Comforting Scriptures

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 has always been a favorite scripture of mine, as you may have guessed by the theme that is set in the title of my blog. These scriptures, set in a seldom read book of the Bible, have provided comfort for me many times throughout the years.

It was especially comforting to me after my father died. Even though I had not been walking with the Lord at that time, I instinctively turned to the scriptures for comfort. To me, these scriptures say that no matter what is happening in your life, it will pass, and change - or transition - will come. Like the rainbow behind the clouds, better times will come.

I was devastated when my father died. His death pretty much brought me to my knees, but it also brought about unexpected changes in my life. I hadn't been living the life of a Christian for many years, but at the ripe old age of forty-two, I started thinking about my own mortality. I often pondered the fact that if I was to die in my present state of living, I would die without hope. Sometimes it really scared me to think about it, and I would actually tell God to leave me alone. Because of His love for me, He just couldn't do that. For eight years, the Holy Spirit "nagged" at me, until I finally gave up and decided to give God a chance!

What wondrous surprises He had in store for me! What awesome changes He made in my life! This "strong" person who had lived behind walls of protection for many, many years, cried like a baby for the first time since childhood, when God tore those walls down. He showed me that it was okay to trust Him and give all my pain and sorrow to Him. He would never abuse me, or abandon me. He really was different. I really could depend on Him. He would be there for me at all hours of the day and night, every day of the year! Wow! I had never known that kind of dependability from anyone in my whole life!

I had spent my whole life having to work for everything I got. In my world, if love was available, it was conditional. God showed me that His love is not only everlasting, but unconditional. Now how much better can it get than that?!

Life has become so much easier and simpler for me with God at my helm. If I am hurting or sick, and need to be comforted, He is always there. If I'm having happy times, He's there to share those too! No more stressing about decisions, because He makes all my decisions now, and He's never wrong! If I need words of cheer or comfort, He leads me to the portion of His Word that I need.

The life of a Christian is not carefree, but it is certainly a simpler life, with twenty-four hour support, and the Lord has all the answers for all my questions. He has all the love and comfort and strength that I could ever need!

He's my Best Friend!

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

To every thing there is a season, and a time for

every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to

plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down,

and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and

a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones

together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from

embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time

to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and

a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time

of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (KJV)

Let Go Already!!

Have you ever had a boss who gave you an assignment and then proceeded to stand over you with advice or criticism every step of the way? You knew, and so did he, that you were quite capable of doing the job and doing it well, but he's a micromanager who just can't let go. A simpler, less polite term would be "control freak!"

Have you ever given your children chores to do, then stood over them telling them how to do it every step of the way because you just knew that they couldn't do it as well as you? That's a perfectionist!

Have you ever prayed and asked God for His help and guidance, then told Him how you wanted it done and when? That's called an inability to LET GO, and too many of us seem to have that affliction!

You know, God is the worker who is quite capable of doing the assignment without supervision. He is the child who can do those chores better than you think! And we are the boss who stands over Him and tells Him how to do it; the mother who wants nothing less than perfection.

Well who could be more capable and more perfect than God Himself?! When you ask God for help, are you willing to accept the help, or are you just wanting to "put in an order" for what you want Him to do and how He should do it?!

Do you think God feels any less respected and honored than we do, when the boss stands over us and tells us step-by-step how to do the job? I imagine it must be even harder for God to deal with us at times, than it is for us to deal with the boss. After all, the boss is only human and he's no better than you really - aside from his title and position.

On the other hand, God is NOT our equal by any means, and we are certainly NOT capable of doing the job that He can do! Yet, because He has given us the power of choice, God can do nothing to help us until we are ready to step aside, and let Him do what He does best - guide our lives!

Since turning my life over to God, I've found that life has become so much simpler! I no longer have to go through the awful experience of learning things the hard way, because if I let Him, God will do it right the FIRST time! Now isn't that an awesome thought?! Imagine having the power and knowledge to be able to do it right the first time and every time! The point is, we humans DON'T have that power or knowledge, but the good news is that we have that power and knowledge available to us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! Why in the world would we battle against help like that?! Because we're control freaks!! We seem to have the idea that no one can run our lives better than we can.

Friend, I'm here to tell you that we just don't have what it takes to run our lives well. If we did, we wouldn't be asking God for help in the first place, would we?

Happy Fall to You!!

A woman was asked by a coworker, "What is it like to be a Christian?"

The coworker replied, "It is like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff.

He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine, for all the world to see.

Nature's Transitions

The beauty and transitions of Fall make it my favorite time of the year. The cooler temperatures, the kaleidoscope of nature's colors and the falling leaves all bring on a sense of nostalgia for me. Not necessarily a sad nostalgia, but a very thoughtful time indeed.

As I look back over the years and think about all the transitions in my own life, I see that most of them fit the old cliche that there's always a silver lining behind the cloud. While many of life's transitions deal with loss in the same way that the trees lose their leaves, think of these transitions as a preparation for something better. The leaves fall from the trees, leaving the branches looking sad and barren, but come Spring, there will be a rebirth of new growth everywhere.

If we can look beyond the moment, we will be able to recognize the fact that each change and each transition in our life has a reason, and sometimes a very pleasant consequence if we can just hang in there and ride it through. The pleasant consequences may be nothing more than a valuable lesson learned, but it's a consequence that can positively affect the rest of our life.

I sometimes have to remind myself that like the song says, "the God of the mountain is still God in the valley!" Whether I recognized it at the time or not, God has been with me through each transition of my life - both difficult and good - just like He oversees the transitions in nature. The difference though, is that God considers us to be much more important than the things in nature. What a wonderful blessing is God's love and care for us through all the transitions of our lives!

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Matthew 6:26

Life Is Meant to Be Lived

Life Is Meant to Be Lived

Life is to be lived. No excuses. No reservations. No holding back.

An enchangint story about violinist Fritz Kreisler tells how he once

came acrss a beautiful instrument he wanted to acquire. When he

finally raised the money for the violin, he returned to buy it and

learned that it had already been sold to a collector.

He went to the new owner's home in order to try to persuade him to

sell the violin. But the collector said it was one of his prized

possessions and he could not let it go. The disappointed Kreisler

turned to leave, but then asked a favor. "May I play the instrument

once more before it is consigned to silence?"

Permission was granted and the great musician began to play. The

violin sang out a quality of music so beautiful that the collector

himself could only listen in wonderment. "I have no right to keep that

to myself," he said after the musician finished. "The violin is yours,

Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world and let people hear it."

William Arthur Ward said, "If you believe in prayer, pray; if you

believe in serving, serve; if you believe in giving, give. For you

and I are exquisite violins - our music is meant to be heard."

I want to live my life that way - to take it into the world and live

it fully. I'd rather burn out than rust out. I'd rather be used up

than die not having done whatever I could . . . wherever I would.

I'm not talking about wearing ourselves out on over-activity.

Happiness is never found in excessive busyness. But it is found in

investing our lives in others. Saying YES when asked for a hand.

Volunteering some time for a worthwhile organization. Spending an

hour with a lonely relative.

In the end, I know that my happiness will not have been

about my ability or my inability. It will have been about my

availability. My life is meant to be lived.

~ Steve Goodier ~

Something Special

Although the way be lonely,

And dark the shadows fall;

Wherever it may lead,

My Father planned it all.

The sun may shine tomorrow,

The shadows break and flee;

It will be the way He chooses,

The Father's plan for me.

He guides my halting footsteps

Along the weary way;

For well He knows the pathway

Will lead to endless day.

A day of light and gladness,

On which no shade will fall,

All this at last awaits me,

My Father planned it all.

I sing through shade and sunshine,

No matter what befalls

His way is best, it leads to rest;

My Father planned it all.

~ author unknown ~