Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Hope for Those Who Hurt

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord.
Remember the great reward it brings you!
Patient endurance is what you need now,
so that you will continue to do God’s will.
Then you will receive all that He has promised.
HEBREWS 10:35-36 (NLT)



Our body can ruthlessly rob us of many abilities, but we still can control many things in life. The human body has a miserable capability of wreaking havoc without consent, and typically in the the most painful ways that rob us of our most beloved abilities. However, there is still much in our control even when the body’s functionality collapses. Examples of what is within our control is our sustained trust in Jesus, our attitude response, our response management of our relationships, the activities we choose and choosing to rise above the disability’s impact.


As tempting as it can be to simply give in to the ravaging of our body and to just melt onto the couch daily, try to not sink so low, and let your body tell you that you are too broken to do anything. Almost no one has absolutely no ability to do anything, including you! Otherwise, you would not be reading this post or trying to find out how to adjust to a new normal!


Strive to adjust your attitude, moment by moment, strengthen your spiritual life, and set up and seek new activities or adaptive ways to do old activities you once loved. There will always be something in life that you can do, and there will always be decision crossroads where the choice is yours. Get up, chin up, and regain the reins ensuring that God has ultimate control.


We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials,
for we know that they help us develop endurance.
And endurance develops strength of character and
character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
And this hope will not lead to disappointment.
ROMANS 5:3-5 (NLT)


(Written with permission from the blog of Abi Gordon)
(Sign up for Abi’s Blog at EphemeralandFaithful.com)

On the journey with you,
Jan & Dave Dravecky

0

Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Hope for Those Who Hurt

Why, O Lord, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?
… the darkness is my closest friend.
PSALM 88:14,18 (NIV)



When someone has battled a life-threatening illness for years, he or she often feels utterly alone, as though no one else has ever sunk so low in the pit of despair. Psalm 88 is a comfort for such men and women because it shows they are not breaking ground in the field of suffering.


Perhaps the most painful part of suffering is the perceived absence of God. So the psalmist cries out, “Why, O Lord, do you reject me and hide your face from me?” (v. 14). In an odd sort of way, it helps us to know that we have not been personally singled out by God to endure some wrenching trial. Others have passed this way before us.


Psalm 88 brings another peculiar comfort in that it ends in a minor key; clouds still obscure the sun when the writer puts down his pen: “The darkness is my closest friend.” (v. 18). He shows us that others have passed this way before … and God honored their journey by enshrining it in His Word. Odd comfort, perhaps – but real nonetheless. Jesus spoke to the people once more and said,


“I am the light of the world.
If you follow me,
you won’t have to walk in darkness,
because you will have the light that leads to life.”
JOHN 8:12 (NLT)



On the journey with you,
Jan & Dave Dravecky

0