Yesterday was the Annual Women's Fellowship Tea (a ministry of First Baptist Church in New York City). We reflected on Romans 8:35-39, a classic passage of encouragement to the persecuted.
God's love for us remains even though we are continually challenged by personal, professional, or other circumstances. God's word to us: "I love you so much! Experience My love for you even in the midst of your great suffering."
It is a hard message because we associate God's loving presence with God's power to act, and we are indeed perplexed as to why He has not brought us out of difficult situations that have dragged on for years. But Scripture shows us that we are not alone. Joseph spent the bulk of his young adult life, about thirteen years, as a slave and prisoner. Sarah went through decades of childlessness in a culture that highly valued children... thirteen of those years in the face of Ishmael.
(Can we wait thirteen years for a breakthrough?)
I am not sure what will happen to any of us in the next thirteen years, but here is the question: Will we continue to be conscious of (and joyful in) God's incredible love for us even if we remain unemployed, suffer more sickness, and continue to bear ridicule from those who think we should be "doing better" given our level of faith and years of faithfulness to the Lord?
My answer? Yes! It's okay! Rejoice in the season of suffering. Our LORD is the King of Love... And He will move in power, when He chooses.
Job's wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Why don't you just curse God so you can die?" But Job replied, "You're talking like a godless woman! Should we only receive the things of God that produce joy, and not also receive the things from God that produce pain?" In all this, Job did not sin by what he said. (see Job 2:9-10)
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