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Difficult truths

3/12/2019

5 Comments

 
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Quite some time ago, I participated in an excellent women’s Bible study at my church, a study using Jerry Bridge’s Respectable Sins. It’s a most interesting, enlightening, eye-opening and convicting book, and it persuaded my spirit of some critical truths – for instance:

  • The Lord sovereignly controls the events in our lives for His own perfect purposes.
  • He makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. 
  • It is counter-productive to try to fight ourselves out of difficult circumstances, because He is using them for our ultimate benefit. 

I won’t spoil the book by telling you any more. But I do recommend it highly. Its teachings are solidly biblical, very well-done, easy to process, and extremely persuasive. 

They are not revolutionary, however. Besides being frequent themes in the Bible, they are among the messages that Katharina A. von Schlegel conveyed in her wonderful 1752 hymn “Be Still My Soul”: 

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change, He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend


Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Singing this hymn always makes me think of the daily trials faced by my friends at the nursing home – trials such as sometimes having to wait, and wait, and wait some more, for help from a busy aide who’s currently occupied with another resident. 

Is even this circumstance orchestrated, or allowed, by the Lord? 

Apparently so. 

For what reason? 

Could it be to teach us patience? Mercy? The infinite superiority of eternity in heaven?

Beats me. But it seems like this would be a subject worth exploring with an elderly person who belongs to Jesus. He or she may have some invaluable wisdom to share on the subject – wisdom just as life-changing as any we’ll ever find in even the best books, outside of the Bible itself.
5 Comments
Brenda Huegin
3/12/2019 04:32:31 pm

Doing this study at our church. The pastors wife did the daily lessons.
Has been a very convicting study for sure.

Reply
Ron
3/13/2019 10:47:19 am

I haven’t read this particular book Kitty but I have read some of Jerry’s other works and I too recommend him. The age old question of “is God really in complete control of my life” is one all of us have struggled with from time to time. Most certainly when we are faced with difficulties in our lives.
Through it all we come to realize that yes indeed,God is Sovereign and reigns and rules in the lives of His children. We will never understand His thoughts or His ways this side of heaven, but one day we will see Him as He is. This veil that clouds our vision is going to fall away in that day, and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that even through the most challenging situations in our lives God was right there beside us, orchestrating every twist and turn.

Reply
Kitty Foth-Regner link
3/13/2019 02:25:33 pm

I think you're absolutely correct, Ron! And it's actually very liberating to rest in this truth, isn't it? At least for those of us who have no desire to be in control.

Reply
Jeanne
3/13/2019 02:12:12 pm

It's a hard truth to put into action...I have realized just how much I was in control. I know that now I can empathize...not only sympathize with people more now than ever before. These are the characteristics God wants in His people....Like a child who needs to be disciplined..and don't like it...we are the same. No discipline is pleasant...but afterward it yields the peaceable fruit, etc.

Reply
Kitty Foth-Regner link
3/13/2019 02:27:47 pm

"... the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Amen, Jeanne!

Reply



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    Kitty
    Foth-Regner

    I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, a freelance copywriter, a nursing-home volunteer, and the author of books both in-process and published -- including
    Heaven Without Her.

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