Sunday, August 06, 2006

The Pruner Who Was and Is and Is To Come

Lord God, I am hurting over the loss I am currently going through. Why is it that whenever I get such an enormous blessing in my life that it seems to be taken away?

Maybe it's not that way in reality. Maybe it only feels that way at the moment because of the intensity of the trial. I have to believe that You are at work for my good and the good of all of those involved. You most certainly are sovereign and full of grace and mercy. You always have been, You are, and You always will be.

You were there in my past when things were seemingly too hard to bear. You promise to always be there in the future, to never leave me nor forsake me. I must believe in You in the here and now while this one painful trial is to be endured. Your grace IS. It is sufficient, it was sufficient, it always will be sufficient for me.

As Psalm 78 reminds me to tell the next generation of Your marvelous deeds in days past ("We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done."), I must also remember at this time that You are still here. I must make the list stick firmly in my head of the wonderful things You have done for me in the past so that I will not grow faint in the now. I will. I will go and make that list, and as a sacrifice of praise, I will thank you for those things and for how You are at work now even if I cannot see what You are doing by pruning me in this painful manner.

I do thank You that You have proved Your love to me in the past by pruning me and allowing my roots in you to grow deeper through the pain. I have always, always grown stronger and more firmly trusting of You and Your goodness to me with every cut of Your shears in days gone by. I will remember those times, and your faithfulness to me through it. I am trusting You now to do the same in this present circumstance.

I praise You for You are good. You are faithful. I will not waiver in my belief, by Your grace. And by Your grace, You will see me through. You ARE seeing me through. You have always seen me through. For You are He Who was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 4:8).

Thank You, Jesus.

9 comments:

Cindi said...

I am sorry for what ever painful experience you are going through and I will pray for yu.

Amy Howard said...

Thank you, Cindi.

I do covet prayers for strength, perseverance, and contentment. I don't normally like to post things like this, but I needed to get it out on paper, or at least typed into the computer. I helps to clear the fog in the midst of intense trial, know what I mean?

Thank you for your prayers.
Amy

Cindi said...

Oh, Amy as I face my 5th surgery in 4 years tomorrow I do know what you mean. It also helps me to focus on the One I should and see clearly of all the other distractions that via for my attention.

Margaret in VA said...

I finally got a blogger name... So now I can comment without being anonymous.
You know that we have had some tragedy in my family this past spring (my little sister's husband died of cancer). Total strangers came up to my sister twice and gave her words from John 14, it is amazing the way the Holy Spirit works! Also, Frank's favorite passage to have read to him during his last weeks were Psalm 34. I hope these help you, and I am praying for you!
Margaret

Anonymous said...

Amy,
I will be praying for you!

Anonymous said...

I don't know what your trial is, Amy, but I know God is with you. We had so many trials over a few years recently that a friend seriously asked us if we had done something to bring a curse! (Uh...not that we know!)

I have found in the midst of trial, that is when He is Beauty and Peace to us. Whenever I have asked him to teach me what He wants from the trial, He has always done so. He has you in the palm of His hand.

Amy Howard said...

Dear Cindi, Lora, Margaret, and Brenda,

Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement and for your prayers. I am thankful that the Lord has surrounded me with loving Christians in the midst of trials. God bless you all.

Love,
Amy

Anonymous said...

"Why is it that whenever I get such an enormous blessing in my life that it seems to be taken away?"

Just knowing that someone else knows the struggle of having something/someone precious taken away and still trying and desiring to push through the emotion to seek His face and trust him through the pain - it helps tremendously.

Thank you for your transparency.

Kim C.

Amy Howard said...

Kim,

It does help to know others are having struggles too. It also helps to know that others are turning to the Lord for comfort.

Thank you for your comment. I pray that in your struggle you are blessed with a deeper understanding of the Lord as I have begun to be over the last few days. He is so good to us even when things seem so bad.

Amy