All things work together for good to those who are the called according to His purpose. Why this pain? I do not know sometimes the why’s. But what I do know that through it God’s beautiful grace is magnified. A united family as the hands and feet of Jesus with joy serving. From shopping, to cooking meals, to cleaning up, touches, words of encouragement, “God will do a miracle today” (my Maximus said) hugs, and more… prayers.
In Phillipians while Paul suffered greatly, he is assured that this all is by God’s sovereign plan. In faith, he knows he has sovereignly been planted exactly where he was, so that Christ might be magnified for the furtherance of the gospel. Paul had said, though I am in weakness, God’s grace would be more than enough. And it always was. And the gospel was spread and many came to know the true and living God. Not only that, but fellow believers were so encouraged by Paul’s strength and testimony of what God was doing, that it enabled and spurred them on to greater courage and faith.
Stood in church worshipping the other day, as I thought about a particular prayer unlike any other lavished on me earlier in the week. A prayer of empathy, emotion, and plea for healing with a hand touching me. From the most unlikely of all, and fully unexpected. My Maximus was right “God did do a miracle that day” . This was the power of God’s grace at work in weakness. God does indeed place us in circumstance we do not understand-painful times physical, emotional… We too, can have the faith as Paul did, that God is working through this, for His greater purpose. For growth, for the gospel message, and for encouragement for others to keep on keeping on in the faith.
I looked into his eyes during song and worship reflecting on that prayer, how God’s grace so powerful to bring me so much hope. Hope beyond my own pain this week, but hope as in an earnest expectation, that God is truly doing more than what eyes can see, to grow others around me and to encourage, to keep on in the faith. He shows up just as He says in His word, through the weakness. Hope that He is not finished yet. As I looked into those eyes, a most surreal moment as it was the exact same face and eyes and expression, that gazed into mine the day I held him for the first time when he was five days old.
For it is God who created us, breaths life into us daily, it is God who upholds all things, it is God who sustains us, who helps us, who says here is another day to live. It is God who saves us and gives us the greatest hope of all everlasting life, where we will be fully complete in Him. It is God who faithfully works to complete His work until that day. It is God’s power and His way, and His timing, and through His infinite wisdom that does exceedingly abundantly beyond what we could ever imagine… and for HIS GLORY!
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor. 9-11
And my soul sings…
Even though I walk through the valley Of the shadow of death Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when Im caught in the middle Of the storms of this life I wont turn back, I know You are near
And I will fear no evil For my God is with me And if my God is with me Whom then shall I fear? Whom then shall I fear?
Oh no, You never let go Through the calm and through the storm Oh no, You never let go In every high and every low Oh no, You never let go Lord, You never let go of me
And I can see a light that is coming For the heart that holds on A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles But until that day comes Well live to know You here on the earth
