Hallelujah!

As I settled in just now and prepared to share my thoughts, I first read the last few entries by M and I realized I had been found out! I pretty much only post on the Lord's Day. Most days, I read the devotion in the book, but don't seem to find time to read the blog or post until Sunday. Thanks for encouraging me, M-- Each week, I really look forward to checking out this blog and hopefully finding something to say.
So, here it goes... God has been driving home the same point to me everywhere I turn. I mentioned it a little last week. I hear it from the people I talk to, it's in the books I read and today it was in two separate devotions. One being Streams and the other being The Christian in Complete Armor. Streams sums it up this way, "The saints' burdens are God given." The saints burdens are God given. The saints burdens are God given!!!!!!!!!! Hallelujah! I have known this since my conversion, but just now am beginning to learn to rejoice in this blessed truth.
From The Christian in Complete Armor... "Know this for certain: If we had not been Satan's prisoner first, we would not fully understand or appreciate our deliverance at last. God permits Satan's temporary reign in order to increase the saint's eternal joy. Does this sound like a paradox? Think about your own life, and you will find that often the occasions for the greatest joy arise from the ashes of suffering. Scripture gives three illustrations of great joy: the joy of a new mother, the joy of a prosperous farmer, and the joy of a successful soldier. The exultation of all three is harvested from hard soil. It costs the travailing woman great pain, the farmer many months of backbreaking labor, and the soldier grave peril, before they come to their reward. But at last they are paid in full. And it is a peculiar attribute of sorrow that its past remembrance so often adds a sweetness to our present joy."
I find myself greiving with people in their pain, but there is a little spot of joy in me, believing that the Lord can use their sorrow to mature them in a way that is otherwise impossible to achieve. I pray that their difficulties will drive them into the hand of God and will not lead them into bitterness. I pray that my difficulties will drive me into the hand of God and will not lead me into bitterness. The world looks different when we believe God's sovereignity. May we all have a godly perspective on sorrows and difficulties through the power of the Holy Spirit. May our "greatest joy arise from the ashes of suffering." Christ suffered enormously more than we ever will. May we rejoice with Christ in his victory over our sins and his care for our sorrows.

J