Since several of you have asked, and were unable to attend the Bible Study when I shared, I have written my thoughts here for you. This is a step of faith for us, and we would appreciate your prayers.
Freedom in Suffering
Picture trying to hold all of your pain, suffering and sorrow in your arms, and it's so heavy that you try to throw it upward to God. That's what many of us try to do, myself included, when we suffer. We often forget that what we should do instead, is turn, and embrace our Savior and Friend who is here with us, beside us. When we do this, we let go of the pain and suffering and sorrow and hold tightly to Him--the only one who can help us through.
Suffering can paralyze us, and often does initially, but when we get up and stand, it will make us stronger.
James 1:2-4 (NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James 1:12a (NLT) God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation.
As gold is heated, impurities float to the top and can be skimmed off. Steel is tempered, strengthened, by heating it in the fire. Silver is made stronger as it is work-hardened through sanding, pounding, and hammering. All are made more pure, more perfect, and more beautiful by this process. Likewise, our trials, struggles, and persecutions refine and strengthen our faith, making us more like Christ.
We suffer for many reasons: our own sin, circumstances such as illness or tragedy. The suffering God brings into our lives often exposes sun. *I am not saying that each illness or tragedy is the direct result of sin in our lives, but that as God uses suffering to purify us, sin is often exposed. At times we suffer because of a desire that is unfulfilled.
If we value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us.
If we value the material and physical more than the spiritual, then we will not be able to consider trouble 'an opportunity for great joy'.
If we live only for the present and not for the future, then trials will make us bitter, not better.
If we respond well, however, testing works FOR us.
God's testing is His approval. God's approval of our faith is precious because it assures us that our faith is genuine and maturing.
In testing, we are commanded to endure, persevere. In the Bible, endurance is not a passive acceptance of circumstances. It is a courageous perseverance in the face of suffering and difficulty. Endurance is obtained by going through the difficulties of life, trusting God, and obeying Him. The result is character.
Knowing this, we can face trials joyfully. We know what trials will do in us and for us, and we know that the end result will bring glory to God.
Here's our story:
Jose & I were married in April 2007. We decided to start our family a year later in April 2008. It is soon coming up on April 2010 and we continue in this journey. Now the trial of infertility. It has been two years of the testing of our faith. And by God's grace we continue to persevere, to hold on to Him and each other, as we realize that whether God chooses to give us children biologically or not, He loves us deeply. He is giving us His best for us for this time.
I can say this to you now with confidence, though we are still struggling through this trial. There are the hopes each month that maybe this will be it. But after 23 months, it can seem like cruel heartbreak. There are the tests, the medicines, the procedures, and the days waiting. The results come, sometimes bringing hope, sometimes bringing despair. And once again, we pour out our hearts, emotions raw and faith weak, before the Giver of Life. And again and again, He brings comfort. Joy, even, as He lifts the load we bear. This is the thorn in our side that God is using to bring about greater things than just the one thing we desire. He is developing our faith. Exposing sin and pride. Setting us free from bondage and bringing healing. And while the physical healing still has not come, there is healing for our spirits as we are made more in Christ's likeness. And we trust Him, also, for the ability to endure until He does bring about physical healing through the adding of children to our family.
God loves us not in the way we want to be loved, but in the way we need to be loved.
He allows us to go through trials so that the heat is turned up in our lives and the worst in us rises to the top so that He can skim it off. That's freedom.
And we can take joy in knowing that we are not living for this world, but for eternity. Therefore, these trials are temporary.
1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV) In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
May God be praised, glorified, and honored in us and in our lives.
3 comments:
Thank you for such raw honesty and for sharing the strength of Christ.
Melanie, thanks so much for sharing. We are praying that God gives you the desires of your heart - the same prayer that was prayed over us as we were waiting for our Cooper.
I am thankful for the testimony of your lives to Jesus and His goodness to allow pain to bring refining and purity. Oh how beautiful are those who radiate in suffering. I don't fully understand the "balance" between keeping hope for things like this and leaning into Him and finding Him alone to be enough and to "open His hand and satisfy every living thing". Really just wanted to say "Amen" to your post and praying for an increase of His life in yours.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMS1wUA9gpQ&feature=PlayList&p=2A259AE5DDB7E6E6&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=32
Great song. "Come as close as you want" by Misty Edwards
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