Desiring God

Every day I feel like I have a new battle to wage.

Jennifer sent me a link from the Desiring God website about being able to be happy even in sadness. This week we experienced the death of a family member, and last week a good friend’s grandmother passed away as well. Suffering and sorrow seem to be lurking in every aspect of my life, and some days it’s hard to feel thankful and remember that God really has everything under control.

Therefore, we groan here, waiting for the redemption of our bodies and for the removal of all our sins (Romans 8:23). This groaning and grieving is godly if it is molded by our delight in hope of glory (Romans 5:2-3). The delight is muffled by the pain. But it is there in seed form. It will one day grow into a great vine that yields wine of undiluted delight.

So let us embrace whatever sorrow God appoints for us. Let us not be ashamed of tears. Let the promise that joy comes with the morning (Psalm 30:5) sustain and shape our grief with the power and goodness of God.

I hope you go read the message [click on the excerpt], even if you’re not grieving. I certainly hope it encourages you, and maybe it will help you love on someone who you know is overcome with sorrow. I don’t know what I would do without the tremendous support and outpouring of love I’ve been blessed with over the past two months.

Tortured Souls

Sometimes people do things for no other reason than to just to be cruel.