Really God?

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials…though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” (I Peter 1:6-8)

Really Lord? I read this passage as I sat in my recliner, recovering from my second major surgery in six months. Because the last surgery had been a back fusion, my mobility was severely limited and the list of what I could do was much shorter than the list of what I couldn’t. it was easy to revert to feeling sorry for myself. Have you ever found yourself in that place?

As I sat with my Bible open in front of me, the still small voice of my Heavenly Father whispered to me. I wasn’t suffering in the same sense as Peter’s audience who was being persecuted for their faith, but my physical suffering was just as real. And even though it felt like it had been going on forever, it really was only ‘for a little while’ in light of eternity.

Peter’s words reminded me of what was truly important, my faith,’of greater worth than gold’. As I shifted my focus off my current physical limitations back heavenward, I was reminded again that God was still in control, still at work in my situation, still worthy of my honor and praise.   

I thanked him for what was true in my life, for Christ’s finished work on the cross and my future with him, and then I began to rejoice. I had to chuckle because what seemed almost impossible had become a reality. I was indeed ‘greatly rejoicing and filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.’ I was still sitting in my recliner, unable to twist, bend, lift, reach, push or pull, but my focus had changed. The situation hadn’t changed, but my heart had, and that was what really mattered.

  

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you that regardless of what I am facing in my life today, you are at work and I can trust you. Help me to focus on you and what I know is true instead of on the situation. Thank you that you love me, your son died for me, and I know where I will spend eternity. Right now, right here, I can greatly rejoice and be filled with the inexpressible and glorious joy that you alone can give.  Amen.