I’ve been hearing this quite a lot as of late Father, and I’ll admit I’ve even thought it myself more than once in the recent past. It’s certainly not a query intended out of disrespect Lord, but one usually born of frustration due to trials we, or someone we care about, are going through…
My marriage is falling apart, and my spouse is leaving… Really God??
The job I’ve invested years of hard work and energy in is gone… Really God??
My test results came back and the cancer has returned… Really God??
We’ve run out of money… And I’m not sure what to do… Really God??
My child was born with a serious, incurable disease which threatens to take him from us… Really God??
I feel empty, tired, defeated and sad all the time… Really God??
We all have those moments Father, when we search for the meaning and purpose that only You have; when it feels like the weight of the world sits squarely upon our shoulders, and relief seems to be a distant destination. And in our limited, broken, earthly shells we cry out… Really God??
When I speak to people going through such trials Lord, I always try to offer the hope and encouragement that Your Promises to us bring…
You promise never to leave our sides…
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9 (NIV)
You promise that our needs will be met…
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:28-33 (NIV)
You promise that You will ease our burdened souls…
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
And You promise that You will always love us…
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)
Such powerful promises You’ve given to Your Children Father…
In the midst of our struggles, it can be difficult to see the signs of Your love for us through that cloud of pain and fear, but that’s where our Faith carries us on:
Faith that even though we don’t have “The Big Picture” or know why things happen the way they do, You do, and want what’s best for us.
Faith that when we call upon You in our brokenness, You’ll hear our pleas and act on our behalf, whether it’s as we would expect or not.
Faith that when we come to You with a humble and open heart and lay our burdens at Your feet, Your peace and comfort will ease our troubled spirits.
When we rely on our Faith to look beyond the earthly trials we face, and focus on the Blessings and Grace You bring to our lives each day, it begs the question…
Today Father, my thoughts are scattered. While I slept reasonably well (five hours or so), I awoke feeling a bit on the “cloudy” side and I haven’t been able to shake it as of yet. Funny enough however, even with my focus not being overly sharp I’ve had no problem putting together today’s Thankful Thursday Blessings list. I love the fact that even when my human frailties present themselves, Your Blessings in my life still shine through the haze. 🙂
Continuing my list from last week Lord, this week I’m especially thankful for…
166. Having Shannon’s mother visiting with us for a few weeks.
167. Unexpected funds showing up exactly when we needed it.
168. New beginnings.
169. An “everything looks fine” report from Jonathan’s MRI.
170. A short break from the oppressively hot weather.
171. Your faithfulness to Your Children, even in our brokenness.
172. Connecting with others in ministry to support one another.
173. Finding deep-discounted treasures in the Christian Music section of a bookstore that’s going out of business.
179. Quality free, open source photo editing and manipulation software.
180. Snuggling up with Shannon at night and watching episodes of classic TV programs.
Heavenly Father, once again I lift up my thanks and praise for the Blessings You surround us with each day; both those that are tangible, and those that remain silently unseen. Keep us in Your watchful gaze, and guide our actions to best serve Your divine plan for our lives. Amen.
And once again Lord, we lay behind us yet another lovely weekend filled with family, friends and Your obvious Love for us all. While the scorching weather restricted our outdoor activities, there were many Blessings to be found inside with good company, good food and great fun to be had by all. Thank You so much for those days of respite Father!
Today’s Meditations Monday Scripture comes from Chapter 9 of the Gospel of John:
“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”” – John 9:1-3 (NIV)
Now Father, something I hear quite regularly from people going through difficulties in their lives is “What did I do to deserve this?” or “Why is God doing this to me?”. I’ll admit it, I’ve even had those thoughts myself over the years. In the case of this passage, when Jesus and His disciples came across a man who had been blind since birth, the question was raised as to whose sin was at fault for his affliction; the man’s or his parents. Jesus clearly replied that it was in fact neither, but instead was intended to allow for Your Grace to be made manifest.
This is an important and powerful truth Father, and one that I fear we all miss now and again. As the limited beings we are, we try desperately to put everything into a “Cause and Effect” bubble. And while quite often there are certainly consequences for our actions, not all earthly suffering is a direct result of a specific “Instigating” sin.
When my son Jonathan was born and we were initially given his grim diagnosis, I spent many hours asking “Why?!?… Why would You do this to us?!?” I was angry, and scared, and very insistently sought answers that at the time, seemed never to come. Ten years later, I realize now that Your Plan for his life, and for mine to a great extent, needed those events to unfold as they did. Our lives, and the lives of many others were altered by his struggle, and Blessed in ways we’re still unraveling today. We weren’t being persecuted for something we’d done, but were instead walking a journey designed by the One with the “Big Picture” in His sight.
“but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”
Heavenly Father, as this week begins I pray that in times of trial you open our hearts and minds to this fundamental truth. Let us see past our desire to seek fault and lay blame, and gain strength from the knowledge that Your Path for our lives comes from a far greater perspective than our own.
Well Father, we come again to the end of yet another work-week and I’ll admit to being excited this time. Tomorrow morning, my family and I leave for a week’s vacation at Chestnut Grove Resort in the Pocono Mountains. The kids love it there Lord, and I’ve found that it’s someplace that I can truly relax and spend quiet, meditative time in Your Presence. As Internet connectivity is quite limited, I don’t expect to be able to post our conversations every day, but hope to be able to at least a couple times over the course of the week. Funny enough, it makes perfect sense that in places where my connections to the world are more limited, my connection to You opens up wider. 🙂
In preparation for our time away, I spent some time yesterday picking out new books to read, and music to travel by. For reading material (other than my trusty YouVersion.com Bible App on my Android tablet), I have “Heaven is Real” written by Don Piper, and “Just Too Busy: Taking your Family on a Radical Sabbatical” by Joanne Kraft (Thanks so much Elaine!). As for music, while my iPod is already quite loaded with inspiring songs, I just had to add the albums “Blessings” by Laura Story, and “On Fire” from Peter Furler to the mix. Peter’s song “Reach” has been running through my head a lot the last couple weeks, so I’m excited to have the rest of his solo premier album to enjoy as well…
While we’re up there, we’ve also been invited by friends of ours to attend services at Pocono Community Church. From what they tell us, it’s a wonderful House of Worship and we’re very much looking forward to hearing the Pastor’s message on Sunday morning.
Heavenly Father, I thank You for all the Blessings You’ve bestowed on us this week, and for Your abundant Presence in our lives each day. I look forward with anticipation to spending communal time with You this coming week, and pray that You’ll keep us in Your Loving Embrace as we venture away from home. Amen.
And once again Father, we come to the Thankful Thursday edition at phatherphil.org! It’s been an eventful seven days to be sure, and I’ve felt Your Blessings overflowing around me throughout. I usually have to take some time to go back over the past week carefully in my head to pick out the little Blessings I’ve missed, but today for some reason they sprang to mind quickly and easily. It’s wonderful to have days of such clarity, and to feel like I’m walking the right path with You. 🙂
Anyways Lord, on to the list! This week, some things I’ve been thankful for are:
121. Living in a country that allows me to worship You without fear of persecution.
135. The medical technology that allows Jonathan to live a normal life.
Heavenly Father, I thank You for all the Blessings you grace us with, both those that are seen and those that may pass unnoticed. You are indeed a God of compassion and of wonders, and I pray that my choices, decisions and actions will properly Glorify Your gifts to us all. Amen.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
