Monday, November 1, 2010

Military Life... and suffering

"For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted.  Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard." -- Psalm 22:24

Ever just feel as though nothing is going right?  Do you have the deployment curse?  As soon as your husband leaves things just go haywire?  Yes, I know and can sympathize!  Or, has the suffering been more painful and personal in nature?  I also can sympathize with that!  In the midst of one of my times of suffering sometimes I felt as though God never heard my prayers and my cries.  Oh, how wrong I was!  God heard every word I uttered.  He caught every last tear in the palm of His hand.  He was there...even though I swore that He wasn't.  He didn't turn away from me when I was going through times that were hard and lonely.  If only I had leaned more on Him...

Psalm 22 is one written by David and is about the suffering of the Messiah.  In verse 24 (listed above), David comes to some very  important conclusions about the nature of God.  He realizes that God does not hate those of us that are suffering; that is not why we suffer or go through rough patches.  Secondly, David realizes that God does not turn His back on us in hard times.  And, finally, God does hear us when we cry out to Him even if He doesn't answer us immediately.  These are some very reassuring realizations about the nature of God!  So, as Third Day says, Cry Out to Jesus!  

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and my burden is light."
--Matthew 11:28-30

This verse says it all!  Go to Him, and He will offer you rest from your burdens.  


(I must admit that I had some help with today's post!  I used some of my daily Bible verses and a few insights from the study Wives of the Warriors by Ronda Sturgill.  The words, and work, however, I did develop on my own.)