Continue.........And I decide what to do about the big things, like nuclear proliferation, air pollution, and global warming. The truth is, most of our important battles will not be fought on the worlds stage but right here at home in the midst of our day-to-day lives. These battles often involve a spiritual dimension we cant afford to ignore. My friend Sarahs son suffers from a neurological disorder that sometimes creates enormous havoc in their home. He flies into frequent rages, becomes hysterical over the slightest injury, and displays various kinds of obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Helping him when hes upset, my friend confided, is like trying to calm a tornado or lasso a hurricane. Last week, while her husband was away on a business trip, their little boy had another meltdown, one so violent that it threw Sarah completely off. Her son made such terrible threats that Sarah decided to put the kitchen knives well out of reach. When the tantrum was finally over, my friend went upstairs to her bedroom, shut the door, and screamed at the top of her lungs. She couldnt take it anymore. Where was God in all this? Why wouldnt he heal her son? Didnt he care? She shouted at him. She cried. She slammed the door. She pounded her fist on the bed. In the next few days help came, in the shape of a caring friend who spent time with her son, in the shape of a counselor who offered helpful advice, and in the shape of a word from Scripture that convinced my friend that God had not abandoned her or her child—indeed, he knew better than she what they were facing. She reminded herself that there was a spiritual component to the fight she was waging. When her son acted out, she was tempted to forget everything she knew about God—about his faithfulness, his love, and his desire to help. But that forgetfulness always threw her into despair about the future. As Sarah has reflected on her life, she has come to realize that she is living a story. Like any story, it has tension, high points, and low points. Theres wonder and joy and delight as well as pain and sorrow and suffering. She knows that God has entrusted her son to her for a reason. She cant see the storys end, though shes aware of the possibilities for good and for ill. But she is also aware of Gods faithfulness. Moreover, she is convinced that faith, which is a shield against the lies of the evil one, is what will help her play the role she is supposed to in the story God is writing. Your own story may hold its share of challenges to your faith. When you feel yourself slipping into discouragement, take hold of the words of Psalm 3: You are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 19:30:09 +0000
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