How long it has been since I have written my thoughts anywhere but my private journal! It's challenging to open oneself up to the "world". Many things have gone on in my life these past several months. I have traveled for a funeral of a very close friend's husband. I have traveled to sit with my grandfather, watching him receive a chemo treatment for his cancer. I have had sweet moments of crying and praying together with both my friend and my grandfather. Painful moments, but such peaceful moments that I will cherish forever. Moments that I thank God for...
Here at home, I have taken in 4 children for a season, only to watch them go back to a life-style of pain and hardship surrounding them. I have seen the enemy have some success in dividing the body of Christ. All of these things have ripped my heart out to some degree, but, I am realizing that any hardship I face cannot silence truth. Even when I am up to my elbows in "stuff" and my heart aches more than I thought possible, the Spirit gently, lovingly pulls me along, faithfully teaching me and granting me His sweet peace in the midst of the storms. He faithfully guides and is the closest friend I could ever ask for.
It is in the seasons of pain that I truly believe we grow the most in our walk with the Lord if we allow them to. The pain in my heart has tempted me to pull back and be silent, but His gentle nudging keeps me pressing on to share this gospel of peace that we have been given. How can I not speak it? How can I not share truth with the lost and dying? How can I not encourage others with the words that God encourages me with? Others need to experience this same peace that I have been blessed to have through the grace of Jesus Christ.
The verses I have gone back to over and over this week are in Romans 5:1-2. "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
The benefits of justification:
1) Peace with God.
2) A standing in grace.
Is there anything greater? Peace with God and a standing in grace... this has a present continuing mindset! Grace is the beginning principle of the Christian life, but it is also the continuing principle that we stand in every single day.
Guzik said, "Remember that the Bible doesn't say we have peace with the devil, peace with the world, peace with the flesh, or peace with sin. Life is still a battle for the Christian, but it is no longer a battle against God -- it is fighting for Him."
Romans 5 goes on to say, "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
What a beautiful promise.
In the midst of hardship, I rest in having peace with God because of Christ's finished work on the cross, and I rest in the fact that I stand in the beautiful gift of grace every single day. I can fully trust Him! I rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, and am so thankful He is at work in me producing these wonderful things! I will receive these seasons of hardship, trusting that He is making me more like Him in the process!
