Psalm 42 best describes the state I found myself in yesterday.
6 My soul is downcast within me… 7… all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
Waves of grief overwhelmed me as I assessed the loss of one who was a partner in the pursuit of holiness and parenting and meal preparation and bill filing.
Waves so deep, I could not get my breath. I took my sisters’ advice and got into my “life-boat” or the “Arc” as I call it, that I built before the rains began. I wrote out and meditated on these verses which help define a New Testament theology of suffering. The result has been a return of buoyancy produced by hope and joy that has eluded me since the funeral.
Rom 5
3 We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
2Co 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Ro 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
1Pet 1
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade— kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Ac 14:22 We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.
Suffering produces satisfying, present-tense hope. It achieves a shining eternal joy more significant than any loss. It proves our faith as genuine and is part of the process by which we receive our salvation from the eternal hell we deserve. Suffering is the only route by which one may enter that land where we will reign with God.
Ps 32:8 NLT
The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.”
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4 comments:
I check your blog out often and find such peace and hope in reading it. It makes me put my, what seems to be trival, worries of my day into perspetive and turn to God for my strength to face tomorrow.
To see your adoration of our Father during such a difficult time is truly inspiring and really makes me accountable for the times I have doubted Him and His work in my life.
God Bless,
Beth Evans
uctenYou are so welcome.Just let me know when Alex feels like another "chicken pock pie".Thank-you for all tht you have shared on your blog. God's word can be so razor sharp and yet so soothing at the same time.
It is easy for us to help with your physical needs but so difficult to help you and your family heal emotionally.Only God can do that,in His perfect time-so that is what we have been praying for each day.
Be comforted that God is using you in a powerful way and that Theresa is experiencing such joy we will one day truly understand. S.
Oh Andy, I cry with you and your children. The pain must be so great because your love for Theresa was great. The mourning will come in waves which is such a gift from God. We could not bear to feel it all at once. He allows us to be distracted for moments and then feel the pain again in other moments. I am reminded of a line from a movie called, The Shadowlands (about CS Lewis and his experience of losing his wife to cancer); the pain now will be part of the happiness then. If you haven't seen this movie, I highly recommend it. It will definitely make you cry though. Anthony Hopkins plays CS Lewis.
My love to you and your children and I will continue to pray for you all. Naomi
our pain and suffering remind us that we were not meant for this world; that everything this world has to offer is nothing compared to what Christ has prepared for us. If we did not suffer in this world we wouldn't need jesus nor his blessings and promises for the next. Theresa has been so blessed to experience christ in a way we can we can only dream of until our time has come. and though we mourn our loss of a great wife, mother, and
friend, we can rejoice knowing that this is not good bye. she is with christ, cancer free! halleluja! and we WILL see her again.
Andy, we are praying for you and the kids, and we are mourning and rejoicing with you as well. hold tight to christ and his promises and remember that you are not
alone. you need only ask and we as the body of Christ will help in any way we can.
with love from all of us
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