Sustained by Truth

My intention of blogging weekly has fallen by the wayside.  I didn't want this one to slip through the cracks though.  God has been so faithful to our family and I in turn, want to be faithful to share what He's shown me personally.  To share how I have been sustained by the truth of His Word.

 Enduring the loss of our child awakened in me a desperation for God's Word.  I think often times, when we have been in relationship with God for awhile, we tend to become complacent or to approach our time reading the Bible as just another checklist.  I have been there before.  This trial stirred me to come before the Lord with an expectant heart, knowing He would be there to guide and counsel me through the dark.  In those first few weeks, I would open up my Bible and the pages would soon be wet with tears as I met with the Lord and sought His face.  There was truly no other place to turn that could provide the peace and hope that is offered through the Scriptures.  It's the only book that is living and active, working to reveal who God is and how we can be changed by encountering Him.

This will not be all-encompassing but a snapshot of what God ministered through His Word to my hurting heart.

Psalm 34:18-19 - The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.
~God's presence through suffering is so large and magnificent, closer than my own breath.  This world is not problem-free.  I will experience hardship but more importantly, God will be close, He will save me and will be my Deliverer as I walk through it.

Psalm 73:23-26 - Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.  You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.  Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
~Those promises are priceless - He's always with me, He holds my hand, guides me and one day, will take me to be with Him. I knew before that God was all I needed but now I know that He's also all that I really want.

1 Corinthians 13:12 - Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
~There are so many things this side of Heaven that I don't understand.  I can't see the full picture and the picture that I do see is clouded by my own sin and the sin of this world.  I find rest in knowing that when I am with my Father for eternity, I will see face to face and I will know fully.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 - So will it be with the resurrection of the dead.  The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
~Though there is deep sadness that accompanies death, I am filled with hope as I read these words and know with full assurance that this will be true of Phoenix and also for all of us who put our trust in Jesus Christ as Savior.

1 Corinthians 15:55 - Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?
~As Christ followers, do we still grieve and mourn and cry in anguish over death?  Absolutely.  We also might be angry at death itself. Our hearts just know it isn't right.  That's why Jesus came. And because Jesus rose from the grave and conquered death, it no longer has its sting.  Our eternity secured trumps the temporary separation we experience when someone dies.

2 Corinthians 1:8-11 - We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia.  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 us in answer to the prayers of many.
~Ever heard the phrase, "God will never give you more than you can handle."?  Yeah, well, it's not in the Bible.  Somewhere along the way it was made up.  In these verses, Paul is talking about the suffering they went through and how it was far beyond what they could handle.  When we go through something that is difficult, it is an opportunity for us to look outside of ourselves and realize that only by depending on God will we ever make it through.  I, with my fragile human heart, could never handle losing a child.  But I set my hope on God and he will continue to deliver me.  I give thanks for His gracious favor that has been given to me - which is in answer to the prayers of many people whom have loved us through our journey!

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 - Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
~There is purpose in my pain.  It is doing something.  God is being glorified and for my good, I am being made to become more like His Son, Jesus.  It is not in vain, not pointless, nothing wasted.  I'll continue to fix my eyes on the unseen, the eternal and it propels me to keep walking forward, longing for that glorious day of redemption and reunion.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 - Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.  We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
~This hope is an anchor for my soul!

James 1:2-4 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  
~I am thankful that by facing trials, God is using everything that happens to make me mature and complete.  I have learned recently that blessings are not in fact, material possessions, prosperity or wealth but rather the developing of Godly character.  I am blessed.

1 Peter 1:6-9 - In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
~I have been refined.  Just like gold must go through fire for its impurities to be burned off, I too, am refined as I walk through painful situations.  My prayer is for Jesus to be exalted as a result. Simultaneously, He fills me with indescribable joy as I trust in Him.