“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.”-Isaiah 40:11
The world is full of hurting and comfortless hearts. But before you will be competent for this lofty ministry, you must be trained. And your training is extremely costly, for to make it complete, you too must endure the same afflictions that are wringing countless hearts of tears and blood.
-Streams in the Desert
“You must rest, O soul, to receive your heart’s desire.”
-Streams in the Desert
Sometimes, God doesn’t give us the things we want
because He knows the things we truly desire,
desires that we may not even be aware of
because we do not truly know ourselves.
We cannot truly know ourselves unless we really choose to,
and we cannot discover our true desires
unless we let go of the things we think we want,
things borne not out of love,
but out of fear, anger or other things
other than what our inner heart is yearning for.
Had God immediately given us our requests,
our joy wouldn’t have had a chance to be complete
because we would have settled for the “Second best”.
But God allows us instead these momentary frustrations
so that we can discover little by little
what it is we truly desire.
He’s helping me now this moment, though I may not see it or hear
Perhaps by a friend far distant, perhaps by a stranger near
Perhaps by a spoken message, perhaps by the printed word
In ways that I know and know not, I have the help of the Lord.
He’s helping me now this moment, however I need it most
Perhaps by a single angel, perhaps by a mighty host
Perhaps by the chain that fetters me or the walls that shut me in
In ways that I know and know not, He keeps me from harm and sin.
He’s guiding me now this moment, in pathways easy or hard
Perhaps by a door wide open, perhaps by a door fast barred
Perhaps by a joy withheld, perhaps by a gladness given
In ways that I know and know not, He’s leading me up to heaven
He’s using me now this moment, and whether I go or stand
Perhaps by a plan accomplished, perhaps when He stays my hand
Perhaps by a word in season, perhaps by a silent prayer
In ways that I know and know not, His labor of love I share
-Annie Johnson Flint
As much as we must learn to forgive others,
so too, should we learn to forgive ourselves.
As much as we should learn about our strengths,
so too, should we learn and accept our limitations.
The problem with us is that we often attribute
every tiny bit of problem to ourselves.
In our obsession to be in control of everything,
we consequently believe that anything that ever goes wrong
is our fault.
Accept your faults.
Do everything you can to correct them.
But learn also that not everything is your fault.
Learn that you cannot correct the things,
which are beyond your control.
Stop trying to carry the burden of the world upon your shoulder.
Carry only your own cross.
That is all that is asked of you.
When I lose my courage
He gives me hope
when I lose my footing
He gives me steady ground
Whenever I stumble
He is there
whenever I’m weak
He becomes my strength
Who am I
without Him
What do I do
without His love
This terrible longing within me
is killing me
this aching for true love
bids me to come home soon
O how sick am I with love
how the desire for His vision consumes me
when will my suffering ever end
when shall love be mine forever
yet let me not depart
for mine own good alone
and let me not forget
this valley of tears
let my pain be a balm to the wounded
and let my wounds bring life to the faint
heal me and sustain me that I may yet smile also in joy
and that I may bring some light to those living in the darkness
in sorrow do we journey forth
yet in hope do we trust and regain our strength
in weeping do we remember our afflictions
yet in prayer do we rejoice for our eternal home!