Last week tiny flowers poked through the bed next to the garage. This morning I noticed green buds on the branches of the plants near the pond. Imperceptible in the day, the change of season is sure!
Bev died 12 weeks ago and my heart is healing, slowly. This
week the stone will be set at her grave, another visible marker along this
pathway of grief. On Wednesday, I will remember her on what would have been her
62nd birthday. It will be a painful day. Sometimes I wish for a fast
forward in time, a way to ‘rush the process,’ but I know that working through
the stages of grief, letting the wound heal is a necessary thing. I am thankful
for faith in a God who assures me of His purposes. He told His people whose
land had been destroyed by invaders, the best carried off to be slaves, that He
would restore them, that their experiences were not hidden from His view. "I know the plans I have for you,” says the
Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a
hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT) He
knows my life, too, and is leading me through a process that will result in glory for Him, if I walk it out faithfully letting the Spirit lead.
Quick fixes and instant cures are offered for everything from
cancer to character flaws, from disappointment to disgust, from sin to sainthood.
Don’t buy them! People are not machines that can be fixed with a turn of a
wrench or the replacement of a bolt. We are complex; a mixture of motives, each
with a past, wrestling with our pain, problems, and the promises of God. God’s grace can transform us into creatures
of beauty, but only as we accept it and in turn learn to give it away. The Word urges us to "imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has
been promised." (Hebrews 6:12, NIV) "Farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to
mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. Be patient like
that. Stay steady and strong." (James 5:7-8, The Message)
Are you waiting for your heart to heal?
Are you longing for victory over some debilitating habit?
Are you praying for a son or daughter to find their way to
the Light?
This is the word from the Word for those who are in process:
"We want each of
you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope
sure. …
Now faith is being
sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. …
And without faith it is impossible to please
God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he
rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 6:11, 11:1,6 NIV)
__________________
When the valley is deep,
When the mountain is steep,
When the body is weary,
When we stumble and fall.
When the choices are hard,
When we're battered and scarred,
When we've spent our resources,
When we've given our all.
In Jesus' name, we press on!
In Jesus' name, we press on!
Dear Lord, with the prize-
Clear before our eyes-
We find the strength to press on.
PRESS ON
Dan Burgess
© 1983 Good Life Publications, Inc. (Admin. by Alfred
Publishing Co., Inc.)
No comments:
Post a Comment