
Sometimes, when my grief is so deep that even the bliss of sleep cannot ease the aching of my heart, I awake with tears in my eyes.
Sometimes, when the world has wailed with agony over civilian planes disappearing without a trace and being blown from the sky;
When precious medical missionaries in Liberia are fighting for their lives after contracting the highly contagious Ebola virus trying to stem an epidemic while locals in the Liberian city of Monrovia go on a looting spree stealing items from an Ebola clinic infected with the virus;
When the streets of Ferguson, Missouri erupt in days of fiery protests after a police shooting death of a teenage boy;
When 40,000 Christians in Iraq, facing the slaughter of their children at the hands of jihadists, flee to a mountain for refuge only to find no food, water or shelter there;
When Hamas pummels Israel with rockets and a labyrinth of sophisticated tunnels designed for Palestinian militant cross-border attacks is discovered;
When hundreds of Nigerian school girls are kidnapped by the Boko Haram, forced to wear full-length, black or grey hijabs and convert to Islam or be sold as sex slaves;
When the terrifying visuals of US journalist James Foley kneeling before an Islamic Isis barbarian with a British accent only moments before his beheading while my daughter, son-in-law and grandson are living in the UK;
And when friends and family are struggling with the challenges of sickness, addictions, financial burdens and all the other trials the rough road of life has to offer – I can wake up crying.
In times like these, when my faith is weakened, I desperately seek and then cling to the hand of God turning to His Word for my peace of mind and soul. How I thank Him for the precious gift of His living Word and for His writing children, like author of Jesus Calling, Sarah Young, who have dried my morning tears, bolstered my courage, chased fear from my mind and strengthened me with words of truth and hope.
From Jesus Calling – August 23
By Sarah Young
James 4:7 Romans 8:1-2 Isaiah 12:2
“Trust Me, and don’t be afraid. I want you to view trials as exercises designed to develop your trust –muscles. You live in the midst of fierce spiritual battles, and fear is one of Satan’s favorite weapons. When you start to feel afraid, affirm your trust in Me. Speak out loud, if circumstances permit. Resist the devil in My Name, and he will slink away from you. Refresh yourself in My Holy Presence. Speak or sing praises to Me, and My face will shine radiantly upon you… “
This past week my bounce-back factor has not been much more than a low dribble. Maybe you are feeling the same way? Courage Pilgrim! Take heart and hold tight to the hand of God. He will lead you out of the dark valleys and into a brighter day. As we trust in Him we can be like the prophet Habakkuk and boldly say, “The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk, not to stand still in terror, but to walk and make spiritual progress upon my high places of trouble, suffering, or responsibility!” Habakkuk 3:19 Amplified Bible
Let’s pray this week is a better week and remember to be especially kind to one another.
Reminder: The End Of Summer Blues Contest ends in soon! Leave a comment and you will be eligible to win one of these sunny, summery pens to tuck inside your autumn purse! The winner will be announced in Tuesday’s blog September 2nd.
