hurt, He loves us more and steps in - knowing that there will be troubles in this world. Take heart, He has overcome them.
The verse says that the reward is life. Interesting right? During the most desperate times of our lives, when all seems to be falling apart, God offers us life. If we truly grasp the love of our Father, the present situations of this world will not overtake us. His love offers hope for another day, His life offers renewal for a new tomorrow. Truly grasping the steadfastness of His love may not lessen the pain of this world, but
If we can truly grasp His love and how high, and wide, and deep it is, then we will understand that no matter what comes our way, our God is quick to love, quick to save, and quick to heal. Believe me, I understand the true pain of losing a child, a marriage, or a dream, but the truth is that if we grasp how much our Father loves us, then His heart is already making a way for our hope, our healing, and our restoration. His love is so encompassing that it knows no boundaries - even when the worst of life is thrown in your direction, the best of His love is there to help. He does not love us less and therefore just allow us to hurt, He loves us more and steps in - knowing that there will be troubles in this world. Take heart, He has overcome them.
The verse says that the reward is life. Interesting right? During the most desperate times of our lives, when all seems to be falling apart, God offers us life. If we truly grasp the love of our Father, the present situations of this world will not overtake us. His love offers hope for another day, His life offers renewal for a new tomorrow. Truly grasping the steadfastness of His love may not lessen the pain of this world, but