The Broken Place

Trials Day 3

My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.” Psalm 62:5-6

“The Lord’s mercy often rides to the door of our heart upon the black horse of affliction.” Charles H. Spurgeon

 

At this time, you may or may not be in the middle of a trial. Now may be the time for you to minister to someone, and to offer the comfort that you have received from God during your difficult season so they may feel the love of God through you (2 Corinthians 1:4).

Pray and ask God how you can show love in a real and tangible way to the people in your life who are struggling. Bring them a meal, write them an encouraging note, take their children so they can have a night out, or pray with them. Ask God how to help them. He will tell you!

Also, if you are in the middle of a difficult season, pray and ask the Lord to minister to your heart.  Ask him for the faith and strength to endure with grace. If you are struggling, pray with your husband or call a friend to pray with you.

We are not meant to be alone when we are struggling. When we isolate ourselves, Satan can tempt us to lose faith and become truly discouraged.

  • It’s time to meet with your Savior! Grab your Bible, a pen, a candle, your journal, something delicious to drink and go to the place where you like to meet with God.
  • Read Job 1:20-22 and write it in your journal. Read the whole chapter if you have time.

The Broken Place

What a powerful passage that shows an amazing response to suffering! When tragedy came to Job, he fell down and worshipped God!

I have walked with many of my sweet friends while they have had to endure suffering of some kind- cancer, loss of small children, loss of adult children, financial difficulty, constant pain and illness, divorce, widowhood, and dealing with adult children who no longer believe in God. In each case, we have prayed, believed, and kept going.

We have brought meals, given financial assistance, visited hospitals, cared for children, and attended funerals. We asked for healing in Jesus name, prayed scripture, and were so blessed to be a part of larger, emergency prayer meetings in certain situations.

The sad fact that is that not everyone is healed. Sometimes people die. Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

Why does God allow suffering? I don’t know, but I do know that we can trust God. No matter what things look like from our earthly perspective, we can trust the One who put the moon and stars in place (Psalm 8:3). He is great and worthy to be praised (Psalm 145:3).

Job knew this truth and did not blaspheme God when everything was taken from him. Instead, he worshiped.  In all of this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

I can’t even imagine the sorrow Job felt, but I pray I may trust God,  praise Him, and worship Him in the midst of the storm.

This is the broken place; heaven is the place for perfection.

May the Lord give us strength and faith to keep trusting and keep believing even in the midst of the storm.

Questions to Ponder

  • Looking back over your life, can you think of how your difficulties made you more Christ-like? Are you more patient? More humble? Do you have a deeper faith in God?
  • If not, why? Are you struggling with feelings of anger or disappointment with God? Pray and ask God to help you to let go of it. Ask Him to heal your pain and memories and to start each day with a heart that trusts it’s healing to God.
  • Write down 5 of your blessings. Thank God for each of them as well as His constant love and care for you.

Faith-Filled Idea

Don’t give up! Keep going one day at a time- from strength to strength. You are not meant to stay in your trials, only pass through. Stay in faith and choose to trust God. Turn your trial into “a place of springs” by focusing on the Lord and remembering that He is with you.

  • Memorize Psalm 62:5-6. Record it on your phone or write it on your index card spiral and keep it somewhere you will see if often.

Trust him to carry you through your trials! “As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion,” (Psalm 84:6-8).

I love the song, “It is well,” by Bethel music. It has a simple, yet beautiful message about the source of the “true” wellness of our souls.

trials day 3

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1. What helps you to trust God and make it through a difficult time?

2. Do you have a favorite verse that encourages you when things get tough?

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Deb Weakly

12 Comments on “The Broken Place”

  1. Many years before I was a mom, I remember when the Lord closed a door that I very much wanted to go through. I was sure that it was His will. Instead, the Lord wanted me to unravel my false beliefs. So I cried to the Lord, sobbing in my prayers, grieving the loss of this opportunity. As I prayed, His message became clear: I want to heal you so that when you’re a mom, you will not pass these false beliefs to your children. I believed Him and found great hope in the midst of my sorrow. By no means was I perfect when I became a mother, but through His timing and grace, I don’t let my children believe these lies.

  2. I feel trusting God is a way we worship Him and love Him. Yet, our trusting Him is our anchor and comfort in every situation. How honored we are that the King of Kings, the creator of the universe, the perfect Savior, the Lord of Lords, yearns for us to trust Him and to be His friend! Amazing! So blessed we are!

    1. Yes! Oh my goodness, you are so right! I love what you said about God yearning for us to trust Him. That puts our difficulties in a whole different light!

  3. These are all beautiful and comforting reflections. That you all for sharing your thoughts. Jesus is closer than our breath. May we all trust in his promises. “Weeping may last for the night but joy comes in the morning!”
    Ps 30:5b

  4. Praise Jesus that I have not had to go through what Job did! My life has been so easy compared to many others. I wonder why I have not had to suffer like many friends of mine have. Because of this, I especially liked the intro where you wrote about serving others and coming alongside them while they are in the middle of a trial. This has been my life lately and that is wonderful.

    Alos, towards the end where you reflect on Job and wonder to yourself, “I pray that I may trust God in the midst of the storm; that I would praise him and worship him.” That is my prayer too!!! I love the song by Casting Crowns, I Will Praise You in the Storm.

    Matthew 11:28-30 are super comforting to me. They are simple, but when I read them I physically feel a weight being lifted off my shoulders. Jesus is so faithful and good!

    1. Oh Rachel, I love your servants heart! You are one who truly serves everyone in your life! What a blessing it is to be your friend! \
      ps- I love that song too!!

  5. The Word of God is an anchor for my soul in time of trouble. Prayer offered on my behalf by a faithful friend provides comfort, courage and hope. Even if no earthy friend is praying for me I know Jesus, by His Spirit is interceding on my behalf! To reach outside of myself and put my focus on someone else’s need (if possible) brings refreshment to my weary soul…my problem isn’t the only problem in the world.
    Verses of encouragement concerning trials are in James 1:1-12
    especially verse twelve “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

  6. Hi Deb!
    I absolutely LOVE that song. 🙂 I have had several life-threatening, difficult times in my life. I’m stronger & softer, all at the same time, because of it. But I truly feel blessed by God – He has pulled me through & set my feet on a rock. Psalm 40 is my song!
    Love,
    Kristi

    1. Thanks so much Kristi! You have such a wonderful testimony. I am so thankful for your beautiful faith! What a beautiful Psalm!
      I am so thankful for you! 🙂

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