The Word of God for wisdom:
Proverbs 22:17 (HCSB)
17 Listen closely, pay attention to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge.
The Word of God for inspiration:
Psalm 48:3 (NKJV)
3 God is in her palaces; He is known as her refuge.
The Word of God for encouragement:
2 Corinthians 7:5-11 (HCSB)
5 In fact, when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest. Instead, we were troubled in every way: conflicts on the outside, fears inside.
6 But God, who comforts the humble, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,
7 and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he received from you. He told us about your deep longing, your sorrow, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.
8 For even if I grieved you with my letter, I do not regret it—even though I did regret it since I saw that the letter grieved you, yet only for a little while.
9 Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn't experience any loss from us.
10 For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death.
11 For consider how much diligence this very thing—this grieving as God wills—has produced in you: what a desire to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what deep longing, what zeal, what justice! In every way you showed yourselves to be pure in this matter.
My observation:
There are times when sorrow can be your friend. However, it has to be godly sorrow that leads to repentance.
Paul experienced a lot of pain and sorrow in his ministry. His heart ached for the people in the church at Corinth, and his heart ached for his associates that served with him in the ministry.
2 Corinthians 7:5 (HCSB)
5 In fact, when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest. Instead, we were troubled in every way: conflicts on the outside, fears inside.
2 Corinthians 2:13 (HCSB)
13 I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus, but I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia.
Here is the blessing that you can find when you are going through a season of sorrow.
2 Corinthians 7:10 (HCSB)
10 For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death.
I remember a line from one of the old hymns of the church, "Come Ye Disconsolate" that has these words, "Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal".
My prayer:
Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful that I have found in you a place of refuge. Strong winds may blow, and storm clouds may rise, but I found an anchor in you that brings peace in the midst of my storm tossed life.
Father God, I am so grateful that earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal. Lord, I am so glad that trouble don't last always. What a blessing it is to rest in the everlasting arms of my Savior. In Jesus name, Amen.
--
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment