Well, I'm slowly recovering from the worst flu I've ever had. My daughter, Christine, wanted to come visit us but I said, "Unless you want to descend into the ninth circle of hell, do not come near this house." So, she didn't.
The reason I'm writing about this is that I've been reading a book about suffering and the author says we should never minimize the suffering people are going through by quoting, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
I wouldn't quote this verse the day after some tragedy, no. All you can say is how sorry you are and ask if there is anything you can do.
Maybe later, if someone asks you why there is suffering etc, you can study these kinds of verses with them. I do know that this verse has helped me. And how is minimizing pain always a bad thing? Ignoring it is bad, but hey, I try to minimize my pain as much as possible.
The author goes on to say that God does not bring some good out of every little thing we suffer. Crappy stuff happens to us and we just have to suck it up. I disagree. At the very least, we can learn patience and trust in God with every trial we have.
Yesterday, I was beside myself with guilt and worry about my mother. I took her to the doctor once, but then became too sick to get out of bed for days and she wanted to see her doctor again. I felt so guilty telling her I couldn't physically do it. But I made an appointment for the next day.
So last night, I was struggling with God, telling him I felt like screaming and crying about the whole thing. I felt I was not taking good enough care of my mom. I felt like I was letting her down. Then I remembered something I read on the net about Corrie Ten Boom. Apparently, she said something like, "I say out loud that God isn't strong enough to help me in this trouble. Then I laugh." So I started thinking, "God isn't big enough to help me with this sickness and my mother," then I laughed and felt better. Of course he is big enough. I told him, "You are big enough, God." Then I felt such peace.
Oh, thanks be to God for everything he does is wonderful and full of love and strength and goodness!
I forgot, I also stopped smoking during this trial of pain and illness. I'm happy about that too.
The reason I'm writing about this is that I've been reading a book about suffering and the author says we should never minimize the suffering people are going through by quoting, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
I wouldn't quote this verse the day after some tragedy, no. All you can say is how sorry you are and ask if there is anything you can do.
Maybe later, if someone asks you why there is suffering etc, you can study these kinds of verses with them. I do know that this verse has helped me. And how is minimizing pain always a bad thing? Ignoring it is bad, but hey, I try to minimize my pain as much as possible.
The author goes on to say that God does not bring some good out of every little thing we suffer. Crappy stuff happens to us and we just have to suck it up. I disagree. At the very least, we can learn patience and trust in God with every trial we have.
Yesterday, I was beside myself with guilt and worry about my mother. I took her to the doctor once, but then became too sick to get out of bed for days and she wanted to see her doctor again. I felt so guilty telling her I couldn't physically do it. But I made an appointment for the next day.
So last night, I was struggling with God, telling him I felt like screaming and crying about the whole thing. I felt I was not taking good enough care of my mom. I felt like I was letting her down. Then I remembered something I read on the net about Corrie Ten Boom. Apparently, she said something like, "I say out loud that God isn't strong enough to help me in this trouble. Then I laugh." So I started thinking, "God isn't big enough to help me with this sickness and my mother," then I laughed and felt better. Of course he is big enough. I told him, "You are big enough, God." Then I felt such peace.
Oh, thanks be to God for everything he does is wonderful and full of love and strength and goodness!
I forgot, I also stopped smoking during this trial of pain and illness. I'm happy about that too.
