Don't Quit!

Hey y'all! Hard to believe it is already June! This month is full of fun craziness for our family. Tomorrow is Mark's birthday and we have a trip to Mississippi, two church camps, Father's day, and Ella's recital! Busy month! :)

I have been studying Acts and the Lord opened my eyes this morning to a bit of truth that I have heard before, but need a reminder of regularly. Maybe you do too. It is found in Acts 28 after Paul is shipwrecked on the island of Malta. In verse 8 and 9 it says "It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured." Now you might be thinking, what's so special about that? Paul performed miracles all the time. Well, that is true. But think through what had happened prior to this. Paul and the rest of the crew/prisoners on the ship were put through an incredibly horrible experience, thinking they were for sure going to die in the storm. Through God's grace, they were brought through that ordeal to the island of Malta. Only after and because of their fierce trial was Paul able to heal all of the people on the island who were sick! Wow!

Think about that for a moment. God used the hard time Paul and the rest of the passengers went through in order to bring about a major blessing to the sick in Malta. However, that blessing wasn't actually for those who experienced the extreme trial. Wait...hold on a minute. So, to put it plainly, God can use my difficult, valley moments to bring others a blessing? Why yes, yes He can. To the world this doesn't make sense? Why would God use my struggles to bless someone else? Want to know why?

Because it's not about you! Surprise! :) It isn't about you, me, or anyone else on this earth. It is, however, about God and bringing Him glory. If He gets more glory by my struggles, then so be it. That should be our heart's cry. We should be willing to suffer and when blessings come, be okay with them not being our blessings. I write all of this to urge you not to quit. Life is hard, there is no doubt about that. People hurt us and let us down. Our "feelings" tell us to just give up and move on but we are called to love everyone. Not just those we like at that moment. Everyone. That love as DC Talk says is a VERB. :)

Love is action on behalf of its object, not driven by emotion but also not void of it. It is a choice. Yes, you heard that right. You can love someone even when you don't "feel" like it. The world will tell you that it is a feeling you can fall in and out of, but that's not what God's word says. 1 John 4:21 states "And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother." No where in the many places God talks about love does He ever say or even elude to the idea that it is "only if you feel like it". There are many days I don't "feel" like loving those God has called me to love. I understand this struggle. I understand to the world I am crazy when I put my feelings aside and am obedient to God's word. Thank God for His grace the times I fail at this (which are many) but I am trying and pursuing it. My prayer is that we all as Christians, would seek to love even when it hurts or should I even say it.... even when we don't want to. Yikes.

So Sara, get to the point. :) We might not ever understand the struggles or difficult people/circumstances we face but we can trust that God is faithful to work them for good. Just like Paul's horrible experience being shipwrecked brought about so much healing, that good could be for someone else, and that's okay. We are called to love others even when we don't "feel" like it which means we can be obedient to God's word, but it takes effort on our part. No one else might know the inner struggle we are facing while trying to love when our emotions are fighting against us, but God sees. He sees you being obedient. He knows your heart. He will bless that obedience. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but He will. Don't quit. Be faithful and trust that His plan is perfect and beyond anything we can even imagine. I love you all. Till next time.

Let this song be your heart's cry