Tag Archives: Faith in suffering

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Guard Your Heart

“Oh, that just breaks my heart!”

Lately I have found myself saying this frequently. When I hear about a young person ending their life, acts of racial hatred, persecution of fellow believers for their faith in Jesus, these all touch me to the core and break my heart. There is so much hurt and suffering in the world.

Our Women’s Community Bible Study has been studying “The Son of David: Seeing Jesus in the Historical Books” by Nancy Guthrie. One of the themes repeated in these Old Testament historical books is the pattern of ignoring God’s commandments and the resulting suffering that ensues. One of the ladies in our community Bible study said “where minds focus, hearts follow”. That struck me profoundly. When my mind strays from my first love – Jesus – my heart follows resulting in actions that are sin. As a follower of Jesus I must guard my heart.

That leads to the question – where is my mind focusing?

I can fill my mind with all sorts of things, some good, some clearly bad, and some things that start out good yet become bad as those things take up too much space. If I think of my mind as a container of thoughts and images, the content is constantly changing as I go through any given day. Thoughts and images are crowded out as new ones are taken in. As I make choices about what I focus on – consciously or unconsciously – my mind is forming ideas, attitudes, responses that ALL affect the disposition of my heart.

If I spend significant time on social media, podcasts, streaming news sites, on-line shopping sites, etc. – all these will fill my mind and take up room that could be filled with spiritually beneficial thoughts and images.

Paul cautions us in Philippians 4: 8-9 ESV

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Paul is encouraging the Christians in Philippi and says – “One final thing”… so it must be important! Paul asks us to “fix our minds” – focus – on what is

TRUE

HONORABLE

RIGHT

PURE

LOVELY

ADMIRABLE

EXCELLENT

WORTHY OF PRAISE

I found the Amplified Bible translation of verse 8 especially meaningful.

8 Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

How practical! For instance if my thoughts are “right and confirmed by God’s Word” then I can trust those thoughts. If I am anxious and worried, then I am certainly not focusing on things that are “lovely and bring peace”. Yet what about the reality of suffering the loss of a loved one, the pain of illness or accident? Am I expected to ignore the reality of that suffering? No.

Paul says in II Corinthians 10:4

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Paul challenges us here to “take every thought captive to obey Christ”. The suffering is real and suffering is the result of living in a broken and fallen world. Yet the TRUTH of God’s plan to redeem everything, including each of us, gives us hope. Until we eventually experience that full redemption our responsibility is to align our thoughts with God’s word to guard our hearts and minds.

This is the challenge for each of us moment by moment – day by day. As my friend said – “where our minds focus our hearts will follow.” My heart will still break at the suffering all around me. Yet when I fix my mind on God’s sovereignty and implant His Word in my mind, my heart will follow.

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Lord Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise

I hear so much wisdom in the sayings of mountain people. “Lord willing and the creek don’t rise” expresses what we need to remember during these past 2 years of COVID, quarantine, and isolation.

I would imagine that each of us have had plans that didn’t work out the way we hoped during this time.

  • trips
  • birthday or anniversary celebrations
  • weddings
  • vacations

Our family has faced several of these situations – all the time realizing how very much we have to be thankful for. Most celebrations can be rescheduled, but those who have lost friends and loved ones face permanent loss, times that can only be redeemed in eternity.

I want to have the attitude expressed by my mountain neighbors – my plans should be based on the will of God while realizing there are circumstances beyond my control. If the road to your house crosses the creek and that creek rises, it is not safe to cross, so you stay home.

James 4:13-15 says this –

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

Sounds a lot like “Lord willing and the creek don’t rise” doesn’t it?

Blue Heron in the Tuckasegee River at the Jackson County Greenway

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Like Mother Like Daughter

Three Generations - Four Mothers

Three Generations – Four Mothers

“You must be Esther’s daughter.”

I have heard that comment, or something similar all my life.

I have heard that phrase most recently while visiting my mother. Many of the people who live at the retirement community where my parents have lived the past two years have never met me.

They recognize me anyway!

My father passed on to his heavenly home on February 10.

My mother has rejoiced in the fact that Dad was ready to die, he was alert until the very end, and we were all able to share our love and say goodby at the end of Dad’s life on this earth.

Yet, that is not the end of the story.

I traveled to Wheaton to visit Mom in March. She was ready to sort through Dad’s things and distribute them. His clothes were given to a ministry for refugees and immigrants, which would have pleased Dad. We also rearranged some things in her apartment and had time to share many wonderful memories.

I returned to North Carolina on March 24th and on the 25th, Mom suffered a broken femur in a car accident upon arriving at church for the Good Friday service.

My mother’s attitude since these two situations occurred has been inspirational. She has expressed gratitude to God in each case because she has seen something to be genuinely thankful for.

What has Mom been thankful for?

  •  that Dad did not suffer long
  • that they had a chance to share their love and say goodby
  • that Dad was at peace
  • that she did not get hurt worse
  • that she has good care and loving caregivers
  • that my brother and sister-in-law have been so helpful

It has certainly been a blessing for me to see. I planned on comforting Mom during my visits and she has helped me to see the blessings.

“What do you expect, Gayle? God is answering everyone’s prayers for me.” Mom said recently.

Last Sunday morning Mom called me at 7:00 (6:00 in Wheaton). She said, “I know you are going to church today and that you will praise God. I want you to praise Him for how well I am doing.”

You can imagine how easy it was to praise God after that call!

James 1:2-4

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So, let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

This Mother’s Day I am so thankful for a mother who is an example of living those verses.

I not only want to look like my mother, I want to have faith like her.

May God bless each of you who are mothers….

Happy Mother’s Day!