Don't Waste Your Pain: giving thanks

Showing posts with label giving thanks. Show all posts

The very short, terribly hard walk to paradise

Monday, May 23, 2016 by Unknown

Imagine for a moment that you are a mile away from Paradise:

No more pain, no more suffering, and pleasures forever more! But you have no way to get there except walking barefoot on sharp, jagged rocks.

"It's only a mile," you tell yourself! "I can deal with the pain."

So you start walking. Your eyes keep looking down as you wince at each painful step. But then it occurs to you...

"If I keep my eyes fixed on Paradise I will be able to get there, happily!"

Yes it will be a painful mile, but, OH the joy of getting there!

It seems like in our own life, a "hand-breath," we think we have such a long time before we arrive Home. We painstakingly complain each day of trivial things that don't go our way. Our eyes are so focused on the here and now, the little idiosyncrasies that bother us, the pain that afflicts us, the people that hurt us.

But, we have a great hope! This hope is in the One true God who awaits us, at home.
You are one mile from there dear friend, a "hand-breath" away and we will be there, with our heavenly Father who awaits us with arms wide open.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.
1 John 3:1a

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Philippians 3:20

He delights in calling us His children. That in itself should make us praise Him! We are His! He has prepared a place for us and we need to keep our fixed on Him, the author and perfecter of our faith.

Don't let this world hold you down through its deception. No, run to Him, focus on Him, love Him!

Amen and Amen

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people,and God himself will be with them as their God.He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
Revelation 21:1-6

Posted in: choosing joy, close to heaven, dying, fight the good fight, giving thanks, glory to God, hope in pain, I can't take this pain, invisible illness, is God there, it's not fair, Why did Jesus die on the cross | 0 comments | |

Good reminder

Friday, October 30, 2015 by Unknown

So I'm sure you, like the rest of us, have put up a few Fall items in your house, even if it is hard. There's something about Fall that makes me want to curl up in my favorite chair with my comfy blanket and a great book! Today, though, as I was lounging in my favorite chair this decoration was staring at me straight in the eye.

Give Thanks to The Lord!

And it made me stop in my tracks, realizing I had been grumbling all day about how I never get a break from pain (you too?). Why does this decoration have to be staring at me? Today I don't FEEL like being thankful. I FEEL like crying, wishing THIS wasn't my life anymore.

Oh, How It's Easy To Wallow

Bitter feelings, deep down begin to surface and I begin thinking of all the ways I'm not thankful. This is the ugly side of chronic pain. The side that just can't focus on BEING thankful. How do I do that right now? How do I help others do that right now, in the midst of terrible pain?

We Get Our Eyes Off Of Ourselves

This isn't easy. Our flesh wants to keep the focus on ME-ME-ME...

But God, (I love those two words) has a much bigger PLAN. You see, the pain we struggle with is there to teach us more about Jesus, to draw us nearer to the Father, and remind us to give thanks! There is OH so much to be THANKFUL for.

I Urge You To Read 2 Corinthians 4:6-18

Oh what a blessing it would be if I would REMEMBER these verses!

God has given us THIS pain to show the world His grace--I can't do this THING called pain by myself. I need Him-and so do many others-(Be thankful!)

God has saved us (Be thankful!).

All glory and power is in the Lord's hands (Be thankful!).

We are in pain, but it's momentary (Be thankful!).

We are not forsaken by our God (Be thankful!).

This pain is preparing us for an eternal glory we can't comprehend (Be thankful!).

One day...we will be in the presence of the Lord (Be thankful!).

So what do we do?

We Give Thanks To Our Most Gracious Lord

amen.

To those who don't believe and trust in Jesus as their Savior:
You are separated from God by your sin and do not have this hope to look forward to. I urge you, beg you, to sek forgiveness from the Lord, repent from your sinful ways, and turn to Christ. Then, He will save you and you will have an eternal inheritance waiting for you-free from pain, free to love the Lord, and free from sin.