Today my heart breaks for the suffering of the obedient.

When, in a few days time, you hear about that sweet baby girl born at 37 weeks who rests in the neonatal intensive care unit with tubes and electrodes and feeding support attached to her tiny body as she fights for life and while the doctors tell her parents that at most, she has a year to live….and then it’s the 50 something dad whose daughter you grew up with, played basketball with, homeschooled with and did all things little lady with. It’s that news that her dad who was healthy and strong, expecting the first grandchild any day, you hear that he died from a massive heart attack and that his family is somehow trying to pick up the pieces to such tragedy. And then that final email….the email from church stating that the pastor’s wife, that sweet, kind, intelligent, mama to five lost her battle against mental health and the postpartum depression that she’s been riddled with for the past 4 months when she took her life early that morning.

Today my heart breaks for the suffering of the obedient. 

For each of these sweet faces that either stands before Jesus now, enthroned in His grace, or the one that still is fighting the battle, praying for a miracle, or the ones that surround who now are faced with the pieces of a broken story…it’s for these that my heart mourns.

—

In moments like these, when the news hits just one after the other….it’s in moments like these that I beg the question, God, are you still good? And I’m reminded, in the stillness of His promises….His promises for Good, for Deliverance, for Salvation, for Peace, for Comfort, for Grace & Mercy…

Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today…The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still. -Exodus 14:13-14

As the days pass on into weeks, into months, I pray that these families remember their testimony and that it be an encouragement for us to see all things in light of eternity…

Not only is all your affliction momentary, not only is all your affliction light in comparison to eternity and the glory there. But all of it is totally meaningful. Every millisecond of your pain, from the fallen nature or fallen man, every millisecond of your misery in the path of obedience is producing a peculiar glory you will get because of that.

It’s working for you an eternal weight of glory.

Therefore, therefore, do not lose heart. But take these truths and day by day focus on them. Preach them to yourself every morning. Get alone with God and preach his word into your mind until your heart sings with confidence that you are new and cared for. – John Piper

May these words drive us forward in whatever suffering and sorrow may come, Do. Not. Lose. Heart. 

******************************************************************************

Love on your people & keep in perspective your beautiful legacy in light of eternity.…

Love and Blessings,

 Lindsey xoxo