I've been thinking about what a blessing it is to have a heart that aches.
I know that seems weird to say. But, really... we ache because we love. When our hearts are broken, it is because something inside us yearned for more; More time with a loved one we lost, or we want more for someone who is missing out on the abundant things in life. We want more than the hard thing that we are walking through... more justice, more peace, more love, more hope, more encouragement, more trust. God made us that way. He made us with hearts that are fragile.
He made us with hearts that recognize that there is more.
There is more to this life than this life. There is more to our existence than to live an breathe and walk on the earth. There is much more.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "He has set eternity in the hearts of men."
and 2 Corinthians 5:2 says, "we long to be clothed with our heavenly bodies." We know that there is more. We know within ourselves that there is One who has given us the dreams, the love, the fragile hearts, and I am certain... absolutely CERTAIN that He is good and everything He does is good.
My parents were divorced at age 9. Satan divided my parents, created a wedge and accused... but this I know... God is good and everything He does is good. It was not His will that they divorce. He did not cause it. But, He allowed it and He is still good.
I lost my mom to cancer when I was 17. Her earthly body gave out under the strain of chemo and that ugly disease. And this I KNOW - God is good, and everything He does is good. It was not because He is sinister that He allowed her to be sick. It is because He held ultimate healing for her - and He took her where she would never hurt, or cry or be lonely ever again. He is good.
Last year we lost our business. A business that we had poured our hearts into for 13 years. I lost my good "reputation" among people who didn't really know me. We lost our total income. We gained a lot of debt - and a lot of suspicious on-lookers. But God is good and everything He does is good. He has provided in ways that blow my mind. He has not let us carry anything that was heavier than we can bear. He is good.
You see, when we are faced with the difficulties in life, the things that REALLY hurt, we are faced with two options. We can believe God - and take Him at His Word. Or we can believe the Devil. We can believe that God never really had our best interest at heart. Every trial, every struggle, every thing that has brought my heart pain has drawn me closer to the heart of God. I believe Him. I believe that He is good and everything He does is good. I believe that He loves me with an unfailing love. I believe Him that He will never leave me or forsake me. And, I have seen the evidence of His hand in my life more than I have time to type. He has held me in His hands from the day I was born. Even on the days I wrestled hard to be free from His grip. He is good, and everything He does is good. I pray that tonight, in whatever situation you find yourself, you choose to believe that He is good and everything He does is good. I pray that no matter what is happening around you, you will not give way to the fear and hopelesness that are present when Satan comes to make you doubt the truth of those words. Those are not my words, they belong to a friend of mine, David - who went through an awful lot in his life too. Psalm 119:68 says, "God is good and everything He does is good." I would stake my life on the truth of that verse. He has never let me fall. He has never left me alone. He is good.
I know that seems weird to say. But, really... we ache because we love. When our hearts are broken, it is because something inside us yearned for more; More time with a loved one we lost, or we want more for someone who is missing out on the abundant things in life. We want more than the hard thing that we are walking through... more justice, more peace, more love, more hope, more encouragement, more trust. God made us that way. He made us with hearts that are fragile.
He made us with hearts that recognize that there is more.
There is more to this life than this life. There is more to our existence than to live an breathe and walk on the earth. There is much more.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "He has set eternity in the hearts of men."
and 2 Corinthians 5:2 says, "we long to be clothed with our heavenly bodies." We know that there is more. We know within ourselves that there is One who has given us the dreams, the love, the fragile hearts, and I am certain... absolutely CERTAIN that He is good and everything He does is good.
My parents were divorced at age 9. Satan divided my parents, created a wedge and accused... but this I know... God is good and everything He does is good. It was not His will that they divorce. He did not cause it. But, He allowed it and He is still good.
I lost my mom to cancer when I was 17. Her earthly body gave out under the strain of chemo and that ugly disease. And this I KNOW - God is good, and everything He does is good. It was not because He is sinister that He allowed her to be sick. It is because He held ultimate healing for her - and He took her where she would never hurt, or cry or be lonely ever again. He is good.
Last year we lost our business. A business that we had poured our hearts into for 13 years. I lost my good "reputation" among people who didn't really know me. We lost our total income. We gained a lot of debt - and a lot of suspicious on-lookers. But God is good and everything He does is good. He has provided in ways that blow my mind. He has not let us carry anything that was heavier than we can bear. He is good.
You see, when we are faced with the difficulties in life, the things that REALLY hurt, we are faced with two options. We can believe God - and take Him at His Word. Or we can believe the Devil. We can believe that God never really had our best interest at heart. Every trial, every struggle, every thing that has brought my heart pain has drawn me closer to the heart of God. I believe Him. I believe that He is good and everything He does is good. I believe that He loves me with an unfailing love. I believe Him that He will never leave me or forsake me. And, I have seen the evidence of His hand in my life more than I have time to type. He has held me in His hands from the day I was born. Even on the days I wrestled hard to be free from His grip. He is good, and everything He does is good. I pray that tonight, in whatever situation you find yourself, you choose to believe that He is good and everything He does is good. I pray that no matter what is happening around you, you will not give way to the fear and hopelesness that are present when Satan comes to make you doubt the truth of those words. Those are not my words, they belong to a friend of mine, David - who went through an awful lot in his life too. Psalm 119:68 says, "God is good and everything He does is good." I would stake my life on the truth of that verse. He has never let me fall. He has never left me alone. He is good.
