1 Peter 4:17
For it is time for judgement to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?
Refining discipline.
For it is time for judgement to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?
Refining discipline.
Godliness, Christ-like, faithfulness, Mighty Warrior..... None of
labels come easy but are rather earned through years and years of
discipline, trials and trials through life, decision upon decison to be
obedient. Day in and day out.
Oh, but we deserve a break today.... You really shouldn't work so hard...serve so much.... Make time for you...... Take time for yourself.... While, these are good in moderation.... We are not a culture that lives in moderation.
This has been hard. Such a test, of sorts, in obedience. The initial steps were so easy but the day in and day out face of obedience is....hard. Real. Raw. And yet, I know by lives told in the Bible that here....in this moment is where faith is strengthened. Here is where God refines us. When our human hearts begin to override our desire to be obedient....and we cry out to Him instead of giving in to the "rabbit hole" of self-pity.....we find He was there all along. Waiting, giving us the freedom of free-will....yet, waiting to be our rescuer when we call.
Every day, I miss her more and more. Every day. I believe just as strongly as I did the day she died that it was simply her time to go.....but in the reality of every day life.... I have to daily choose to be okay. I have to daily choose not to give into the fear that satan seems to be trying to capitalize on......(it is too easy to imagine your other children dead, when you've seen one).... But, yet, I know that each lie we overcome, each rabbit hole, He walks us over.....is one more testament of Who He is....And out of this, our faith will be stronger.
I find the path that we are walking is a paradox of sorts.... We truly are walking in a mountaintop experience in our lives. To serve those He has sent us to serve, to love and share His gift with others.... Wow. Our daughter has been called home away from the darkness of this world.... And this should be the biggest Wow of all.....and although humanly this is a struggle.... Day after day, hour after hour.... We choose Him over the rabbit hole.
We all face "rabbit holes" and we are all given the opportunity to fall head first into despair, grief and self or we can choose Him to walk us through it.
Big or small....... Let us be refined... Less of us.... More of Him.
Oh, but we deserve a break today.... You really shouldn't work so hard...serve so much.... Make time for you...... Take time for yourself.... While, these are good in moderation.... We are not a culture that lives in moderation.
This has been hard. Such a test, of sorts, in obedience. The initial steps were so easy but the day in and day out face of obedience is....hard. Real. Raw. And yet, I know by lives told in the Bible that here....in this moment is where faith is strengthened. Here is where God refines us. When our human hearts begin to override our desire to be obedient....and we cry out to Him instead of giving in to the "rabbit hole" of self-pity.....we find He was there all along. Waiting, giving us the freedom of free-will....yet, waiting to be our rescuer when we call.
Every day, I miss her more and more. Every day. I believe just as strongly as I did the day she died that it was simply her time to go.....but in the reality of every day life.... I have to daily choose to be okay. I have to daily choose not to give into the fear that satan seems to be trying to capitalize on......(it is too easy to imagine your other children dead, when you've seen one).... But, yet, I know that each lie we overcome, each rabbit hole, He walks us over.....is one more testament of Who He is....And out of this, our faith will be stronger.
I find the path that we are walking is a paradox of sorts.... We truly are walking in a mountaintop experience in our lives. To serve those He has sent us to serve, to love and share His gift with others.... Wow. Our daughter has been called home away from the darkness of this world.... And this should be the biggest Wow of all.....and although humanly this is a struggle.... Day after day, hour after hour.... We choose Him over the rabbit hole.
We all face "rabbit holes" and we are all given the opportunity to fall head first into despair, grief and self or we can choose Him to walk us through it.
Big or small....... Let us be refined... Less of us.... More of Him.
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