"It’s encouraging to know that the pain we feel can be used by God in beautiful ways. He wastes nothing, not even suffering."
i ran across this last night as i was searching through old away messages (of all things!)... i have no clue what i had in mind at the time. i can't even remember how recent it was - knowing me, it was probably about something i was going through with a friend. or maybe it was in the fall when i moved-that's probable. i don't even know where it came from. but either way, it made me smile. why? because i was so unhappy! and for me to say that i'm experiencing something emotionally painful WHILE i'm going through it is a pretty big deal. but don't you see - it's not a part of me anymore. and that's not to say that it didn't affect me. because, like the quote says, God uses pain in "beautiful ways" and it's never wasted. i recognize who i have become as a result of past relationships and especially from the move. but i'm not still negatively affected by the pain. that's huge. and encouraging. to me, i see that the things i'm going through right now are not only temporarily painful, but purposeful as well. and i know this. i'm smart. ;) AND i've been raised well. AND i know what my God is capable of. but it sure doesn't hurt to be reminded of it. i've always loved the verse in james 1 that begins "consider it pure joy..." mainly because that's what my name means. but i sometimes forget about the depth of what that verse is saying. "trials" are going to come. but they also go. and i'm never alone in facing them. i have a network of support, led and built by God himself. now that's an awesome thought.
i'm so happy with my life right now. that's why i smiled.
i'm praying for you today. you think "yeah right," but if you're reading this, i promise i am. hold on to God's promise of pure joy. understand what it truly means, and cling to it. cling to him.