Even So ... Praise Him

In these sorrowful days it often feels as if I, us, we Believers are being oppressed. The evil one slinks through our court system and maligns our government even at the highest levels. Right is now wrong and wrong is now right. It's painful to witness the downslide of our values and of our country. 

And when I thought things couldn't be darker, people who have been suffering with Covid-19 watched as their government leaders and fellow citizens politicized the disease, even its treatments. And I had to ask, why? I have no clear answer. 

I've been distressed over the state of our world because of Covid-19 ... and now demonstrations and rioting is in our streets. The demonstrations began in unity and with good intent. A terrible wrong had been done to one of our citizens. But as is often the case there are those who will take advantage of what they see as an opportunity. 

I have been sick at heart as I watch the destruction of our cities. And the foolish self-centered volleys of flaming darts that our leaders cast back and forth. The malevolence only deepens. 

Aren't we better than this?

We can be.

In my daily reading I landed on Psalm 43, which feels perfect for this time. I'd like to share these comforting words with you. I've replaced all the personal references to a collective term. It says this,

O God, take up our cause! Defend us against these ungodly people. Rescue us from these unjust liars. For you are God, our only safe haven. Why have you tossed us aside? Why must we wander around in darkness oppressed by our enemies? Send out your light and your truth; let them guide us. Let them lead us to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. There we will go to the altar of God, to God - the source of all our joy. We will praise you with our harp O God, our God! Why are we discouraged? Why so sad? We will put our hope in God! We will praise him again - our Savior and our God!

We are not alone in this evil world. We have the almighty God with us. Even in the midst of heartache and sorrow we can be comforted and know joy. God's Word tells us we will have tribulation, that there will be dark days, but we are not to be disheartened. We can walk in the light of the Lord.

Keep praying. Keep rejoicing. The Great I Am sees it all. And He loves you.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Quiet Moments With God -- A Desert Flower

The beauty of desert flowers always surprises me. Surrounded by an arid plain makes them especially vibrant. And a desert seems an unlikely place for any kind of blooming. Yet, there they are--lovely and determined, against all odds.

These exquisite flowers remind me of my sister Leslie who led a troubled life. She lived with mental illness, alcohol and drug addiction and a physical illness that took her from us far too early. Much of her life was a misery. And when she was forced, out of need, to live in a nursing home it seemed such a desolate place for a young woman.

However, we know some of the most stunning flowers bloom in desolate places. God had big plans for my sister and she did bloom in that nursing home. Her life became greater than her sorrows.

Each time I look back, I'm newly amazed at God's workings in her life. And yet, while speaking recently during an  interview I forgot about desert flowers. I boldly stated that if I'd had any control over whether or not I would be injured in an auto accident, that  took place back in 1991, I would have chosen not. I am not courageous enough to choose chronic pain and disability. But I had no choice, and a log truck tipped over on a curve striking my van and changing my life forever.

When I see how small my faith is, I am stricken. And thankful that God does not rely on me to make the grand decisions.  :-)

Before the accident I lived something of a charmed life--happy marriage, children, good friends, a glorious place to live and a job I loved. After the accident all I could see was the desert. And yet, in that desert I bloomed. God used every bit of my angst and sorrow, questions and groanings to help me grow. He directed me down paths I'd never thought possible.

The path God chose for me opened doors into people's lives. I hear from individuals almost daily who find life a little bit easier or their sorrows more bearable because we share the bereavement, the questions, the fears. and the daily grind of living with our heartaches. They may discover something in a book I've written or even a word here on my blog that encourages them. And sometimes they find  hope when I'm speaking to a group. When I hear from these dear ones I feel like a desert flower. I've bloomed--brighter and transformed. But it is only because I submitted to and, on my best days, even embraced the path chosen for me.

I am not always lovely. I am human, after all. But I know that I am better than I would have been if my life had been effortless. It is the pressure of adversity that molds and shapes. It teaches us to rely on God and to step onto a path of His choosing.

I pray I will, we will, be courageous and desire the best . . . God's will rather than our own.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie