Tag: joy from sorrow

How to Really Know Faith when Facing Fiery Trials

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Daniel 3;17-18

When fiery trials of life come into our lives, all too often we despair or become angry. We may cry out to God with that piercing question, “Why?” We pray for a miracle when a loved one is ill and then wonder what happened when our loved one dies anyway. Couldn’t God have saved them? Couldn’t God have prevented the storm from ripping away all that I clung to on this earth? Couldn’t God have prevented the Cancer or the years of illness that followed? Of course, He could have!! But He didn’t in my case and often He doesn’t; yet, what He does is more miraculous than the miracle we are asking for.

Nebuchadnezzar had quickly forgotten his own words concerning God spoken to Daniel: “Of a truth it is that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings” (Daniel 2:47). Most certainly, he had either forgotten or misunderstood Daniels proclamation, “Thou, O King, art a king of kings, for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory” (Daniel 2:37). Much like a lot of people we meet. Perhaps they have come to the awareness of God; but, quickly become more occupied in their own self exaltation. Never falling to the ground in praise or awe of God’s Grace and Glory toward them. So it was,

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How Can Suffering Be The Path To Exuberant Joy?

How Can Suffering Be The Path To Exuberant Joy?

The Bible speaks a lot about Joy—true joy that is found in Christ (Romans 5:11), a joy that will never leave us (Isaiah 35:10) and joy overflowing (John 16: 22, 24). We want that!! Yet, what we sometimes don’t realize is that often it is found through suffering, sorrow and many trials. Our human hearts are born filled with sin. We want to seek happiness and to do it “our way”. Even for those of us who truly seek after Christ as our joy, we fight against the truth that many times our journey to understanding and experiencing real Joy in Christ leads us through great trials, pain and suffering.

FIERY PATH

As a young Christian, I searched to follow Jesus. Little did I know that my journey would lead me through failure, divorce, abuse, cancer, illness, widowhood, single motherhood, financial disaster, pains, sorrows, loneliness, and so many surgeries! Every step of the journey, God was using to transform my heart. He had to deal with my pride, my selfish desires, my self-exaltation, and my desire to prove to Him that I was worthy of the salvation He had so freely died to give me. I could not truly understand that my Joy was in Him alone; until He swept away all the cobwebs hidden in the deep recesses of my heart. He continues to do that every single day of my life. He continues to reveal those dark areas so that they might be cleansed. As He does that, my view of everything changes. He is able to then fill those corners with a vision of His Glory. As I am able to see His Glory clearer, my heart enlarges to be filled with His Love and His Joy. It is an ever upward and transforming change.

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TO GOD-MY LOVE, MY HOPE, MY JOY

 

“I Am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He hath led me, and brought me into darkness…..18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:  Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not    They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.  The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”  (Lamentations 3)

 

Joyous New Dawning

This journey at times may seem filled with sorrow, afflictions or heartache; yet, the one thing that is certain is God’s faithfulness, His love, and His mercy to all who humbly turn to seek His face.  In the midst of the sorrow, He brings us His joy, His love and His hope for each new day dawning.  We must only open our eyes to see Glory.


TO GOD-MY LOVE, MY HOPE, MY JOY

by Effie Darlene Barba


My life-so filled with hopes and dreams

Lay shattered at Your feet

So many tears, so many pains

I laid before Thy seat


Can I look upon Your face of love

And question what You’ve done?

For You have been my only hope

My only morning sun


You’ve seen my heart when crushed with pain

Your hands have held it tight

When I have been so weak, so frail

You’ve shown Your strength, Your might

 

You’ve held me close within Your arms

When darkness filled my night

And when I could not see my way

Your eyes, they gave me sight


I lay my life within Your hands

That You may heal my soul

And keep my eyes upon You Lord

That I may reach Your goal


Shine forth Thy grace, Thy mercy Lord

And let me be Thy light

That all may see Your eyes of love

The blind, they might have sight


Let not the sorrows, nor the pains

Bring bitterness within

And give me strength to walk this path

Protect my heart from sin


I lay my heart, my soul, my dreams

Before Thy throne of love

I lift my eyes to You, My God

And seek Your will above


Thou art the only one I need

To fill my heart with glee

It is Your face, my one true love

Tis all I need to see


So lift me up and hold me close

Reveal Thy love divine

That through the holes within my heart

A world might see You shine


And if the sorrows of my past

Can touch a wayward one

I thank you Lord for each dark path

That lead them to Your son


I praise You now from mountains high

For each dark path I’ve trod

Twas there I found Your heart, Your love

Twas there I found You God


What great and wondrous joy I know

Because You are my king

And though the path I cannot see

My heart will trust and sing


A song of praise unto You Lord

Who knows what’s best for me

You’ll hold my hand and lead me on

In darkness, I can see


Your love, Your help, Your guiding hand

Is all I’ll ever need

So hold me close unto Your path

For this is all I plead


I’ll skip with joy along this path

Though darkness may surround

Because I know You hold my hand

My feet will e’er touch ground


I cannot fall outside Your love

I cannot lose my way

I’ll hold my broken dreams once more

And see them real, one day


A song of praise unto You Lord

Who knows what’s best for me

You’ll hold my hand and lead me on

In darkness, I can see


Your love, Your help, Your guiding hand

Is all I’ll ever need

So hold me close unto Your path

For this is all I plead

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.