"God's loving us is a means for our joyfully glorifying Him. ... The love of God is not God's making much of us, but God's saving us from self-centered sin so that we can enjoy making much of Him forever. And our love to others is not our making much of them, but our helping them to find eternal satisfaction in making much of God. The only ultimate love is a love that aims at satisfying people in the glory of God. Any love that terminates on man is eventually destructive. It does not lead a person to the only lasting joy, namely God. Love must be God-centered or it is not the greatest love; it leaves people without their deepest need and only hope."
~ John Piper ~ Taste and See
4 comments:
So true...and hard to live by. :S
Very beautiful!!! :D Can't wait for the next chapter of Eye of the Storm to come!!!!
Ana, I really am encouraged by how you love God and experience Him. I wish I can be like that. Dont you have moments of doubt sometimes?
I find it hard at times to trust God especially when times are difficult. I think I think a lot. I had a miscarriage in March and was very upset. Hubby and I have been trying for 3 years to have another baby without success. Just when we thought we have got our big break, we lost the baby. I did not understand why this happened. Although I have moved on but I still wonder why.
When things like that happen, what is the explanation...Wonder if you have any thoughts on this? If God is real, then why do we have miscarriages? Is he in control when such things happen? I have friends who do not want any more children and still they get more through 'accidents'...why did God allow this? Some times I get so confused but wish some one can give me an answer.
I wish I can just simply trust God but the logical part of me will keep thinking about it.
Savvy Mummy~
Before I start I want to mention that I think you MUST read "Trusting God When Life Hurts" by Jerry Bridges. Published by NavPress.
Of course there are moments of doubt in my Christian walk. It's what I do with the moments that really matter. Will I allow the doubts to swirl in my mind and make me question Who God is or will I remind myself Who God is and trust no matter what? God IS good. He is KIND, He is LOVING, He WONDERFUL. (Psalm 145:9, 13b, 17)
Trusting God in the difficult times is certainly hard, but God gives us the grace and strength we need to trust and love Him, if we truly want to, to make it through the trials He brings into our lives. (Hebrews 4:16)
I can't imagine the ache and hurt you must feel at having a miscarriage, but trust, choose to trust, that God does nothing to "punish" or to "hurt" He does EVERY thing He does to show us Who He is and to make His children more like Him.
It is in those trials of hurt and pain, that push us to our knees, when tears flow unstoppable, that we realize that we can't, in anyway, walk this life and Christian walk on our own. We MUST fly to Jesus, "cast your care on Him because He CARES FOR YOU. (1 Peter 5:8)" He will lift you up, He will give you the strength that is necessary for what He has called you to do. He will never ask His children to do something that is too hard for them, even if it is giving up a child for Him. After all, He gave His only child for us. (Romans 8:31-32)
But when we trust, knowing that God does what He does because He LOVES us, and so that people will honor and glorify Him, and rest in Him wholly, He provides a grace that is beyond measure and indescribable. (Ephesians 2:4-10)
God is real! Make no mistake! And yes, God is in control of everything, not just some things. Not just when things are going good and we are happy. But when things are hard, when things hurt. God does what He does because it is good. We don't always understand, we don't always want what He's doing in our lives. But if we are trusting Him, relying on Him, crying out and praying to be like Him, we can know for sure, whatever it is, that God is doing it for our good. Hard as it may be. (Romans 8:28)
I pray God will use this to help you understand Who He is. Please, I would love to continue to help you if I can. My e-mail is on the sidebar. Please feel free to e-mail anytime about anything.
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