~* Faith-Lift Fridays July 20, 2007 *~

Encourage others and yourself.  Share a favorite scripture, devotional, quote, hymn...whatever has strengthened your faith and encouraged your heart.

Don't forget to grab the button and link back to this post.

What are you facing today?  What are the giants in your life? Most likely you are facing them, because on every side, friends and family and we, ourselves are facing faith-stretching situations.

Whether it's terminal illness, financial crisis, relationships faltering, unexpected and unplanned major life changes...whatever the "giant", it seems we all have them.  And often, they catch us off guard.  We find ourselves asking "why?", "what did we do wrong?" , "Are you angry with us God?",  "What are we supposed to do, think, feel? How should we act?"

Recently I ran across Barbara H's blog and her post that day was about suffering.  I printed it out and have been going through the passages this week in my devotional time.  I highly recommend this study if you're facing challenging times.  In the process of going through the passages, I came across this devotional in my Woman's Devotional Bible 2, and wanted to share it with you.

  "...the cross never promises to free us from pain and suffering, not at least in the present.  The cross, in fact, promises just the opposite: the certainty of pain and suffering.

   Here is the mystery: The path of joy run straight through the heart of pain and suffering.  Christianity, alone among the world's religions, does not run from pain but embraces it, and then and only then does it move through it.  Jesus Christ is our example of faith: 'For the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.' (Hebrews 12:2). Faith, at the very least, asks us to believe this:  The path to heaven runs through suffering.  Through the sorrow of the world, through the certain fog of doubt and pain, we have faith: sure of what we hope for, certain of what we do not see.  God is love.  God is in control.  god will wipe away every tear and replace it with a river of joy."*

    Paul, the author of so many epistles, a man of God we consider "great", had this to say," ...We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.  Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.  Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted in answer to the prayers of many." 2 Cor. 1:8b-11

Just think about all the implications in that passage for a bit:

  Paul, great man of faith that he was, faced pressure that he felt was beyond his ability to endure...that caused him to despair of life!  But then, he recognized, God wanted the body to participate in praying and believing on their behalf...first so God would get the rightful glory...but also that many would give thanks for the answer granted in response to the many prayers.

   I can't express all that's happened to me this week...but in a word (and because of the Word), I realized that these things that are happening do have their purposes...ultimately to glorify God.

And while we go through these things, we must keep our eyes on that purpose and go through them with the intent to glorify God in how we go through them.  And, we need to allow our brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for us and with us...all the more to God's glory when he answers the many prayers!

* Author: Deforia Lane
Passage: II Cor. 1:3-11   Verse II Cor. 1:4