"Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation."
I pondered over what it means to be joyful in my tribulations. It doesn't mean I'm happy to suffer in any way. I means while life's pains, sorrow, disappointments and grief come upon me, just like it does for everyone else, I am comforted. The spirit will give me peace that I cannot describe to someone that has not felt it. In that peace, knowing the Lord's protecting arm surrounds me I have joy that is full of light and warmth.
One day I was full of grief and the worry of the world. I took a walk around my neighborhood. The impression came to me that I should experiment on the words I had heard others say. To turn my burdens over to the Lord, and he would carry them. I remember I was just turning the corner as I asked the Lord to take my sorry, grief and pain. That I would do the hard work needed, but I could not do it with the emotional demands that came with it. I did not even pass the house on the corner when I felt the weigh on my shoulders lifted. It really does work.
Since then when I face difficult times. I pray for the Lord to take the emotional things from me so I can work on what I need to do. He never fails me. I see that as we work through what I have to face, I come out ahead in the end. So as tribulations come I have this automatic hope that this change is bringing something better. I cannot help but have joy because I know I will come closer to the Lord in our new adventure. As I'm learning how this works I have seen the time it takes to pass through trials has shortened. I know to turn what part the Lord can carry for me over to him quicker. I then have a clearer mind to work through the problems I face. Inspiration comes. He makes me strong enough to pass through things for a season. It sounds crazy, but there is joy in tribulations.
Day 74 Tami Fitzgerald Harris
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