Suffering to Restoration

 

Suffering.  As the week continued from last Sunday, I found myself consistently adding to my prayer list.  There seems to be so much suffering.  There were Instances of health issues where doctors shared with people a difficult diagnosis.  Not the “You have a sinus infection” type of diagnosis, but much larger such as “You have cancer.”  I have heard those words and I know the impact they can have on your life.  As if the suffering one feels before the actual diagnosis is not enough, the journey ahead of surgery, radiation and chemo can produce even further suffering.

There were also people who lost loved ones, saying goodbye to family members from their life on earth as they passed onto eternal glory.  That pain can be so difficult, and the loss can seem to last forever.  The suffering moves from the one who has passed to those left behind. As people hold tight to memories of the past, it is hard to look to the future without our special loved one.

Lost dreams and anxiety also filled the air this week.  The suffering both situations’ hosts can build inside a person and lead to despair and depression.  Often, this type of suffering can be unseen by those that are around these folks, which can make it even more difficult to deal with.

Of course, there is the suffering of war.  As we watch battles rage, we are reminded that there are people suffering, losing their homes, their belongings, their health, and their lives.  It is hard to fathom why war continues to blaze on in a day and age when we are blessed with so much intellect and technology.  It may seem that peace should be within our grasp.  Yet every day we are reminded – whether here in the US or abroad – the difficulty in obtaining peace.

Suffering is deeper than hurt.  It hits us at the core and often feels as if it will never end.  These impactful words from Peter remind us to turn to our Heavenly Father.  It is in these words that we find our hope and promise of restoration.  Restoring means to be brought back to original condition.  The good news is that Peter shared God will give you MORE than restoration, He will make you strong, firm, and steadfast.

 You will not only be restored, but you will also be new and improved! 

Our time here on earth is truly short compared the eternity we will spend with Christ.  The suffering we may endure here will be replaced with God’s goodness. 

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  Revelation 21:5

As we pray for ourselves and those around us who are suffering, may we pray the words of Peter, asking God for His mercy and grace to shine upon us.  Let us bask in the light of His words and the hope that He brings to each of us as we live our earthly lives.  Then may the peace, which passes all understanding, provide us the simple faith to rest in God’s arms.

Dearest Father, you have called us to eternal glory in you.  Please take away the suffering and restore us!  May you make us strong, firm, and steadfast in YOU!  In your loving name we pray, Amen!

Majestic Beauty

 

The car rounded the curve only to have a most majestic sight in front of us, the Red Rocks of Sedona.  It took my breath away.  “Stop, stop, stop,” I shouted.  My poor husband thought something was medically wrong with me!  It was in an attempt to get the perfect picture.  The view was just that stunning.  Little did I know that the moment of that majestic sight was going to be one of many that we would see throughout the week.  Our family vacation had taken us to Sedona, AZ, and a trip to the Grand Canyon.

Every day I continued to look at the incredibly blue sky, the Red Rocks, the multiple canyons, and the crisp with awe.  I love the mountains of New England and the beautiful ocean views.  Yet, these were views I had never seen before, and the word majestic kept coming to mind.  The definition of majestic is “having or showing impressive beauty or dignity.”  I was using the word correctly.  It was impressive.

One of our days we headed out to the Grand Canyon.  All the beauty and awe culminated into the step onto the South Rim.  There, and for the next four hours, all I could do was look in wonder.  The beauty I saw took me to our verse for today.  The land stretched far, and I could not help but talk with God while I looked over the immense beauty of this canyon.  God has created such majestic beauty in so many wonderful areas that our eyes fall upon.  It could be the mountains of New England, the shores of Florida, the Redwood trees in California, the Great lakes of Michigan, or the Grand Canyon of Arizona, the beauty God created in nature is all around us to see. 

Nature’s beauty can take our breath away.  Thanking God for this beauty and cherishing the land that He has provided to us is something we should take time to do each day.  It is also important to see the beauty not just in all the nature around us, but the beauty in each of us.  As God took time to create the incredible earth we live on, He also took the time to create each human being living on this earth.  As shared in Psalm 119:73, “Your hands made me and formed me.”  God took the time to create each of us in unique form, just like each canyon, mountain and tree are unique.

We should take the time to celebrate the beauty that God gave us in nature.  We also need to spend time in awe and wonder at the people that are around us.  Yes, the people that may be different than us.  The people who are unique, like the canyons and the trees.  We have been ‘fearfully and wonderfully’ made.  If we can look at the person who may be different than us with an eye on their beauty and uniqueness, we can see each other as a majestic sight that can take our breath away.

The world is filled with majestic beauty in nature and in each other.  Let us spend time to “stop, stop, stop” and notice each other’s beauty.  Let us take the perfect picture of each other and remember it in our hearts.  Let us revel in the stunning view that is in front of us at every corner.  Thank you, God, for ALL your creation.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the majestic beauty that you have provided for us.  May we realize that this beauty is not only in nature, but in each other.  May we take the time to cherish the majestic beauty all around us, knowing that it was all made by you.  Amen!

Slippery Slopes

 

As I rolled over in bed, I could hear it.  It sounded like pellets hitting against the window.  Sometimes, it was light and only a few pellets at a time.  At other times, it seemed as if the window was going to shatter with all the force that was coming against it.  That sound could only mean one thing – ice.  The weather person declared the night before that the early morning was going to see decreasing temperatures and the rain that had started during the evening would turn to ice and eventually snow.  That was a recipe for disaster for the morning commute.

I do not mind driving in snow – there is something therapeutic to drive as snow falls.  Yet, ice for me, is a completely different story.  The slippery slopes of the back roads can lead to unexpected ice patches and veering off the road.  None of this sounded safe and I, gratefully, emailed my manager to share that I would work from home that day, a welcomed pleasure for that morning.

There have been many times I navigated this journey called life and found myself on a slippery slope.  As I reflected on those slippery events, I realized that it was when God may not have responded quickly enough to my requests, so it was time to take things into my own hands.  Instead of waiting patiently for God to share his goodness and blessings with me, I decided to head out on my own.  There was not one of those times where that turned out to be a positive experience.  I was on a slippery slope, which led to challenging times much greater than what I was originally experiencing. 

Has this been a scenario that you have experienced as well?   As you read the Bible, you will find examples of this as well. 

·         When Jonah decided to go his own way

·         When David decided to go his own way

·         When Adam and Eve decided to go their own way

There are so many more to reference.  The most important thing to remember, though, is that God does not leave us when we are on a slippery slope.  In fact, God is waiting for us, as shared in Psalms 40:2, “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”    God will always lift us up back to Him, even in times when we have turned our back on Him.  Let us always try to be patient for God’s will.  When times come when we fail, let us also have the reassurance that our Lord will never turn his back on us!

Heavenly Father, how great is your mercy on us sinful beings.  Through your grace, when we turn our backs on you and head down our own slippery slopes, you never turn your back on us.  You patiently wait for us so you can lift us up.  How much you must love us Lord!  Help me to keep my path straight and my focus on you.  Amen!