For anyone who has gone through difficult times there is usually one person that God sends your way to encourage you, to listen and to help you make sense of the world. This person that has been sent to me is my friend Erin. We are going through different but both very difficult situations almost simultaneously. One night we were talking after going to a friend's birthday/bonfire. It was a Friday night and we left the party late but then we talked forever, which seems to come naturally for us! Even after I got home, I got an overwhelming feeling that I needed to open my devotional book, despite my extreme urge to go straight to bed. I listened because I thought this might be a good lesson for me, and it turned out to be just the thing I needed to hear based on the discussion we were having earlier that night. The following is the devotional from August 3rd in the book Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman.
"Never pray for an easier life - pray to be a stronger person! Never pray for tasks equal to your power - pray for power equal to your tasks. Then doing your work will be no miracle - YOU will be the miracle. Phillips Brooks
We must remember that Christ will not lead us to greatness through an easy or self-indulgent life. An easy life does not lift us up but only takes us down. Heaven is always above us, and we must continually be looking toward it.
Some people always avoid doing things that are costly, or things that require self-denial, self-restraint, and self-sacrifice. Yet it is hard work and difficulties that ultimately lead us to greatness, for greatness is not found by walking the moss-covered path laid out for us through the meadow. It is found by being sent to carve out our own path with our own hands.
Are you willing to sacrifice to reach the glorious mountain peaks of God's purpose for you?"
Be strong!
We are not here to play, to dream, to drift;
We have hard work to do, and loads to life.
Shun not the struggle; face it.
It's God's gift.
Be strong!
Say not the days are evil- who's to blame?
Or fold your hands, as in defeat- O shame!
Stand up, speak out, and bravely,
In God's name.
Be strong!
It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong,
How hard the battle goes, the day how long,
Faint not, fight on!
Tomorrow comes the song.
Maltbie D. Babcock
Whatever it is that you are going through, remember not to ask God to take the trials from your life. We must trudge through and give Him praise for the trials we face. This was something that I never really understood until I came upon May 27, 2008. I can even date my trials, how is that for precision? While I can date it and I can remember details that no one should ever have to bear in their lifetimes, it has also turned my life into what it is today. God is there and God is good. He will provide but we must be patient for His timing. Unfortunately many of us have problems with the patience aspect. That is why faith is so important.
Renee
