God does not place people in our lives for no reason...God purposes each individual in our lives for a reason.
And if God purposely places the individuals in our lives for a reason, then what do we do when a particular person in our lives causes us pain?
What would God have us do when someone says or does something to us that makes us feel like we’ve been hit by a mat truck, and now, figuratively speaking, we find ourselves being rushed to the hospital with a smashed pelvis, broken ribs and fractured skull...facing surgery, and then the arduous healing process? (~Remember, God uses both believing and unbelieving people to fulfill His purposes in our lives. (e.g.: Is. 45:13))
Well, we have a choice. As we heal, we will either choose to get bitter or to get better. If you are like us, you’ll choose to ‘get better’. And regardless of how long or short our personal healing process is, as we heal there are 4 questions we are wise to ask God:
1. What are You trying to teach me about You ?.. (Lord, help me to know You better...who You are...what You feel...how You felt when this same thing happened to You...Your perspectives on people and life...Your understanding and love for others)
2. What are You trying to teach me about myself? ... (Lord, what are You trying to change/refine in me?)
3. What are You trying to teach me about this person and people in general? ... (Lord, please give me increased understanding and love for others; give me Your eyes for the people in my life...Your enlightenment into the very soul of others)
4. What is “truth” in what was said/done to me, intended by You to make me better, and what is from the devil, meant to steal, kill and destroy (Jn. 10:10)? To this end, Lord, will You help me identify and learn from these truths, yet at the same time, will You help me identify the lies and cast them to hell...never to be recalled to my mind again?
God does not delight in seeing us in pain, He delights in creating something new in us...a bubbling spring that now flows through us, and spills over onto souls around us. And when understanding and love are woven into the tapestry of lives around us, we get a taste of the mystery of God...and it makes us yearn for more.
Much love this week,
Shaun and Betsy
P.S.: ~Think you’ll enjoy this art Betsy & I prepared for the current marriage series we’re doing at CCSB.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
