Can Any Good Thing Come From Pain?

Most of us will experience pain in our life time. Others, like me, will live with chronic pain. The way I see it, we have two choices – 1) Crawl into bed, pull the covers over your head and stay there until your pity party is over. 2) Decide to live in God’s grace and be an overcomer despite the pain. Afterall, God has great plans for you! – Romans 8:28

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”         – CS Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Is there value in walking through painful circumstances?                         I have learned the answer is YES! Here are a few reasons why:

• We can learn to trust God – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

• We can learn to obey God – Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. Psalm 119:67

• We can learn more about who God is – God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

• We can become more mature in our faith – But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:4

• We can be a blessing to others – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 3-4

Pain is real, but so is Hope.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Rev 21:4

All Scriptures are from NJKV.

Visit my Pinterest Board – Living With Chronic Pain

 

Thank you, Lord, you are a present help in our afflictions.

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Love and Blessings,
Maureen

 

 

 

 

Is It Possible To Live Worry-Free?

Worry-Free living – is it possible? The benefits of depending on God are endless.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”     John 15:5 NKJV

As we begin 2017, I want to encourage you to wholeheartedly depend on the one who is extending His hand towards you. He will never leave you or forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5) Run to Him and Trust in Him.

So how do we depend on the Lord? The Christian who is walking in God’s Word is less likely to ask anything that goes against God’s will.

• Surrender Your Will – God’s purposes are always for your greater good. (Romans 8:28)
• Abide in Christ – Your soul is nourished in the presence of Jesus Christ. (James 4:8)
• Renew Your Mind – Immerse yourself in God’s Word. (Philippians 4:8)
• Trust in God’s Faithfulness – Call upon Him and He will answer you. (Psalm 91:15)
• Be Rooted and Established in Love – Trust in God’s unfailing love forever. (Psalm 52:8)
• Rest in Him – Ask Jesus to fill you with His peace. (Matthew 11:28)

Thank you, Lord, for your many benefits that result from depending on you.

Join the conversation – If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe and recommend my site to other broken people! I appreciate your comments – What opportunities do you have in your life right now to Let Go and Let God make a way?

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Love and Blessings,
Maureen

 

Does Time Heal All Wounds?

Time is a great healer…so we are told. If we experience a broken heart, let more time pass by and the pain will begin to subside…so we are told. Passing time can bury our hurt, our emotional pain can soften and the effects of physical pain can begin to dissipate over time. It is what we do during the timeframe that affects the quality of our lives.

Time alone can not simply heal anything. The following quote by Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy makes a lot of sense to me:

“It has been said, ‘time heals all wounds.’ I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.”

If all we needed is more time to be healed, we probably would suffer from hope deferred and a heart that becomes sick. (Proverbs 13:12)

But there is hope because Jesus is the great healer. He may ask you to participate in your healing. Do you need to forgive someone? He may require further understanding of a situation where your heart was wounded. Whatever He is calling you to do, spend prayerful time in His healing presence. I’ve discovered the best way to heal a broken heart is to give God all the pieces.

Stand on these healing promises from the Lord:

He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3

 

 

“And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You. Ps 39:7

 

Thank you, Lord, for being such a complete healer. If we suffer from physical infirmities, you will give sufficient grace to the weak.

Join the conversation – If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe and recommend my site to other broken people! I appreciate your comments – What are your thoughts about “Time Healing All Wounds?”

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Love and Blessings,
Maureen

 

Keep in Step With the Savior

The Lord’s love for you is so abundant. He has prepared a way for you; now follow Him along the path that Jesus has walked before you. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25) 

The fruit of the Spirit consists of nine visible attributes of the Christian life – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) In your own strength, you cannot produce the fruit that comes from God. You first, must totally surrender your life to Jesus Christ.

If you have not begun your life in the Spirit, you can begin today. Follow Jesus, glorify the Lord and start to display God’s fruit. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John: 15:5)

So many people today call themselves Christians. How do you discern the truth of their actions? The Lord has given His guidance in (Matthew 7:16) You will know them by their fruits. 

You can evaluate the fruits of the Spirit in your life with this diagnostic checklist:

Love – Do you do for others as Christ has done for you OR do you give to receive something in return?

Joy – Do you experience joy on a regular basis OR does your joy depend on your circumstances?

Peace– Do you feel frazzled by turmoil in your life OR do you experience “the peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Patience – Do you easily get irritated when things don’t go your way OR do you keep a godly perspective during trials?

Kindness – Do you serve others with kindness OR are you more focused on your own needs rather than letting the goodness of God overflow to others?

Goodness – Does your heart conceal dishonestly  OR  Does your heart reflect the character of God?

Faithfulness – Do you have areas of hypocrisy and indifference toward others in your life OR is your life characterized by faith in Christ and faithfulness to those around you?

Gentleness – Do you come across to others as brash and headstrong OR do you allow the grace of God to flow through you to others?

Self-Control – Do fleshly desires control your life OR do you allow the Spirit to direct you to the things that please God and serve others?

God promises that if you will turn away from your own desires, He will empower you through His Spirit to live the abundant life He has created for you.

 

Thank you, Lord for the path you have prepared for me. Help me to keep in step with you and give evidence of the fruits of the Spirit within me.

Join the conversation – If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe and recommend this site to other broken people. I appreciate your comments.  Are there areas in your life where you struggle to follow Jesus?

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Love and Blessings,
Maureen