The past year has been different than most. Challenging? Yes, positively and negatively speaking. From major family issues to unexpected ministry concerns and changes, my life has been touched in ways that have caused me to be dramatically changed. The fruit of the change is yet to be revealed. It seems to be in incubation, but I feel it, I sense it, I know that I will never be the same. Having to face triple terminal illness in my family along with other family illnesses and sudden family death, ministry obstruction and an array of other concerns including the good stuff, the exciting and exhilarating things, I have had to draw near to The Lord God in ways that I have before never encountered, and have experienced His love more deeply. In the midst of this, dying to self and picking up my cross… daily, has become a very present reality of life. I have in no way mastered it, but I’m back on track. I don’t mean that I had walked away from The Lord or that I was engaging in some heinous sins. Nor was I absent from my regular reading and meditation in His Word. My personal prayer life was happening, however admittedly needed improvement. Needless to say, The Lord God Jehovah, knows the way I take (Job 23:10). That is, when I come forth, I will be as pure gold (and my family and ministry, too); possessing a greater purity, more sensitivity, a deeper humility. Does that mean that He made the negative things happen in order to help me (us) grow more deeper into the knowledge of Him; Who Jesus is to me (us)? Not so! We live in a fallen world; a world full of iniquity and lawlessness. This is a world where Satan is able to exert himself. We all must realize that stuff happens to” the best of em.” Could Almighty God have stopped those negative things? Only He knows for sure, but legally, in some instances, Satan had an open invitation. Ignorance and disobedience to God’s way, in its tiniest form opens doors to the enemy of our body, soul, and spirit man. In those cases and others, beyond my understanding, where ignorance or disobedience are not the door openers (see Job chapter 1), the Lord allows it! In His allowance, though, He has a plan! And as hard or difficult the trials may be, facing Him in the trial allows His grace to prevail in our lives. His grace, meaning His graciousness, His mercy, His love and His miracle working power come about in ways that we can feel, see, hear, sense, touch, experience and testify of! It’s like falling down a mountain cliff in slow motion only to be caught at strategic points by a Loving Hand that comforts and guides. At times, a simple whisper from our God comes that gives strength to endure or instills within us a hope for the change. And it is in moments like these that I found myself falling deeper in love with my Father God while parts and pieces of me began to melt away into oblivion giving me a new sense of purpose and acceptance! And a new hunger for Him and what He cares about! The Lord has been good! He has highlighted Himself to me this year! Through the ups and the downs, He has shown me His Father Love and given me His Mother Hugs! He had changed me from glory to glory in a quiet, graceful, full of thankfulness kind of way. Everything matters, little or big, significant and insignificant, because He is in everything… He is Everything! And, I pray (and am determined) that my light will shine not from my lips alone, but from His Presence that has come and consumed me and that He be glorified! I hope that you get what I’m saying; that your life (and your intention), through this brief account of my journey , becomes deeper. Instead of the daily mundane existence of not experiencing Eternity (God’s Loving Presence) that is with you every waking moment of everyday, that you look for Him to show up no matter what the day brings. It starts by receiving Jesus Christ into your heart, allowing Him to be your Savior and allowing Him Lordship over your entire life! His plans for you are good (Jeremiah 29:11) no matter what route you must take. Then, total reliance on God through His Holy Spirit, (whom Jesus sent to remind us of His words, help us, teach/instruct us, counsel us, comfort us and so much more), is my aim. Hopefully, this is yours, too. Our abundant life (John 10:10) depends on it! So as I reflect, I am thankful. Thanksgiving season is only coincidental to what God is doing in my heart. But the season does awaken my heart to share my thoughts and testify of His goodness. Through hurt, pain, fun and laughter, great loss or great gain, you gotta love Him… and thank Him for your life, just the way it is… His ways are higher than ours.
© 2012 Rosalind M. Stanley
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Lord, I Thank You For My Life by Smokie Norful
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