Divine Mystery in Suffering

Journal entry from Sept 10, 2011
Streams in the Desert: Ps 138:8 "The Lord will accomplish what concerns me."

"There is a divine mystery in suffering, a strange and supernatural power in it, which has never been fathomed by human reason ... There never has been known great saintliness of soul which did not pass through great suffering."

"When the suffering soul reaches a calm sweet carelessness, when it can inwardly smile at its own suffering, and does not even ask God to deliver it from suffering, then it has wrought its blessed ministry; then patience has its perfect work; then the crucifixon begins to weave itself into a crown... the choices are annihilated; it has no choice in anything but the purpose of God. The affections are weaned from all creatures and all things; it is so dead that nothing can hurt it, nothing can offend it... hinder it..., it seeks only for God's will and it feels assured that God is making everything in the universe... work together for its good."

"Oh, the blessedness of being absolutely conquered! of losing our own strength, and wisdom, and plans, and desires, and being where every atom of our nature is like placid Galilee, under the omnipotent feet of Jesus. " (Streams in the Desert 9/10)

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Personal Comments:
The thought comes to mind, even Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane wrestled with the will of God, sweating even great drops of blood, until He came to the place that He said, "Nevertheless, Not my will but Thine be done. He was able to endure the cross for the Joy the was set before Him!"

In watching my mother currently suffering with cancer now for 2 years, on the heels of my own brothers battle with brain cancer, discouragement seems to lurk around many bends, especially when watching loved ones ongoing pain. Yet I have seen the faithfulness of the Lord. When I cry out to Him He is ever present. He continues to give my dad endurance to take care of mom with a great attitude. When other challenges come to us, health, currently no job, God continues to give me grace to do just the next thing. He has enlarged my heart to grieve with others who are grieving heartache. He has given me greater love for those who don't yet personally know the beautiful Saviour. He has made the Psalms alive. David was a man who was often depressed, but knew where to run in time of distress. What great comfort I have received from the Psalms and continue to receive. And most of all He has given me time to study the Bible inductively and teach to others hungry to know him, many of whom are also in grave trials.

Psalm 40 is the Psalm the Lord gave me when I was saved November 12, 1975. One of the promises in the that Psalm is "Many will see and fear and will Trust in the Lord." I continue to claim that promise and long to see in heaven a great harvest of souls, because of the Lord's mercy to me in delivering me out of darkness into His glorious light."

Thank you Lord for the great company of witnesses who have suffered but kept entrusting themselves to you and so endured so I would see your faithfulness manifested in my own life.

What a wonderful saviour is Jesus My Lord!