hearts Archives - Daily Thoughts about God

“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)

I was 22-years-old and I was living a nightmare. I was in the middle of a divorce, a custody battle, and my life as I knew it was coming to an end. No more white picket fence and the 2.5 kids (or so I thought). I was suffering, and every day felt like a battle that couldn’t be won.

What I couldn’t see then, and what I do see now, is that in those moments of absolute distress, I was beginning to learn and grow as a godly man. It would take another 15 years before I would surrender my life to Him. However, the foundation of Christ was set during those times of my divorce.

God was shaping me and He was molding me. I was a rebel and He was using afflictions of this life to bring me closer to Him. My suffering was producing endurance, and as Paul writes, from endurance comes character and hope.

What a gift this is from our Lord! He knows our nature and yet He still adores us. He sees our rebellion and yet His faithfulness knows no boundaries. He allows times of suffering, as a loving Father, in so that we may find our way into His loving arms.

Father. We cry out to You in our times of suffering and afflictions. We say heal and we say change. Lord, we only want what is in Your will. Let us see the gift that You give us in our times of suffering. Open our hearts to turn back to You, Lord. In Jesus name, AMEN!

By Rev. Daniel Forster

Reading this by email? Please comment by Clicking on the Title at the top

follow on Facebook follow on Twitter follow by EMAIL follow RSS feed

Brought to you by www.thoughts-about-god.com

photo credit: Wayne Stadler www.waynestadlerphotography
www.fotosforward.com Creative Commons License:

Are you a Facebook User? Be sure that our devotionals show up on your wall.
HOW TO ARTICLE: https://www.thoughts-about-god.com/blog/devotions-on-timeline/

by Roderick Marshall
______________________________________________________________

He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”Â Matthew 14:29-31 (ESV)

My window at work looks towards the Cotswold Hills. When the clouds descend, the hills become hidden from view. Today, they arrived with snow in them, and true to form, the hills disappeared under the clouds’ caress. With the advent of thick snowflakes, the clouds increased their hold on my viewpoint and soon I could only see the university grounds.

I was taken up with the ferocity of this deluge from the sky, but eventually my focus returned to work. Later, the hillside shroud departed and I noted the contrast between the sunshine of a clear sky to my left and the total coverage of heavy cloud, mist and snowfall being relentlessly blown away to my right.

So stark was the contrast between the cloud and snow on the one hand and the bright blue sky on the other, I thought there was a point to this, but I dismissed it as a passing whim.

However, I was to be reminded a second time a few nights later. In contrast to the dark of the night, the cloud reflected the lights of Gloucester city as we drove home. Like a signpost in the sky, the edge between darkness and light was clear to see. It was as if God was giving me a nudge to take note of what had happened previously.

This was my thought: in the middle of some big event, we may slip into a frenzy of agitation, one that consumes our total attention. Enthralled by a cloud of circumstance, we become shrouded from the greater perspective, and our Kingdom goals seem a distant hope.

Our hearts may be agitated today, but be of good courage, because just like the blue sky restored my original perspective of the hills, so too will come the hand of Jesus to lift us.

PRAYER: LORD, forgive us our distractions that take our hearts and minds away from your protective love and grant us restoration to Your embrace. We rejoice that though you know our doubts and fears, yet you still choose us today.
LORD, as You send us out into the world again today prompt us to keep our eyes focused on Your Way. Amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/03/10/rm_clouds/

The Gift of Suffering

Clouds

Tag: <span>hearts</span>

The Gift of Suffering

Clouds