This is my doing. (1 Kings 12:24

The disappointments of life are simply the hidden appointments of love.
–C.A. Fox

My child, I have a message for you today. Let me whisper it in your ear so any storm clouds that may arise will shine with glory, and the rough places you may have to walk will be made smooth. It is only four words, but let them sink into your inner being, and use them as a pillow to rest your weary head. “This is my doing.”

Have you ever realized that whatever concerns you concerns Me too? “For whoever touches you touches the apple of [my] eye” (Zech. 2:8). “You are precious and honored in my sight” (Isa. 43:4). Therefore it is My special delight to teach you.

I want you to learn when temptations attack you, and the enemy comes in “like a pent up flood” (Isa. 59:19)., that “this is my doing” and that your weakness needs My strength, and your safety lies in letting Me fight for you.

Are you in difficult circumstances, surrounded by people who do not understand you, never ask your opinion, and always push you aside? “This is my doing.” I am the God of circumstances. You did not come to this place by accident — you are exactly where I meant for you to be.

Have you not asked Me to make you humble? Then see that I have placed you in the perfect school where this lesson is taught. Your circumstances and the people around you are only being used to accomplish My will.

Are you having problems with money, finding it hard to make ends meet? “This is my doing,” for I am the One who keeps your finances, and I want you to learn to depend upon Me. My supply is limitless and I “will meet your needs” (Phil. 4:19). I want you to prove My promises so no one may say, “You did not trust in the Lord your God” (Deut. 1:32).

Are you experiencing a time of sorrow? “This is my doing.” I am “a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering” (Isa. 53:3). I have allowed your earthly comforters to fail you, so that by turning to Me you may receive “eternal encouragement and good hope” (2 Thess. 2:16). Have you longed to do some great work for Me but instead have been set aside on a bed of sickness and pain? “This is my doing.” You were so busy I could not get your attention, and I wanted to teach you some of My deepest truths. “They also serve who only stand and wait.” In fact, some of My greatest workers are those physically unable to serve, but who have learned to wield the powerful weapon of prayer.

Today I place a cup of holy oil in your hands. Use it freely, My child. Anoint with it every new circumstance, every word that hurts you, every interruption that makes you impatient, and every weakness you have. The pain will leave as you learn to see Me in all things.
–Laura A. Barter Snow (From Streams in the Desert)

“This is from Me,” the Savior said,
As bending low He kissed my brow,
“For One who loves you thus has led.
Just rest in Me, be patient now,
Your Father knows you have need of this,
Though, why perhaps you cannot see–
Grieve not for things you’ve seemed to miss.
The thing I send is best for thee.”
Then, looking through my tears, I plead,
“Dear Lord, forgive, I did not know,
It will not be hard since You do tread,
Each path before me here below.”
And for my good this thing must be,
His grace sufficient for each test.
So still I’ll sing, “Whatever be
God’s way for me is always best.”

For I could wish that  myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.–Romans 9:3 

Love has been called the greatest force on earth. Whether you agree with that or not you have to admit that love is pretty impressive. It motivates us to do what we should and what we would never do otherwise, but without it we are “nothing”(1 Cor. 13:2). A lack of love causes us to dodge our duty and neglect the needs of others. Love, however, compels us to take extreme measures for the sake of ministering to others.        

William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, suggested that the best training for his ministerial students would be to send them to hell for 24 hours. He said that if he could send those ministers to hell for one day, they would never be the same in how they shared the Gospel. 

Jack Graham wrote,” the apostle Paul was willing to pay that price even for eternity, so great was his love for the lost. He was prepared to die and to go to hell if his kinsmen – the Jews – would accept Jesus as Savior.

Now I can’t make sense of this, and I don’t even try because this is love beyond reason. And to be honest, when I search my own heart, I’ll tell you that I don’t love anybody that much. Now, there are people I would be willing to die for so that they could go to heaven. But to go to hell for someone is a kind of love that’s unexplainable.

I don’t think it’s humanly possible to love people like that. And I believe that this is the Jesus in Paul speaking. Because while Paul couldn’t die and go to hell, Jesus suffered greatly so that we may have heaven. That’s how much He loves you. So share that love with others.”

Mark 6:45-48 describes the story of Christ coming to the rescue of His disciples on the storm-tossed sea. The story begins with confusion– these men were in the storm and the will of God at the same time. That tends to confuse us because we think the second should exempt us from the first. Obviously it doesn’t. However the story ends with comfort. Not only were His followers comforted by the calming of the storm, we are comforted as well–because we see in this a picture of ourselves. J. R. Miller wrote:

Jesus did not come immediately; indeed, it was almost morning when He came, and the disciples had been struggling all night in the storm. Yet He had not been indifferent to them meanwhile. From the mountainside where He was praying — He kept His eye upon them. He saw that they were in serious trouble. All that dark night, He kept a watch upon that little boat that bore His disciples in the midst of the waves.

There is something very suggestive in the narrative. This ‘boat in the storm’, is a picture of ‘Christ’s friends in this world, in the storms of life’. Sometimes we think we are forgotten — but from His place in glory, Christ’s eye is always on us! He sees us struggling, battling with the waves, beaten, and distressed. He has full sympathy with us in all our struggles. It ought to be a great strength and comfort to us in trial, to know this. Jesus intercedes for us in our distresses!

It may not be best always to deliver us immediately — but His prayer continually ascends, that our faith may not fail in the struggle. This also should encourage us.

Then, He always comes in time. He may delay long — but it is never too long. If we call upon Him in trouble — we may be sure that He hears and sees us, and knows just how hard it is for us to endure; that He prays for us that we may not fail, and that He will come at the right time for our deliverance!

This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me– Psalm 119:50

An old song says, “Comfort I get from God’s own Word”, but a lot of folks who sing the song don’t search the scriptures. Nor do they find comfort in their afflictions. Having medicine in the cabinet when you’re sick doesn’t do you any good unless you take it. Nor is the Bible of any benefit to those who don’t meditate in it. One writer gives us this good advice:

“When we feel the despair of sorrow, pain, or loss creeping into our soul and stealing our joy, the last thing that we sometimes feel like doing is sitting down and perusing the Bible. The frustration and grief feel too real, and reading seems too insufficient as a remedy.

But this is the wonder of God’s Word — when we are in the midst of affliction, it is only this Book, with its wonderful promises, startling standards, and exalted view of God, that can give us hope and help and healing. This is because God does not avoid the reality of our suffering, but rather infuses it with purpose and meaning. When we see that God is actively at work in His creation, and is molding His people into the image of His Son, then suddenly suffering takes on a silver lining.

May David’s comfort be your comfort– in the midst of your affliction. May God’s Word quicken your crushed and despairing heart. May you see, in the pages of His epistle to you, that His love is just as true and full, His rule is just as good and powerful, and His wisdom is just as perfect and right in our times of affliction as it is in our times of prosperity.”(A Good Thing”)

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.–John 16:33

If we “might have peace” in time of “tribulation” why don’t we? Let’s face it–most of us don’t do good when things go bad. Even with all our Savior’s warnings and promises, we allow ourselves to be troubled by our troubles– to the point that it leads to more of the same. Isn’t it strange how some “Bible-believers” stop believing when things go wrong. Perhaps they are asking the wrong question.  J. R. Miller gave some good advice about this many years ago when he said:

True victory is not found in escaping or evading trials — but in rightly meeting and enduring them. The questions should not be, “How can I get out of these worries? How can I get into a place where there shall be no irritations, nothing to try my temper, or put my patience to the test? How can I avoid the troubles which continually harass me?” There is nothing noble in such living. The soldier who flees when the battle approaches, is no hero; he is a coward.

The questions should rather be, “How can I pass through these trying experiences — and not fail as a Christian? How can I endure these struggles — and not suffer defeat? How can I live amid these provocations, these reproaches and testings of my temper — and yet live sweetly, not speaking unadvisedly, bearing injuries meekly, returning gentle answers to insulting words?”

Dear friend,the story of Job teaches us that the important question is not, “When will I get out of this?”, but, “What shall I get out of this?”. As long as we are focused on the wrong question we will never arrive at the right answer. Peace is possible only when we change the “When?” to “What?”.