I am lucky to post 1 to 3 times a month these days. A far cry from what I am used to. Several reasons. The main being life is so busy right now. Work load is awful, father-in-law not doing well, mother-in-law driving everyone crazy. Wife struggling with her father's decline and mother's expectations (they live with us). Oldest son lives out of state, and we are not sure how he is really doing. The list goes on. And through it all, our church ignores us, treats us like outcasts or as non-existent, and just lives in a glory that isn't really there at all.
And yet, I believe in a sovereign God. So I can smile sometimes during the day. I can continue to praise Him, even though times are tougher than I would like. (Take that, Joel Osteen!) Like Job, I am sure that some would just advise me to curse God and die (or quit or leave or find another church). But my God allows me to stay, even in the midst of trials. Somehow, I should be glorifying Him through all of this, and I pray that I am. I do not seek to be a martyr, but I dare not run either.
Contrary to what I read in the Purpose Driven sequel called SHAPE, it is not my strengths and abilities that honor God, but it is my weaknesses and inabilities. It is the things that drop me to my knees that draw me to Him. Maybe I don't have the most read, coolest, most techno-savy blog. But maybe I touch a heart or two. Maybe I don't lead a platoon to Christ, but maybe I just fill the gaps that God desires I fill.
Just a little late night rambling from a man who is tired, but who clings to a faith that will not let me down, and a God who cannot fail.
2 comments:
"it is not my strengths and abilities that honor God, but it is my weaknesses and inabilities"
That is simply insightful. Reminds me of this Elie Wiesel quote that I read this week:
“No heart is as whole as a broken heart, and I would say no faith is as solid as a wounded faith”.
I teared up when I read about your church not being there. Not because I am sad for you but because I can relate to how the church can be so clueless about how people are struggling. I imagine your church is clueless about the pain that most people are having.
I wish I lived close to you so that I could encourage you in the faith and tell you personally about how much I admire your love for the Lord and your faithfulness to Him.
Hang in there and enjoy the season.
Blessings, BO
PS: You might enjoy this short meditation. It encourages me when I read it.
Thank=you for the encouragement, I wish we lived closer too. Perhaps sometime when I visit my son in Joplin we can have lunch. But no plans to go out there for a while.
One of the reasons we have stayed where we are is that we have connected with one couple, and we are there to encourage one another. A good brother or sister is a wonderful thing, and not to be taken lightly.
Thanks again for your encouragement, good brother.
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