I have developed a niggling pain between my neck & my left shoulder after sleeping on a high pillow when I was in Hong Kong. After nearly a month, it still refuses to go away. I went to see the doctor today and I was told that it could take a few months to recover fully. I do not have a high pain threshold and I do not fancy the prospect of "a pain in the neck" for another 2 or 3 months. :o(
I am learning the lesson of "satisfaction with God" under all circumstances, especially in hardship, difficulties & pain. Funny enough, last Sunday I preached on "A people of praise & thanksgiving - even in fiery trials". The Word of God in [1 Peter 1:6] says that"..... all kinds of trials.....have come so that our faith......may be proved genuine....". In front of the congregation, I loudly asked God "to bring it on" so that my faith may be proved genuine. And you have guessed it, my pain seemed to have got worse since Sunday. Who says God has no sense of humour? :o)
In his dark hours, King David cried out to God. "How long, O LORD?.....How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?.......Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;........But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me"[Ps 13:1-6 NIV]. Can I honestly say I trust in God's unfailing love when I am in sorrow? Can I gladly sing to the Lord and say He has been good to me when I am in pain? The lesson of "satisfaction with God" under all circumstances is one for all believers if we want to run this race victoriously till the end.
The longer I walk with God, the more I sense the intensity of His love for us. It is not unlike that of a jealous husband who will not share his wife with anyone else. ".....the LORD said: "I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you. Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites......Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."[Exod 34:10-14 NIV]
In reply we can boldly proclaim "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?......in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."[Rom 8:31-39 NIV]
Let us put our faith in His Word. Let us "pay attention to what He says; listen closely to His words. Do not let them out of our sight, keep them within our heart, for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Above all else, guard our heart, for it is the wellspring of life....."[Prov 4:18-27 NIV]
Amen!
I am learning the lesson of "satisfaction with God" under all circumstances, especially in hardship, difficulties & pain. Funny enough, last Sunday I preached on "A people of praise & thanksgiving - even in fiery trials". The Word of God in [1 Peter 1:6] says that"..... all kinds of trials.....have come so that our faith......may be proved genuine....". In front of the congregation, I loudly asked God "to bring it on" so that my faith may be proved genuine. And you have guessed it, my pain seemed to have got worse since Sunday. Who says God has no sense of humour? :o)
In his dark hours, King David cried out to God. "How long, O LORD?.....How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?.......Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;........But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me"[Ps 13:1-6 NIV]. Can I honestly say I trust in God's unfailing love when I am in sorrow? Can I gladly sing to the Lord and say He has been good to me when I am in pain? The lesson of "satisfaction with God" under all circumstances is one for all believers if we want to run this race victoriously till the end.
The longer I walk with God, the more I sense the intensity of His love for us. It is not unlike that of a jealous husband who will not share his wife with anyone else. ".....the LORD said: "I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you. Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites......Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."[Exod 34:10-14 NIV]
In reply we can boldly proclaim "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?......in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."[Rom 8:31-39 NIV]
Let us put our faith in His Word. Let us "pay attention to what He says; listen closely to His words. Do not let them out of our sight, keep them within our heart, for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Above all else, guard our heart, for it is the wellspring of life....."[Prov 4:18-27 NIV]
Amen!
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