I have not had an easy path in life. I don't say that win your sympathy, it's just a fact. There were times when I let the hard things of this life lead me to make wrong decisions. I gave up hope and chose to treat the symptoms while leaving my spirit neglected and dying. I struggle a lot with my thoughts, but God has helped me tremendously over the last few years to discipline myself to change my thinking, to take every thought captive. But I confess the pressures of this life can still cause me to become overwhelmed and hopeless all over again.
I was thinking about suffering and I was reminded of Paul. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul tells of his sufferings in the Lord. He doesn't list his extensively detailed sufferings to boast. We have all had our petty competitions with each other over who has worked harder or endured longer or sacrificed greater. Shame on us, as if we ourselves overcame such trials and adversities in our own strength. God is the one to whom all glory is due, even the glory of suffering.
I know how hopeless a person can feel before they make the decision to turn from God and look to another answer for their pain and suffering. Praise the Lord that He, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, can and will still save to the uttermost those who admit their wrong and turn back to Him for the answer to their sorrows and fears.
We will all suffer in this life and we will all come to a crossroads where we will have to decide whom or what we will put our faith in. I love the story of Thomas in John 20:24-29.
Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Like Thomas we all doubt. We all get thrown off course by hardships and we can all be shaken and confused by pain that crushes us. Thomas wouldn't even hear the words of his friends and how they had seen Jesus and were filled again with hope. I have seen friends and relatives shake their heads at the thought of an invisible God who can change and save a life. God forbid that our eyes would be so focused on the visible that we miss the blessing of believing in the invisible truth of God.
John 14:1-6 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Here is our good friend Thomas doubting again. The gospel is our hope and there is no other! Jesus defeated the gave and rose again on the third day. He has gone to prepare a place for us and He will come again and receive us to Himself that where He is we may be also. Oh, that we would simply believe that. That we would Trust Him at His word and save ourselves from looking to anyone or anything else.
What does it take for your spirit to become crushed? How much pressure can you withstand before you cave into your own solutions giving up hope that God knows how to cure your pain? We are all so weak but God can make us strong. Take my word for it because; though I've been neglected and lied to, molested and shamed, given into temptations to treat the hunts of torturous memories, dished out pain to others in an attempt to satisfy the anger inside of me for the mistreatment that was done me, for the loss of loved ones who were taken by sickness and those taken by addictions. I know pain.
I put on anger and hatred mercilessly towards those who only wanted to love me and help me. I doubted in the Love of my Savior time and time again because of the trials that were surrounding me. But for the Grace of God I would be dead right now, not because of infliction of hardship and suffering but because of myself and the error of my thoughts, because of unbelief. There IS a hope so great that you can overcome any and all adversities! There is a love so deep that your pains can be healed! There is a truth so sure that many would die to reach the lost with this message.
Lord forgive me for letting my thoughts lead me to feel hopeless. God You are amazing! Thank You for bringing me here to prove Your faithfulness to me yet again. May I never forget that no matter what this life brings I am Yours forever and ever! Thank You for everyone who prays for me! Bless them all! All Glory Honor Power Are Yours AMEN!
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