Rejoice

[truthquest]

There have been times in my life when I have felt crushed of spirit. My husband had congestive heart failure and passed away five years later. About the same time, my daughter was diagnosed with throat cancer caused from acid reflux disease. Even though the cancer was at fourth stage when diagnosed, my daughter survived. Then I began to experience health issues that took a major toll on me.
We all feel crushed of spirit from time to time when life becomes hard to deal with and hard to bear. This can drain us mentally, physically and spiritually. But we do have reasons to rejoice.

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to those whose hearts have been broken. He saves those whose spirits have been crushed.

One thing that has helped me through the years is being aware that I have a spiritual need and knowing that this brings happiness.
Matt. 5: [sup]3[/sup]"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 5: 3He said, `God makes happy those who know that they need him. The kingdom of heaven is for them.

We can rejoice in knowing that God cares about us and loves us.[sup]
[/sup]John 3:16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([sup][a][/sup]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
Acts 17: 27God wanted them to look for him and perhaps search all around for him and find him, though he is not far from any of us: [sup]28[/sup] 'By his power we live and move and exist.' Some of your own poets have said: 'For we are his children.[sup]
[/sup]Matt. 10"29 Two sparrows cost only a penny, but not even one of them can die without your Father's knowing it.[sup]30[/sup] God even knows how many hairs are on your head. [sup]31[/sup] So don't be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows.
Rev. 21:[sup]4[/sup]And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away."

Rejoice
1 Chronicles 16:10 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Psalm 13:5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
Psalm 31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.
Psalm 118:24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
John 16:22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
Romans 5:3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
1 Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready."


May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

[forgivenWretch]

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This says it all Sister! And I pray the same for you.

 

[truthquest]

This says it all Sister! And I pray the same for you.

Thank you so much, brother.

 

[forgivenWretch]

 

[fivesense]

O how I would like to hear your testimony in person, truthquest. I am sure you would have my ear for hours, because I know where you would be going with the conversation. I have heard multitudes speak of what God has done for them. While I was part of the evangelical/pentecostal sects, I thought much of what I heard was mere boastfulness, and not truly stemming from a grateful heart.

To me the miraculous power of God is displayed in situations like yours. The loss of a spouse, extreme illnesses, physical trials and strains, all meant to bring the sufferer to the doorstep of heaven for answers and relief. There are few that will go there, and fewer still who come away in a fuller realization of Who God the Father is.

To remain loyal and faithful to the calling, to honor and worship an invisible God that may or may not reduce the burden, is a miracle. He has revealed Himself by enabling saving faith to abide when it should be cast off as foolishness and useless. It is only a true knowledge of God and His Son, a realization of Him, that enables us to carry on. This realization comes from a merciful God, indeed.

fivesense

 

[truthquest]

I suppose it would be easy to blame God and ask why and I can't say I haven't had those sort of moments. I wouldn't be human if I said otherwise. But those moments are brief and I find myself drawing strength from my faith and love for God. I've always prayed for a portion of Holy Spirit and at these times, I receive comfort and am able to recall certain scriptures that help me to keep going and not give up.
Even though I have had people tell me that I must not be "living right" to have these tragedies in my life, I don't believe God works that way.
God didn't say we wouldn't have storms in our life but we would have a boat that no storm can sink. If we have that solid foundation, we can withstand anything.