Understanding Difficulties

If you have not read Marty Fish’s “If God Does Not Heal,” please take a moment to read it.  Marty spent more than a year believing God would heal his wife.  Like Marty, I know that God does have the ability to heal us all, but that is not part of His plan for mankind, nor for us individually.

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. (James 1:3 KJV)

That’s what I see in Marty’s writing to us.  Patience.

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:4-5 KJV)

That’s the wisdom Marty received.  The wisdom that put the words on paper explaining his faith, sharing it with us.

It is fairly simple to express our beliefs in good times.  When we continue to express our faith during difficult, painful times, we become a witness to others that we are far beyond ‘fair weather friends’ to our Lord.  We are His children, in pain, and He provides for us to the point that we share His blessings.

Instead of denying Him, railing against Him or demanding He make the world to our liking or we’ll just mark Him off, we need to come to Him as child to parent and seek the comfort He has promised.  There is an inexplicable comfort – and joy.

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (1 Peter 1:8 KJV)

Barney Warren knew that in 1900 when he penned:

I have found His grace is all complete,
He supplieth every need;
While I sit and learn at Jesus’ feet,
I am free, yes, free indeed.

• Refrain:
  It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
  Full of glory, full of glory;
  It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
  Oh, the half has never yet been told.

Well, I’m trying to tell you my half.  His grace is sufficient, as Paul discovered when one of his prayers went unanswered:

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV)

When we are in God’s will, the trials and difficulties we encounter are not of our own causing, but naturally befall anyone. When we are in God’s will, it is not our sinfulness that causes tragedy, as explained by Jesus:

Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? (Luke 13:4 KJV)

Through all of life, there remains a goal for those who love the Lord.

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (James 1:12 KJV)

Because of His words, the examples He has given us, I decline the temptation to blame Him for the natural course of our lives, and I accept His grace as sufficient.