When We Are Falling Apart, Jesus Holds Us Together

“In Him all things are held together”
 (Colossians 1:17).

We all know the phrase, “falling apart at the seams” – those moments when life seems too overwhelming and we don’t know how we will survive.

We may feel that way for many reasons.  Our pain and suffering is enough to face, but other difficulties in our lives or those we love bring added pressures.  The world in general is in chaos as well, and it may seem that everywhere we turn things are falling apart.

I am experiencing that now.  My father was just diagnosed with terminal cancer.  Praise God he knows the Lord and has had a full life, but that doesn’t remove the pain and suffering we must watch him endure now. 

With my own health problems I can’t be as much of a help to my mother as I would like.  Many people are praying and we are seeing signs of that in the way things have logistically fallen into place as well as what I have been able to do physically, but there are moments when I feel I’m falling apart.

A friend of mine posted this picture on Facebook of this cracked ceramic bowl pieced together with gold filling.  Underneath the photo was the word “kintsukuroi”, meaning to repair pottery with gold or silver lacquer, understanding that the piece is more beautiful having been broken.

I thought about our bodies being jars of clay and trials being the fire that God uses to burn away all that is not of Him, leaving only the pure gold of faith in Him.  No matter what chaos is going on in and around us, there is no moment when Christ is not holding it all together.  The golden faith and strength that comes as a result of our trials is one means He uses to do this, and with each line of gold filling we are becoming more beautiful to Him.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, thank you that You are continually holding the greatness of the universe as well as the smallness of my own world together.  Thank you for piecing me together when I fall apart, and may I allow my brokenness to be the very thing You use to strengthen and beautify me.  Amen.

 

 

 

 

With God, Newness Never Fades

“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life”
(Romans 6:4 NKJV).

I like new things. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the old but there is something special about the new. Wearing a new outfit, visiting a new place, or watching a new movie are all enjoyable experiences, but the newness wears off with time.  Once it does, I may cast it aside for something newer.

With a new year, people have new goals and hopes that this year will be brighter and better than the last one.  Living with chronic health conditions I am not so optimistic however, and with each new year my longings increase for my new eternal life.

Our new physical bodies are yet to come, but our spirits have already been made new by our faith in Christ.  We can now see our current earthly lives with new perspectives.  God is a God of newness.  He instituted the new covenant with Jesus being the ultimate sacrifice for our sin.  A new heaven and earth is yet to come.  And right now we are being made new in our minds and spirits as we walk this life of pain with Him.  Just as God’s mercies are new every morning, His Spirit is continually pouring new strength, hope, and grace into our lives, and these blessings will not lose their newness.

Earthly hopes and dreams go unfilled and the newness of earthly pleasures will fade with time, but God is continuing a new work in me that will not fade.  He will bring it to completion, and each day now is filled with the powerful new life the risen Christ gives my spirit.  It’s not just a new year – it’s a new life.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, while I wait for the newness of eternity, remind me that I am a new creation in you spiritually, regardless of how my body is feeling.  In this new year, may my goal be to continually renew my mind in your truths, knowing that the wonder of them will never fade.  Amen.

 

 

God’s Light Will Shine through the Pain of a New Year

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned”
(Isaiah 9:2).

Lights are an important part of holidays, particularly during the Christmas season.  We put lights on Christmas trees and candles in the windows.  We enjoy looking at outdoor light displays.  We light advent candles at church and sing Silent Night by candlelight on Christmas Eve. We may even welcome New Year’s in with fireworks.

God is associated with light throughout Scripture.  His light began the creation of the world. The light of a star led the wise men to Jesus.  The light of angels announced His birth as well as His resurrection.  Jesus called Himself the Light of the world, and this Light has been given to us.

Living with the uncertainty of health struggles or other problems, this coming new year may appear more dark than light.  “Living in the land of the shadow of death” may seem an accurate description for the fear of our unknown future or the grimness of our ongoing battles.  Yet we have seen a great light.  We just celebrated the coming of that light to earth, and the repercussions of that light give us the hope and perseverance to enter another year.

Isaiah wrote these words during bleak times for Israel.  They had endured much suffering and captivity.  In the preceding chapter of Isaiah, he says that people saw only distress and darkness and fearful gloom.  That may be an accurate description of how we see our personal lives as well as the world in general.  But God’s answer to that is the light of Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection.

That light will give us the direction we need to face whatever the new year holds.  There is no darkness of pain or the unknown that God’s light will not reach to offer us hope and guidance.   So light a candle this New Year’s Day and rejoice in knowing that the coming year is already illuminated with the loving light of God’s comforting and eternal presence.

Prayer:  Lord, give me hope as I begin this new year, praising You for the assurance that Your light will guide me through whatever my come.  Amen.

 

Seeing Glimpses of God this Christmas

“Do not I fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.”
 (Jeremiah 23:24).

We all want Christmas to be a joyful, happy time, but that may be difficult.  Pain can dampen our spirits and limit activities.  The self-absorbed mindset of our society tries to rob Christmas of its true meaning long before the month of December.  Finances, relationships, or circumstances can contribute to a less than joyful mindset.  When bombarded by these negative conditions, it is easy to feel not only a loss of joy but even a loss of God’s presence during this special time of year.

I came across a quote from C.S. Lewis that prompted me to look at things differently:  “We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God.  The world is crowded with Him.”  I started looking for signs of God’s presence even through the commercialism and pain, and I found them.

I heard sacred Christmas songs playing throughout the mall and in other secular settings.  People who may speak God’s name only in cursing were proclaiming Him Savior – a foretaste of the day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.  A major store set up a huge nativity display on a heavily trafficked road in our city.  Although in discomfort, I was able to see God’s handiwork in nature while visiting some spectacular Christmas gardens and to take a walk one night under a gorgeous full moon.

Our world may be crowded with pain, suffering, and materialism, but God is still here.  As I make a conscious effort to see signs of Him during this holiday season, His Spirit revives my joy.  It is not a joy based on how I feel or what I have. It is a joy based on the wonder of an eternal God who visited this earth in human form, whose Spirit now dwells in His people, and who will one day return in glory to reign in that perfect world I so long for now.  So look for Him - if you seek Him you will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).

Prayer:  O Lord, wherever I am and whatever I am experiencing this Christmas season, give me eyes to see glimpses of You.  Amen.

Keeping Christmas in Perspective

This post is a repeat from last year, but I thought it was an appropriate one to begin the holiday season.

“Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in Thy ways: (Psalm 119:37 NASV).

As much as I rejoice in the meaning of Christmas, I also have a hard time with what is has become in our society. I can feel exhausted and even offended by the constant barrage of materialistic glitz and glitter of worldly commercialism.  On the other hand, I myself am guilty of being lured into that mindset as I prepare for the holiday.  I can become discontent over what I can’t or shouldn’t do or buy for others.  Food and decorations can be a trial rather than an enjoyment.  I feel overwhelmed by the magazine covers showing the perfectly decorated Christmas tree and holiday table settings.  New recipes make festive foods look so simple, yet I know otherwise.

Although all of these things can be good and enjoyable aspects of the holiday season if kept in perspective, it is especially difficult for me when all things must revolve around my pain and energy level.  I may end up feeling depressed, tense, and discouraged rather than anticipating the celebration of Christ’s birth.

During the holidays more than ever I need God’s Word to revive me and keep my eyes and heart focused on eternal things rather than worldly ones.  Satan has a way of turning even the good things into temptations and struggles.  I need to prepare and guard myself against these attacks.  Christ’s birth can and will be celebrated with or without the glitter.  Whether I am in plenty or in want financially or physically  this holiday season, my focus should be on knowing that because of the gift of Jesus, “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (I Corinthians 2:9).  And amidst the pulls of commercialism and pain, God is giving me gifts even now if I keep my eyes on Him.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, during this blessed season of celebrating Your birth, help me to put aside the vanities of the world and to seek You above all else.  As I do, You revive my heart (Psalm 69:33 NAS) bringing me true peace and joy. Amen.

 

Sowing Seeds and Harvesting Sheaves for God through Our Pain

“He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:6).

Sowing, reaping, and harvesting are all words that may be associated with the Thanksgiving season.  We may not farm for a living, but even if we aren’t planting literal seeds in the earth, as believers we are called to plant seeds for God’s kingdom in the world around us.

Living with pain, virtually any seeds we sow - any services we are able to render - are probably done through some tears.  Pain may limit us in helping with hands-on physical ministries. When we do push through we may pay for it later and wonder if it was worth it.  But there are different seeds we can plant through pain. Our examples of showing patience, love, encouragement, faith, and others through our suffering reap a harvest in our lives and in the lives of others.

I think especially of the seeds of perseverance. At times these seeds may be quite literally watered with our tears of pain.   Yet at some point they will yield sheaves which we will harvest in joy rather than sorrow.

Only God knows every seed we are planting for Him through our pain.  Although our acts of service may not be out in the fields of the physical world, a few words through an email, phone call, prayer, or note may have a ripple effect of which we have no concept.

As Thanksgiving approaches we can look for opportunities to sow even a single small seed.  It may be painful to the point of tears to do so.  But the Lord promises that one day – whether now or later – we will see the sheaves grown from those seeds, and the joy we experience will make the pain worth every tear. 

Prayer:  O Lord God, thank you for those who have sown Your seeds in my life.  Help me seek ways this Thanksgiving season to sow your eternal seeds in those around me through my pain, clinging to the promise that one day my tears will be turned to joy when I reap the sheaves of those seeds.  Amen.

 

Blessing and Thanking God through the Pain and Devastations of Life

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth”
(Psalm 34:1 KJV).

As November begins, the east coast is suffering the overwhelming aftereffects of Hurricane Sandy.  Praise God, we did not experience much damage this time, but my heart is heavy for those who did.  I wonder how hard it will be for Christians in those areas to be truly this thankful this Thanksgiving season, having suffered such great devastation.

I was reminded of these words from the contemporary worship song “10,000 Reasons” by Matt Redman -  “whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, let me be singing when the evening comes”.  How hard it is to do that through crises like these natural disasters.

Those of us with ongoing pain and illness can relate to that difficulty.  We know the devastation that pain has caused and how it affects every aspect of our lives.  Unlike the destruction from natural disasters however, the effects of our problems may be irreparable.  Our bodies may not undergo reconstruction until eternity.  Are we still able to bless the Lord and praise Him at all times?

David, the author of this Psalm, saw much destruction and devastation in his own personal and public life.  Although physical pain may not have been a problem for him, we know he experienced many tragedies, yet he admonished himself to bless the Lord at all times.

As Thanksgiving approaches I want to acknowledge all the many blessings God has given me, but I also want to bless and thank Him through my pain and problems.  Those are the tools He is using to reconstruct me into the eternally new creation that is coming - one that will never suffer the devastating effects of this fallen world again.  So whatever difficulties come this Thanksgiving season, may I bless God through them and be thankful.

Prayer:  Lord, I know that no suffering You allow in this life is sent without Your great love and divine purpose for eternal good. I thank You for all the blessings in my life.  I also pray that through the hard times, by Your grace, all that is within me will still bless Your holy name.  Amen.