the worship band 1000 generations grasps this in their appropriately entitled song "Only in Weakness" with their lyrics which sing out to God, "It's only in weakness can You be strong."
if i really think about it - and i'm sure if you really think about it as well, the times when you turn to God most are when things are going terribly. maybe sometimes we have to hit a low or our breaking point for God to get our attention.
that's a pretty accepting God.
i don't know of very many people who would stick around for people who only turned to them in bad times and most times forgot them during the good ones.
and some people might be a little aggravated, irritated and just fed up with the bad stuff that God allows to happen in order to get our attention. my favorite book of the bible is Ecclesiastes becuse it shows us why God let's bad things happen (that may not be your theory on why bad things happen but it's mine) and it shows us that in this world nothing is as good as what life with Him will bring in the next. it's still hard to take on a life full of ups and downs though. but what we have to remember is the promise the Lord makes us in Romans 8:18, "What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will give us later."
and of course this isn't really that comforting when things seems to be falling apart around us. but it's the honest-to-god truth (no pun intended).
it's at these times when we must have what i would call a sort of blind faith in God. we must take a walk into what we see as darkness and trust that He will guide us through to our lighted future. because for Him the path is bright as it can get and clear as day.
even in the worst of times we should take note that God is never separated from us - as it says in Romans 8:35,38, "Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death...I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away."
for a man like Paul to say this it is a true testament to God's love. i am by no means judging you and the situations you have faced in your life but for most of us we've never come close to facing the things in life that Paul had. and look at how he still praises God! still believes! and still feels close to God!
and honestly we should be glad to have God by our side in times of trouble. if you look at it - he has suffered more than any of us and yet he still stands to suffer alongside us.
He has felt that grief that overcomes you when someone dies.
He has felt rejection from the people in this world who push him aside.
He has felt heartbreak at loving someone to the ends of the earth and having them turn their back on you.
but most importantly...
He knows how to lay aside the urge to get even and instead offer forgiveness.
i would like to end this note with some prayer requests because i think some of the requests on my list are bigger than my prayers alone.
~ the flooding that has devastated the area, may the damage be fixed and may the families be able to handle this.
~ the hearts of those that have been broken recently, that they may heal and find strength elsewhere
~ the sick - in heart, mind and body, that they may heal and find peace in God
~ the lonely, may they find comfort and companionship in fellow Christians and God himself.
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