This last week has been a whirlwind of emotions. Honestly when things like this happen I usually want to curl up, and just stay in bed for a few days and just sob. For some of you who follow me on social media, you will know that I lost two very close friends of mine in the same day both completely unrelated or from the same family or friend group but nonetheless many people know both of these gentlemen. They were both roommates of mine at different times and they were dear to my life. I always pray for my friends and family and these names are heavy in my prayer journals for it seems like a lifetime…..
I know you are probably wondering how they died as those things are usually the top of our interest when you hear someone has passed but I don’t want to get lost in the details of that. Rather I’d like to focus on the parts that although I was tempted to be upset with God that He didn’t answer my prayer for healing and transformation for these folks God used these people in very powerful ways to demonstrate different things about God’s character. I also was brought to another place of humility in my heart again that none of us has that much control. Our prayers mold us and help us learn God’s heart. He corrects us with our prayers and helps us learn His way if we are willing to learn. Every death comes with pros and cons and you have to go through those with God and focus on the good. One of them had suffered for many years with crohns disease and was the inspiration of my health and wellness obsession. I would have done anything I could to make him well and learn the ways of a healer. But with that, God used his illness in so many ways and he sought the Lord with his whole heart. Day and night he studied the Bible and sought God, that man wasn’t able to work a lot of the time because he would get so sick but in his sickness he was there for me so many times. He would show up right when I needed a friend. His illness was the thing that ultimately kept him free from other life draining obligations. Obviously that’s only one way to look at it but focusing on the good is what I’m doing. This may seem unfair but ultimately he is at rest with the Lord now and I know he knows Jesus and is with him. I know I will see him again. I have great peace knowing he found his resting place. The other, it is unclear to me. I didn’t see him much in the time leading up to his death but one of the last times I saw him was at church and this man had everything including family and friends like myself who prayed daily for him. I saw him try to do the good in hard situations and I saw God’s love for him all over his life. I know God is a god of choice and He doesn’t force His love on anyone but I know that He brings comfort for those who seek Him. I shared my faith with him but not sure where he stood in his heart towards God. That’s not my place to say one way or another and with all those prayers for him I just have to believe that God brought him through.
A day later…
When I woke up this morning I got back to editing the Shift Ebook as I couldn’t find many more tears to shed, sometimes work can be a great way to get your focus off painful situations and I have some time before funerals are announced. I’m launching shift now for a January start date and I found it’s so crazy the topic of the book and the current life situations. I wrote it in 2019 before the world shut down and here I am again with it wide open as the topics at hand are right in front of me. It’s funny how God speaks to us all the time through signs and symbols and parables. Are we listening? Like the book says, if you never read the first edition “shifts happen, whether planned or unplanned” how are you going to handle the ones that are out of your control?
Because I always pray for those I get to have contact with, you being one of them, let me pray for you. I never want to miss an opportunity to pray for you as I truly believe in the power of prayer. God is in control but He invites us to take all our issues to Him and He will guide things to the best case scenario’s for those who love Him. Trusting Him might not be easy at first but after a while, you start to see the good in everything and your heart grows thankful that you don’t actually run this crazy world. Remember, we are only here for a second in the grand scheme of things and eternity is a very long time. Nothing here lasts forever.
Dear Lord Jesus,
I pray for my friend if they need comfort, I ask that you would comfort them. I ask that they would feel your presence and be able to make time and space for you in their life. If they haven’t already surrendered to your love and leading, I ask you show them how and remind them the time here is short. Oh Lord, grant them the secret wholesome desires of their heart and bless them for seeking you.
We love and thank you Lord for everything you do for us in Jesus name.
Amen!
Post Script Hope:
A note of hope in the last moments of those you love whom you don’t know if they know the Lord!
I found this on Facebook and wanted to add it as it is significant! This is the story of the man that was getting crucified right beside Jesus and asked Jesus to take Him with Him and Jesus responded in that last moment before he passed that He would be with Him in heaven that very day.
“Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.””
Luke 23:39-43 NKJV
No baptism
No communion
No confirmation
No speaking in tongues
No mission trip
No volunteering
No financial gifts
No church clothes
He couldn’t even bend his knees to pray. He didn’t say the sinner’s prayer and among other things, he was a criminal and he was worthy of death.
Jesus didn’t take way his pain, heal his body, or smite his scoffers.
He was a thief who walked into paradise the same hour as Jesus simply by believing.
He had nothing more to offer other than his belief that Jesus was who He said He was.
No spin from brilliant theologians.
No ego or arrogance.
No shiny lights, skinny jeans, or crafty words.
No haze machine, donuts, or coffee in the lobby.
Just a naked dying man on a cross unable to even fold his hands to pray.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that WHOEVER believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
– John 3:16
Because ……. THAT IS ENOUGH !!
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