I was watching Dateline the other day and they featured a story about a woman who was murdered outside her front door. The stress of the investigation was too much for her brother to handle and a year after her death he committed suicide. Six months after that her daughter was killed in a car accident the night before her high school graduation. As I watched this story my heart broke for all that the family had to endure-three deaths in one family within 2 years. I can't begin to imagine how they must have felt. The sorrow, the sadness, the questions they must have had as to why it was happening to them.
But then I remembered God's word and I thanked Him that His word is always true. He said he would never put more on us than we could bear (1 Corinthians 10:13) and that He would never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). No matter what we are facing we have to believe God at His word and draw on that to get us through our hard times. God's yoke is easy and His burden is light but we make things more difficult on ourselves by internalizing how we're feeling and holding on to hatred, bitterness, anger, despair instead of leaning on God.
This entire family could have given up in the face of tragedies so close together but they didn't allow it to consume them. The matriarch of the family stated that the person that killed their daughter may have taken her from them but he will never take the essence of who they are. Now I don't know if they are Christians but I do know that they have hope and that they are stronger for what they've endured.
Sometimes during our trials we feel as if no one understands us and that the pain is too much for us to bear but if we hold onto God's word He has promised to go through it with us. As I look back over my life and think about choices I've made that I felt were out of my character, the consequences as a result of those and the feeling of wanting to give up I remember turning to the both the book of Job and the 23rd Psalms to help me refocus and regain perspective but most of all I regained my hope.
The entire book of Job shows us how to endure when we suffer loss of family, health, material things and the 23rd Psalms tells how God will lead us through no matter what. I was able to turn to the Bible for my strength.
Where do you turn for your strength?
But then I remembered God's word and I thanked Him that His word is always true. He said he would never put more on us than we could bear (1 Corinthians 10:13) and that He would never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). No matter what we are facing we have to believe God at His word and draw on that to get us through our hard times. God's yoke is easy and His burden is light but we make things more difficult on ourselves by internalizing how we're feeling and holding on to hatred, bitterness, anger, despair instead of leaning on God.
This entire family could have given up in the face of tragedies so close together but they didn't allow it to consume them. The matriarch of the family stated that the person that killed their daughter may have taken her from them but he will never take the essence of who they are. Now I don't know if they are Christians but I do know that they have hope and that they are stronger for what they've endured.
Sometimes during our trials we feel as if no one understands us and that the pain is too much for us to bear but if we hold onto God's word He has promised to go through it with us. As I look back over my life and think about choices I've made that I felt were out of my character, the consequences as a result of those and the feeling of wanting to give up I remember turning to the both the book of Job and the 23rd Psalms to help me refocus and regain perspective but most of all I regained my hope.
The entire book of Job shows us how to endure when we suffer loss of family, health, material things and the 23rd Psalms tells how God will lead us through no matter what. I was able to turn to the Bible for my strength.
Where do you turn for your strength?
Hi writer I am so glad you did not stop living and trusting God. I to turn to God, family, friends and community when I need to find strength~ Kecia
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind words. And it does my heart good to know you've got a support system in place to help you in times of need.
DeleteThank you so much for your kind words. And it does my heart good to know you've got a support system in place to help you in times of need.
DeleteWhen tragedy happens it's not uncommon that sometimes people turn away from God which is sad because they are turning away from the only one that can sustain them.
ReplyDeleteKeep trusting God as you have been,
It is sad that people turn away from God just when they need Him most. That's why it's so important to continue praying for people who are going through and stand in the gap for them trusting that your prayers can bring them through.
DeleteWhat an awesome reminder that we have everything we need, in Him.
ReplyDeleteThings may seem overwhelming. However, if we just pause and remember, we can rest in His full assurance! He gave us his word and you are mighty for turning to it. We all should (do that)!
What more can I say but Amen and thank God for who He is.
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