“So they worshipped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy”
Luke 24:52
Well, the stunned disciples finally grasped the victory that was theirs! If this is the first day you have joined us this week I hope you can go back and read Monday-Thursday. It will make today’s Dose so much more meaningful to you!
We have witnessed this week how going through a struggle lets us experience God first hand – it lets us see Him at work in our personal life. If the disciples had not experienced such extreme hardship – extreme emotional turmoil – such doubt and failure in their own actions – they couldn’t have experienced such victory either. They would never have appreciated that victory or the ones to come. They also would never have been able to “grasp” and accomplish their mission.
It’s the same way with us, dear one.
Remember that four year long struggle I shared with you on Monday? It was one of the hardest struggles I have ever faced. Yet, though it lasted so long and was so emotionally taxing, even if I had the opportunity – I would not go back and change a thing. If I could go back and totally avoid the struggle and keep all the enjoyment the struggle caused us to lose – I wouldn’t. I never thought I’d say that because it doesn’t make sense. There will come a day, when the time is right, for us to share the details of that story, but believe me when I tell you it was gut wrenching.
But without it, we would have missed experiencing God’s faithfulness – and “grasping” – comprehending it for ourselves. All those days when we asked, “God, where are you in all this? Are you really there at all? If we could just see your hand at work…….” Day after day, month after month, for four long years we wondered if His hand was at work at all in that struggle. But we kept on believing because the Word said to – very weakly most of the time – but we didn’t give up calling out to Him. We tried to handle the struggle and its consequences according to the teachings of His Word – and it was very hard. But in the end, His truth won out – His promises remained true. I wouldn’t give up experiencing that for the comfort and material blessings of times past for anything.
You know that struggle you are facing now? Yes, that one – without going through it you will never be able to experience the victory to come. Believe me my friend – you don’t want to miss that. You don’t want to miss seeing the hand of the God of the universe at work in your heart and life in a personal way. There is no greater joy, no greater wonder in this life.
Jesus said “ ….. in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.”
Believe Him. Grasp His power to overcome. Grasp His promise. Comprehend who He is and what He wants to do in your life. When you do, your life will never be the same.
Until next time……….
Your traveling companion,
Brenda
photo credit: https://www.freeimages.com/photographer/morcomm-45474