Mercies in Disguise

 "Blessings" by Laura Story is a new favorite song of mine. The depth of her lyrics are all the sweeter because I know the story from which they were inspired. In fact, I knew her husband before a brain tumor hospitalized him in 2006. Before this tragedy, he was on staff with the college ministry that led me to Christ. Laura Story's faith was put through the unexpected fires of fear and loneliness as she watched her husband suffer; most young newlyweds don’t imagine their spouse being kept alive at one point by breathing machines or having to find their way through significant post-operative vision and memory loss.

“Life is filled with things you don’t expect, but the Bible tells us to respond by trusting God and continuing to worship him,” Laura begins. “Martin (my husband) hasn’t received complete healing—and that can be hard at times when we view God as all-powerful and all-loving. But here we are now saying, ‘Yes, this is how faith works.’ God has proven to be faithful. We have been truly blessed out of a circumstance that at first didn’t seem like much of a blessing at all.”



Singing and teaching in churches across the United States, Western Europe, and South America, she believes “we have a voice that wasn’t there prior to this suffering. I can hardly begin to tell you of the hundreds of hurting people we’ve prayed with, people going through more than we have. This is a chance to share the gospel.” (http://www.laurastorymusic.com/bio)

The lyrics of her song sting to the core and comfort all at once. Truthfully, I don't love to suffer or have my desires go unfulfilled or experience loss. However, it is a comfort to know that these temporary unpleasantries are God's mercies in disguise. The object of our hope makes all the difference. Hope is desire, expectancy, anticipation of something that will come. It's a fixation on something worth waiting for, and even worth suffering for. Titus 2:13 says we are "waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."


True and lasting hope is only found in Jesus Christ. When we pray, our prayers  should be for that which draws us closer to Christ. When we long, it should be for the heavenly. When we hope it should on the confident expectation that Christ is coming again and will make all things new. And for now, He is "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul" (Hebrews 6:19). Hope in present sovereignty and future triumph!

WHY? Because when we put our hope in objects of comfort, peace, protection or in people or in feelings, we will eventually crumble along with collapse of those things. Put your hope in Christ and the loss of these things won't shatter you to pieces. He is "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul" and when all else fails, He remains. All else pales in comparison. I've said too much...read the lyrics below. Let the words bless your heart.

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home,
It's not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

Transcending Strength

Although great pain often disturbs the judgement I thank God I have not been allowed to doubt the goodness of the Lord in afflicting me, I bless his holy name for every sharp pang, and I entreat him to bring forth some good thing out of this present evil.  If he will but glorify himself in me or by me I shall be the happiest of men.

Let us always seek sanctification through affliction rather than escape from it.  I have no question that there is great wisdom in the Lord’s laying aside his instruments.  It is for his own glory, for thereby he shows that he is not in need of them; and it is for their humbling, for hereby they learn how deep is their need of him.…We may be sure that, if the Lord dries up a cistern, it is because he would have us fly to the fountain of inexhaustible strength. [Charles Spurgeon, 1890]

I would go to the deeps a hundred times to cheer a downcast spirit. It is good for me to have been afflicted, that I might know how to speak a word in season to one that is weary. C. Spurgeon 

This was a good word for me this morning...woke at 2 am sleepless until just before my alarm went off at 5:30 am. Got out of bed at 2:30 a.m. to read my bible. Proverbs. My eyes blurrily staring at the page, I battled frustration over this continual affliction with insomnia....frustration rooted in entitlement and pride. I felt entitled to a good night's sleep and I was frustrated because I knew all too well how a day goes without sleep. Not fun to say the least!

At 6:30 a.m., I was already at my morning nanny job. Exhausted,  my attitude started to sink back into self-pity and entitlement. Then I stopped. I decided right then that I was going to decide a different course for today based on the strength accessed through the Holy Spirit. Here is how I pleaded with the Lord:

"Father, I need you to save me today from acting out in my flesh. I will be more prone to seek comfort in things outside of you and I already have a bad attitude because I woke up at 2 am and could not sleep. I know how this normally goes if I don't ask, so please help me resist impulsive reaches for comfort outside of You. I pray for my attitude to be that of Paul as His was of Christ. I confess that I am frustrated, maybe even angry, that I have to go through yet another day feeling this way. Be my strength."

Random thoughts were popping into my head as I lay there, my attention divided and constrained. I was half reading Proverbs, trying to talk myself out of a bad attitude and half distracted by the following recently heard mantras bouncing around in my head:

"One of the hardest decisions I make everyday is to follow Christ." -Unknown
"Suffering informs our teaching, preaching, counseling..." Jonathan Woodlief, (fellow seminarian)
"Christ's power is perfected in weakness" Paul, Romans 12:9-10
"Suffer well....remember that God is sovereign and He has not abandon you to your circumstances"... "As a child of God under mercy, anything that comes my way is discipline." Matt Chandler
"Those whom God will use greatly, He will wound deeply. It is His mercy to keep them humble." A.W. Tozer

In the middle of my circular montage of complaints and contemplating escape, a particular man came to my mind. The book containing his letters to loved ones chronicling his lifetime of suffering is one of my favorites to read over and over again. His stories are always so inspiring because they show that his suffering did not terminate on Himself, but led him to something greater than Himself. That is how He was able to deal so joyfully with the trials and tribulations he faced. His name is Paul; He was one of the most influential missionaries of all time, afflicted in many ways through weakness and suffering. He rejoiced in His suffering because it allowed him to tangibly reveal a portion of Christ's afflictions to make the mystery of God more fully known to everyone he encountered. (Colossians 1:24-29)

Once, he said of his weaknesses that they are a thorn in his flesh to keep him from becoming too elated or proud...therefore he boasted in God and not Himself. It is out of the discipline of His love that God allows weakness/suffering in our lives. Paul Himself pleaded with the Lord to remove the thorn in his flesh (weakness unspecified), but the Lord said to Him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness." For Paul, His weakness was a reason to boast in and rest in the power of Christ. I'm sure he did not enjoy his weaknesses whatever they happened to be, but he said "for the sake of Christ, then, I am well content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." This strength, he implies, is from Christ in him promised through the Holy Spirit.

I made a decision today not to allow my physical/mental weakness be a reason to give in to the flesh, world and devil, but rather a reason to depend on Christ and boast in His power through me. I love how God has absolutely set us up for success! The enemy is trumped either way!

"The painful malady which puts the Christian minister hors de combat when he is most needed in the conflict is a kind messenger from the God of love, and is to be entertained as such: this we know, but how it can be so we cannot precisely tell." Spurgeon

Expressions of Glory

I love watching musicians perform with every instinct and talent given by God as if they are performing for an audience of one or no audience at all....It resonates with my passion for writing. When God inspires, it's supernatural. I'm always surprised by what comes out. I can't conjure it on my own and I have to be open to his leading and go with it. It is as prayerful and meditative as it is creative.God is the source of talent and inspiration, and I the conduit. The words flow and worship is expressed as I tirelessly tweak every sentence. Time flies and my soul is never as full as when I am writing for His glory. I am only thinking of Him.

Like a musician playing his instrument with every instinct and talent given by God....as I am when I write for His glory. Maybe that is why I appreciate music so much. It is an artistic expression of God through a man...part of His glory and creativity revealed!

Jesus and Life in Color

This may sound a bit cheesy or entirely inauthentic, but I thought seriously today about how much Jesus adds color to my life. This came to mind as I was reflecting on why the mundane things in life have taken on a new appeal lately. What was for a season, dull and unappealing is now conversely colorful...if you will, impelled by a beauty found only in Christ. It's like the blooming of spring after a long and cold winter!

This change happens when I humble myself in obedience and seek Him out. Christ then refreshes my dry and weary soul with water from his word and warmth from his presence. I am awakened again to the reality of His love and hope, inspired to dream again in faith of what He might accomplish through me.

Whenever I experience this renewal in my journey of faith, I am reminded of the impact Christ first had on my life many years ago. One day, after I gave my life completely to Christ, I was hiking through the Smokey Mountains, and I saw a vibrancy in God's creation that wasn't visible to me before. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says it clearly, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." In fact, it was I who changed! This reveals the simple truth that life is dull without Him in the mix.

Perhaps a benefit of winter-like seasons of the soul (feeling distant from God) is remembering what life was like without Christ in our lives. Life without Him is dull and colorless. Life with Him is colorful beyond comparison. Our response to Him should be one of gratitude for the access to abundance!

Stay Young

My grandfather said to me last night, "Stay young Heather. Don't ever grow old." At first I wasn't sure what he meant, or rather I  assumed he meant that growing old wasn't any fun because of all the aches and pains or heartache that comes with it...so avoid it if you can. After a few minutes of studying his expression, I realized what he actually meant was, stay young at heart. I knew then that he was trying to tell me to keep laughing, stay lighthearted and have fun in life no matter what. In other words, not to let your heart attitude grow old. There is no greater example of this to me than my grandfather!

I laugh more with my grandparents than almost anyone I'm around. At 82, still young at heart, they provide a great example for how to live wisely make the most of life. I forget that a lot of older people are grumpy, complaining and sedentary. Not my grandparents; They hardly let difficulties get to them. Not only that, but they live with zeal as if life were just beginning...not like it's about to end.
It isn't like they haven't experienced hard times, heartache or physical ailments. They've had more than their share of those. Still, I am constantly amazed at the attitude with which they choose to endure life's hardships. Even in their low points, they give glory to God, speak His promises and think positively.

It's a challenge...to me, to my generation and those who succeed us. May this legacy be granted to generations that come.

Take heart...

Just because something is today doesn't mean it will always remain.

There is a time for everything and a season for 

every activity under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 3:1

Praise be to the name of GOD for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons. Daniel 2:20

He will swallow up death forever. The sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all the faces; he will remove his people's disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. Isaiah 25:8

Then again, some things never change.

I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account. Ecclesiastes 1:14

God Does Not Change...

...His mind

God is not human, that he should lie,
not a human that he should change his mind.
Does He speak and then not act?
Does He promise and then not fulfill?
Numbers 23:19
...What He has Established
He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved. Psalm 104:5

...What He has promised

He remembers His covenant forever, 
the promise He made for a thousand generations... 
1 Chronicles 16:15 

...What He has planned

But the plans of the Lord stand forever, 

the purposes of His heart through all generations. Psalm 33:11 

Therefore, those who TRUST  in God will not be MOVED

For great is his love towards us, and the faithfulness of the LORD 

endures forever. Praise the LORD.  Psalm 117:2

Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, 

which cannot be shaken but endures forever. 

Psalm 125:1

Gospel Hospitality

I read this today and it struck me how deep an impact gospel-centered hospitality can have.
This is a dream for me:

The Elliot home was always wide open to friends, including missionaries from many parts of the world. The impression this made on the four children (Jim Elliot being one of them) was deep, teaching them the grace of hospitality as well as giving them priceless opportunities to know many kinds of  people. "The children loved to have company, even though it meant giving up their beds," said Jim's mother, "and because they met new acquaintances so often at home they were cheerful and free and uninhibited in public." 
Fred Elliot (Jim's Father) read the scriptures daily to his children, seeking to show them the glory of Christ above all else, striving always to avoid legalisms or a list of "don'ts." "I prayed with them as well as for them," he says. And each of the children at an early age heard the call of Jesus and set his face to follow. 


-Shadow of the Almighty


The impact of growing up in such a home would have a ripple effect in the lives not only of their children, but countless others. Not to mention the impact on their guests who enjoyed the refuge of such a Christ-exalting and welcoming home! This resonates with my heart so much having been on both ends, giving and receiving hospitality. My hope and desire is to grow in this ministry and be given opportunities to exercise it generously and in Christ-exalting ways.

 "This Gospel of Hospitality invites people to come with their hopes and failures and questions to a place where they will be unconditionally accepted and, over time, brought to an understanding of their failings and God’s forgiveness. It is a place of refuge for the weary traveler. It welcomes the stranger, the neighbor, the pilgrim. Our only motivation is the fact that, being ourselves recipients of God’s hospitality that made us members of His household, we now have the joy of becoming conduits of His hospitality to others." David Black

Evidence of the impact: When Jim Elliot was twenty years old, he prayed,  "Lord make my way prosperous, not that I achieve high station, but that my life may be an exhibit to the value of knowing God." (Amen!)  Jim Elliot later became a missionary to the Auca Indians in the jungles of Ecuador and was murdered by the men for whom he had prayed for six years. His wife later wrote: "Jim's aim was to know God. His course, obedience-the only course that could lead to the fulfillment of his aim. His end is what some would call an extraordinary death, although in facing death he had quietly pointed out that many have died because of obedience to God."


He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose -J.E.


Romans 12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Hebrews 13:1-2 Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.