BIG OCTOBER BLESSINGS Blessings for Strength & Comfort
Jesus warned his disciples that this world in which we live doesn’t mean difficult times will not come, but his promise was that he is bigger than any dark days we encounter (John 16:33). In today’s post we will look at how God’s BIG blessings can strengthen and comfort us during difficult times. Thanks for joining me.
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength... they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.
Isaiah 40:29–31 (ESV)
One of the most frequently asked questions in the Bible is “How long?” David, whom God called a “man after His own heart” wasn’t afraid to lament, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1 ESV). Oh, my, how often have I felt like David?
I find myself faced with a legitimate concern. I ask God for help. I pray scripture. I bargain. I promise. I ask for wisdom. I edit my request. I question my motives. Each of these is worthwhile. But then when I’ve waited and nothing happens, I confess my method of operation more than once has been to take matters into my own hands.
What I am learning over many years is that God’s work is oftentimes very s-l-o-w. For me, a ”let’s-just-get-er-done-“ lady, who likes to manage “outcomes,” that can be very frustrating. I’m not sure how successful I am, but I do believe I am growing in this area of spiritual formation. One scripture and one quote continue to be helpful.
Scripture:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)
In other words, God is God, and I am not!
Quote:
"Above all, trust in the slow work of God"
[Jesus said,] “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 14:27 (NIV)
A few years ago, Ron and I were excited about a trip to New England in October. Years before, I had lived in Rhode Island during the autumn, and the colors of that season were unforgettable. I wanted to share a similar experience with my photographer husband.
The day we landed in Boston, a Nor-Easter of “epic proportions” blew into New England. It was quite amazing! It was also destructive, and because of the damage it did to many trees, New England autumn colors were less spectacular than usual that year. Following the storm, Ron captured this photo.
Sometimes a “Nor-Easter of epic proportions” sweeps into our personal worlds, and there’s no better time to cling to the peace Jesus gives us—a peace which the Apostle Paul describes as “transcending human understanding.”
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me …
Psalm 23:4 (NKJV)
October is a month of mist and fog, which this photo depicts well. We learned in our glimpse into Psalm 23 a few weeks ago that the valley of the shadow can mean any dark valley through which we must travel. My favorite word in this verse is through. The “Good Shepherd” loves us and will not leave us but will stay with us, guiding us through whatever dark valley we travel.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction…
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
I’m one of those weird people who love cemeteries. It’s not because I have a ghoulish fascination with death but because I am intrigued with people’s stories, and a cemetery feels like a library of biographies. Each gravesite represents the story of the person whose body was laid to rest in that plot.
Also represented is the sadness, loss, and grief of those who loved that person and with whom his or her story was intertwined. The ways in which God blesses people seems to never be more comforting than during times of grief.
Blessings as you learn to “wait” for God’s strength and comfort,
