A conversation last night got me to thinking about my past. About how things have happened to me that seemed so terrible at the time, but that I am grateful for them now, because of what I have learned.
I think it's too easy to wallow in a past or present situation. To be so mired in it, because the realization of hindsight is, well, impossible. Let me play devil's advocate for a second. Say it were really possible to go back in time and avoid certain mistakes or mishaps. Would that make the person you are today happier, or "better?" I don't think so. It would just make you different. Sorry to break it to you, but different doesn't equal better. And being that the past is a fixed, concrete thing, then there really isn't any use in thinking about how things "might have been." More like "might have been but never-even-in-an-alternate-universe can be."
To dwell on the past just doesn't make any sense. What does make sense is to see how God's hand was in those situations; in every minute detail. Seriously, just try it out. Even in the most dire of circumstances, I can see God's hand it every second; and I mean every-single-second. I think it's a great exercise, but really, I know that I prayed for it long before it was shown to me (and in one situation, reading the Bible revealed it to me!). I am so grateful to have the Gospel in my life.
As for me, I'm really beginning to like the person I am today. And if that took going through things that people couldn't imagine being grateful for, well then I just pray some day that God will reveal it to them too, in their own lives.
P.S. One cool thing to add here. Back in October I went for a jog, and realized that it was almost a year to the day that I had finished the marathon. I started to think of my friends who were running it again, and how proud I was of them. How absurd it seemed for me to have done it to almost everyone I know. How no one believed that I was actually training for a marathon; least of all myself! And then I remember thinking that God wasn't surprised that I was doing it at the time. God knew before I was born that I would finish a marathon on October 21, 2007. Then I realized that He knew that before time began! He knew every second of that 6.5 HOURS of my life! How at around mile 13 my feet would start to hurt, or that around 22 I would be in so much pain that I wouldn't believe that I could finish at all. He knew of every tear before it fell. Praise God! He is simply Amazing.
Addendum 01/22/2009: Check out John Piper's, The President, the Passengers, and the Patience of God.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Daily Dose of Spurgeon : Blessed Among Women
(a little late posting this...)
December 15, Morning
Ruth 1:14
Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her.
Both of them had an affection for Naomi, and therefore set out with her upon her return to the land of Judah. But the hour of test came; Naomi most unselfishly set before each of them the trials which awaited them, and bade them if they cared for ease and comfort to return to their Moabitish friends. At first both of them declared that they would cast in their lot with the Lord's people; but upon still further consideration Orpah with much grief and a respectful kiss left her mother in law, and her people, and her God, and went back to her idolatrous friends, while Ruth with all her heart gave herself up to the God of her mother in law. It is one thing to love the ways of the Lord when all is fair, and quite another to cleave to them under all discouragements and difficulties. The kiss of outward profession is very cheap and easy, but the practical cleaving to the Lord, which must show itself in holy decision for truth and holiness, is not so small a matter.
How stands the case with us, is our heart fixed upon Jesus, is the sacrifice bound with cords to the horns of the altar? Have we counted the cost, and are we solemnly ready to suffer all worldly loss for the Master's sake? The after gain will be an abundant recompense, for Egypt's treasures are not to be compared with the glory to be revealed. Orpah is heard of no more; in glorious ease and idolatrous pleasure her life melts into the gloom of death; but Ruth lives in history and in heaven, for grace has placed her in the noble line whence sprung the King of kings. Blessed among women shall those be who for Christ's sake can renounce all; but forgotten and worse than forgotten shall those be who in the hour of temptation do violence to conscience and turn back unto the world. O that this morning we may not be content with the form of devotion, which may be no better than Orpah's kiss, but may the Holy Spirit work in us a cleaving of our whole heart to our Lord Jesus.
C.H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, Hendrickson Publishers, 1997.
December 15, Morning
Ruth 1:14
Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her.
Both of them had an affection for Naomi, and therefore set out with her upon her return to the land of Judah. But the hour of test came; Naomi most unselfishly set before each of them the trials which awaited them, and bade them if they cared for ease and comfort to return to their Moabitish friends. At first both of them declared that they would cast in their lot with the Lord's people; but upon still further consideration Orpah with much grief and a respectful kiss left her mother in law, and her people, and her God, and went back to her idolatrous friends, while Ruth with all her heart gave herself up to the God of her mother in law. It is one thing to love the ways of the Lord when all is fair, and quite another to cleave to them under all discouragements and difficulties. The kiss of outward profession is very cheap and easy, but the practical cleaving to the Lord, which must show itself in holy decision for truth and holiness, is not so small a matter.
How stands the case with us, is our heart fixed upon Jesus, is the sacrifice bound with cords to the horns of the altar? Have we counted the cost, and are we solemnly ready to suffer all worldly loss for the Master's sake? The after gain will be an abundant recompense, for Egypt's treasures are not to be compared with the glory to be revealed. Orpah is heard of no more; in glorious ease and idolatrous pleasure her life melts into the gloom of death; but Ruth lives in history and in heaven, for grace has placed her in the noble line whence sprung the King of kings. Blessed among women shall those be who for Christ's sake can renounce all; but forgotten and worse than forgotten shall those be who in the hour of temptation do violence to conscience and turn back unto the world. O that this morning we may not be content with the form of devotion, which may be no better than Orpah's kiss, but may the Holy Spirit work in us a cleaving of our whole heart to our Lord Jesus.
C.H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, Hendrickson Publishers, 1997.
Friday, December 05, 2008
Quiet Time : God spoke, Job repented
Job 39:13-17 (KJV)
13Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?
14Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,
15And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.
16She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not her's: her labour is in vain without fear;
17Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.
Ryrie Study Bible:
It appears to man that the ostrich is unconcerned about her young, leaving some of her eggs uncovered (though only by day when the heat of the sand helps incubate them) and unhatched (thereby serving as food for her young). Her seeming lack of wisdom is not apart from God's plan, just as behind the trials of the godly, which seem so unreasonable to Job, lies the wise purpose of God.
Job 40:6-14 (KJV)
6Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
7Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
8Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
9Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
10Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
11Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
12Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
13Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
14Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
Ryrie Study Bible:
When Job criticized God's ways, he was in effect trying to usurp God's position as governor of the world. In this paragraph full of irony, God asks if Job can really perform those things that only God can do.
Job 42:1-6 (KJV)
1Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
2I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
3Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
4Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
5I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
6Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Ryrie Study Bible:
Job repents of his pride and rebellion and finds contentment in the knowledge that he has God's fellowship. This is the great lesson of the book: If we know God, we do not need to know why He allows us to experience what we do. He is not only in control of the universe and all its facets but also of our lives, and He loves us. Though His ways are sometimes beyond our comprehension, we should not criticize Him for His dealings with us or with others. God is always in control of all things, even when He appears not to be.
Click here for info on the Ryrie Study Bible on Amazon.
13Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?
14Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,
15And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.
16She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not her's: her labour is in vain without fear;
17Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.
Ryrie Study Bible:
It appears to man that the ostrich is unconcerned about her young, leaving some of her eggs uncovered (though only by day when the heat of the sand helps incubate them) and unhatched (thereby serving as food for her young). Her seeming lack of wisdom is not apart from God's plan, just as behind the trials of the godly, which seem so unreasonable to Job, lies the wise purpose of God.
Job 40:6-14 (KJV)
6Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
7Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
8Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
9Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
10Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
11Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
12Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
13Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
14Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
Ryrie Study Bible:
When Job criticized God's ways, he was in effect trying to usurp God's position as governor of the world. In this paragraph full of irony, God asks if Job can really perform those things that only God can do.
Job 42:1-6 (KJV)
1Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
2I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
3Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
4Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
5I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
6Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Ryrie Study Bible:
Job repents of his pride and rebellion and finds contentment in the knowledge that he has God's fellowship. This is the great lesson of the book: If we know God, we do not need to know why He allows us to experience what we do. He is not only in control of the universe and all its facets but also of our lives, and He loves us. Though His ways are sometimes beyond our comprehension, we should not criticize Him for His dealings with us or with others. God is always in control of all things, even when He appears not to be.
Click here for info on the Ryrie Study Bible on Amazon.
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