- that God, as we allow Him, leads and guides us every moment of every day
- that He will eventually bring us home to Himself
Just thinking of these things brings a quiet, peaceful joy to my soul. To think that Almighty God, creator and sustainer of the universe, is watching over me and carefully guiding my footsteps! That He is working in me, through me, and around me, for His good pleasure and will! And then, when He has decided the right time, He will lift me home, to be with Him in glory!
We all have days when even the simple routines of life seem overwhelming. It can all get so complicated! Relationships, finances, health issues at times bring unwanted stress into our day. Some days, it seems it is one thing after another!
I get easily overwhelmed with the details of life, and it doesn't take much to make my head spin and my body feel at the end of its endurance. Thoughts fly around in my brain like a whirlwind, and I can't seem to hold on to any of them long enough to follow through on a task.I sometimes want everyone and everything to go away, just disappear, till I can pull myself together. It's at those times that I am best to take myself away, if I can, to a quiet spot. I focus my thoughts, and put them in order. I tell myself "just one thing at a time. Focus only on the next thing." If I don't do this, I will waste hours just going around in circles- in my thinking, and in my activities.
I don't know about you, but I think the verse above would be a good reminder, when we are having those times of stress, being over busy with life. It would put it all in perspective, reminding us that when we are His child, God is there with us, willing to help us in our day, if we would only ask Him. It would boil it all down to the basics, the glorious, overriding truth that no matter what kind of dilemmas we face in the moment, we are moving toward an eternity of blissful joy, at home with our Father in Heaven.
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(J. R. Miller, "The Beatitude for the Unsuccessful" 1892)
"The Lord is near the broken-hearted." Psalm 34:18
The God of the Bible, is the God of the broken-hearted. The world cares little for the broken hearts. Indeed, people oftentimes break hearts by their cruelty, their falseness, their injustice, their coldness--and then move on as heedlessly as if they had trodden only on a worm! But God cares. Broken-heartedness attracts Him. The plaint of grief on earth--draws Him down from heaven.
Physicians in their rounds, do not stop at the homes of the well--but of the sick. So it is with God in His movements through this world. It is not to the whole and the well--but to the wounded and stricken, that He comes with sweetest tenderness! Jesus said of His mission: "He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted." Isaiah 61:1
We look upon trouble as misfortune. We say that the life is being destroyed, which is passing through adversity. But the truth which we find in the Bible, does not so represent suffering. God is a repairer and restorer of the hurt and ruined life. He takes the bruised reed--and by His gentle skill makes it whole again, until it grows into fairest beauty. The love, pity, and grace of God, minister sweet blessing of comfort and healing--to restore the broken and wounded hearts of His people.
Much of the most beautiful life in this world, comes out of sorrow. As "fair flowers bloom upon rough stalks," so many of the fairest flowers of human life, grow upon the rough stalks of suffering. We see that those who in heaven wear the whitest robes, and sing the loudest songs of victory--are those who have come out of great tribulation. Heaven's highest places are filling, not from earth's homes of glad festivity and tearless joy--but from its chambers of pain; its valleys of struggle where the battle is hard; and its scenes of sorrow, where pale cheeks are wet with tears, and where hearts are broken. The God of the Bible--is the God of the bowed down--whom He lifts up into His strength.
God is the God of those who fail. Not that He loves those who stumble and fall, better than those who walk erect without stumbling; but He helps them more. The weak believers get more of His grace--than those who are strong believers. There is a special divine promise, which says, "My divine power is made perfect in weakness." When we are conscious of our own insufficiency, then we are ready to receive of the divine sufficiency. Thus our very weakness is an element of strength. Our weakness is an empty cup--which God fills with His own strength.
You may think that your weakness unfits you for noble, strong, beautiful living--or for sweet, gentle, helpful serving. You wish you could get clear of it. It seems to burden you--an ugly spiritual deformity. But really it is something which--if you give it to Christ--He can transform into a blessing, a source of His power. The friend by your side, whom you envy because he seems so much stronger than you are--does not get so much of Christ's strength as you do. You are weaker than him--but your weakness draws to you divine power, and makes you strong.
"He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3
Ike, this is beautiful. Thank you so much.
I agree! That verse is so comforting, so the opposite of 'overwhelm'.
Exactly Maureen!
And IKe once again you have drawn my attention to a book I have never heard of (or at least an article) This line is so moving
"Broken-heartedness attracts Him"
I was glad to taker a break but I am delighted to be back in my Glass House and visiting you in yours!
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