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Saturday, March 19, 2011

Spiritual Sundays ~ Blessed by Burdens




Today for my Spiritual Sunday post I am sharing from my Billy Graham Devotional ~ Unto the Hills. To join in and share your own post go here


Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as adversity has done. Out of pain and problems have come the sweetest songs, the most poignant poems, the most gripping stories. Out of suffering and tears have come the greatest spirits and the most blessed lives.

J.R. Miller wrote, "Many of us find life hard and full of pain. We cannot avoid these things; but we should not allow the harsh experiences to deaden our sensibilities, or make us stoical or sour. The true problem of living is to keep our hearts sweet and gentle in the hardest conditions and experiences."

Our oldest daughter married a Swiss. They had seven children and usually spent their summers in Switzerland and their winters in America. Sometimes when we visited them in Switzerland we took the children and went high up in the Alps on chair lifts. We crossed over miles of land, looking down below at some of the most beautiful flowers to be found anywhere in the world. Those flowers had survived the heavy snows of winter. The burdens of ice, snow and winter storms added to their luster, beauty, and growth. It was hard to believe that just a few weeks earlier these flowers were buried under many feet of snow. Our burdens can have the same effect on our lives.

As Christians face the winds of adversity and the storms of trouble, they rise like the skylark. They are like the trees that survive the storm because their roots are driven deep. They are like the trees that grow on our mountain ridges in North Carolina ~ trees battered by winds, yet, trees in which we find the stronger wood.

The skylark, the flowers, the trees -- all these illustrate Job's words: "When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold" (23:10NIV). The Christian who understands this aspect of God's nature can find comfort in his suffering and peace in his pain. "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal." (Job 5:17-18NIV)


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Our Father and Our God, thank YOU for the blessings and burdens of my life. Please help me to be gentle and sweet, in spite of hard expriences and difficult times. Teach me to be humble in good times. Let others see Your Strength and love shine through my life at all times. Because of Christ.
Amen.





May you all have a blessed weekend

10 comments:

Ginger~~Enchanting Cottage

I LOVED this, I loved his analogy with the flowers. Your prayer is my prayer today as I start my day and am off to work.
God Bless,
Ginger

Kathleen

Oh how I love that man! Leave it to him to weave a gold thread into the fabric of our burdens!

As I look back across the landscape of my 63+ years, I can honestly say that more good has come of my troubled places, than from all the easy ones. I am so, so grateful for each.

Blessings,
Kathleen

Cherie Hill

I just LOVE "Unto the Hills!" One of my favorite devotionals! Thank you for sharing this! It was VERY timely for me . . . God is driving my roots deep . . . but I know it's all for my good and His glory. I'm trusting Him to grow me into something beautiful that will draw others to Him!
Big hugs!
Cherie

Nikki (Sarah)

I really like Billy Graham....and I want this too...Hope your weekend is great.

jayayceeblog

Thank you so much for sharing this. The line that really struck a chord with me is "The true problem of living is to keep our hearts sweet and gentle..." Such true words! Blessings to you, my friend!!!

Saleslady371

This is a keeper for sure, Loren. It really helps me. Thank you!

Musings of A Minister

Excellent! Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend.

Pamela

Our pastor spoke on comfort to day. One thing he said that stuck in my heart was, "there is a stewardship in comfort." God comforts us, but what are we doing with that comfort? He intends for us to comfort others. Good post. Billy Graham has lived an exceptional life.

MTJ

Hi Loren,

Thank you for sharing these inspirational words from Dr. Graham. This post reminds me of what James wrote concerning our trials:
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." (James 1:2-3)

Like you, I'm asking to Lord to teach me the path of joy in every circumstance I face; I want my life to be an example that reflects our Lord and Saviour.

Blessings and peace.

MTJ

Charlotte

What a beautiful devotional. I love it. Thank you for sharing this, Loren.
Hugs & Blessings,
Charlotte

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