My soul and mind are a bit unsettled these days. I cannot escape the nagging sadness for the families that mourn deaths in Texas. My son in North Carolina lost a portion of his business to a flood last week, too. That’s not a tragedy of the same magnitude by any measure but a disappointment, none the less. And then there was my 70th birthday, a milestone which has provoked some angst about my tomorrows. Does ill health lurk in the weeds along life’s pathway? Will I remain mentally alert and productive?
Life hands us the unexpected, the adverse, doesn’t it? Yes, we also enjoy unanticipated blessings which must not be forgotten. In my anxiousness, I found wisdom and solace in the words of Isaiah that assure, come what may, God is ever-present and always loving. — “Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, He will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go.’” (Isaiah 30:20)
The prophet does not require us to deny the reality of our struggles. He does ask that we understand that adversity and suffering are a normal part of our journey, bounded by the will of God! This is the unshakeable promise: God does not abandon us in our need. He is present, teaching, guiding, and leading even as we walk through seasons of difficulty.
The key is that we learn to listen. “Your own ears will hear him,” Isaiah writes. One of the tragedies of the 21st century Christian is that he often tricked into the belief that the Lord God is distant or impersonal. He is not! In the moments—quiet or tumultuous—when we pause to listen, we will find the quiet stirring - “This is the way you should go.”
Paul teaches us that the Lord does NOT just give us grace and comfort for its own sake. We are to become blessers as those who are blessed. “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation.” (2 Corinthians 1)
I confess that I have become much more compassionate in my later years after enduring some difficult days. The arrogance of the young man deluded by a sense of control has been replaced by the humility of an old man who knows that he is a sinner saved by grace and that others are struggling, too.
The best gifts—comfort, guidance, provision, and life itself—flow from grace and mercy, not from rewards for our perfect performance. It is not through our striving or deserving, but through a loving generosity that is unearned and unending. Yes, friend, suffering teaches us about the dependence on Someone far greater than ourselves and thus open our spirits to the transformative presence of the Divine.
There is a daily choice we make when trouble comes – we believe that, despite circumstances, a way is being made for us. When we feel lost or overwhelmed, we return to the stillness where the guiding voice can be heard. Even when the way forward seems unclear, we choose to step forward in faith, believing that direction will be given just when we need it.
I have learned to look away from Jerry and towards the Spirit Who is our Comforter, Teacher, and Guide—ever-present, interceding, and empowering me to live with courage and compassion. The promise of eternal life is not simply a hope for the future, but a present reality, as the Spirit breathes new life into our every moment.
Are you struggling today? Has uncertainty overcome your
heart and mind?
Here are some simple suggestions that can help you to move towards peace.
Begin Each Day with Reflection:
Take a few moments each morning to ground yourself in gratitude, intentionally
opening your mind and heart to Him. Pray – “Come, Holy Spirit.” Read a passage of Scripture. And, declare
your identity as God’s own child.
Practice Active Listening:
Be attentive not only to your own needs but also to those around you. God speaks
as often through the words of a friend, a stranger, as He does in the gentle
conviction of your heart.
Extend Compassion:
Look for opportunities to comfort the mourning and provide for those in need.
Small acts of kindness can have a ripple effect beyond what you can imagine.
Adversity may come along with suffering for a season, but the presence of God is eternal and unfailing. With hearts in tune with the Spirit’s song and eyes open to God’s handiwork, we walk forward. By faith, we trust that the way will be made clear and that we are held in a love that knows no end.
I pray for you and for me that today will bring renewed hope, deepened compassion, and quiet confidence that, wherever we go, the Voice behind us will gently whisper, “This is the way you should go.” And may we have the courage to follow.
______________
He Leadeth Me
He leadeth me O blessed thought
O words with heavenly comfort fraught
Whate'er I do where'er I be
Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me
He leadeth me He leadeth me
By His own hand He leadeth me
His faithful follower I would be
For by His hand He leadeth me
Sometimes 'mid scenes of deepest gloom
Sometimes where Eden's bowers bloom
By water's calm o'er troubled sea
Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me
Lord I would clasp Thy hand in mine
Nor ever murmur nor repine
Content whatever lot I see
Since 'tis my God that leadeth me
And when my task on earth is done
When by Thy grace the victory's won
E'en death's cold waves I would not flee
Since Thou through Jordan leadeth me
Joseph Henry Gilmore, William Batchelder Bradbury
© Words: Public Domain; Music: Public Domain
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