God is Still My Redeemer

OK, Guys: Disclaimer

This post is probably not going to be the funny, heart-warming post you usually get from me. No, this week you get a glimpse into the circumstances and true feelings that have become my reality over the last several months. It has been uplifting and cleansing for me to write it and I hope it ministers to you, too, but…

You’ve been warned – might wanna grab some Kleenex…

So here we are at the end of I Thessalonians…already. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed studying this book and I hope you have, too. I am as in awe of the Apostle Paul as I’ve ever been and his love for this infant church is so moving. But then there’s me…

Some of you know that I have been in a real fight, health-wise, for the past several months. I have two different illnesses that seem to feed off each other. I feel like I make some progress with one illness, then the other rears its ugly head and I go flying backwards, then the cycle repeats itself. NOT how I want to live my life.

Last week was an especially rough week, in all the ways – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I mean, I’d love to write and tell you how strong I’ve been, that I’m a fighter, that I’m an overcomer, that my faith is just as strong as ever, but THAT, my friends, would be a lie. And, honestly, I’ve come to the place in my life, in my walk with Christ, where I realize that those who really love me, including and especially Jesus, can handle these weeks where I feel defeated, afraid, mad, and everything in between.

When I first started studying I Thessalonians 5, to be honest, I got nothing. Not that it isn’t a great chapter, I mean, c’mon – it talks about the return of our Lord, it talks about encouraging one another, it’s truly a great, uplifting chapter. But then, I came to verses 16-18, which I’ve chosen to focus my post on,

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

OK, full disclosure, I laughed out loud when I first read these Scriptures! I mean, really? I’m supposed to be joyful and thankful for cancer and chronic pancreatitis? I’m supposed to be joyful and thankful when I have been hospitalized for thirteen of the past thirty days? I’m supposed to be joyful and thankful for four endoscopic surgeries in the past thirty days? Literally, when I read these Scriptures the first time, I slammed my Bible shut. Why? Because I don’t feel any of those ways right now and have spent a lot of time wondering where God has been and where He is now. It’s just all been too much for one little human being. Ever been there? So I said to myself,

“Yep, NO WAY I’m writing about these three Scriptures – any Scriptures but these.”

But, you know, God has a real sense of humor…

As the days went by, I couldn’t shake these three verses, so here I am, doing the very thing I vowed I wouldn’t do. I’ve learned many times, the hard way, that eating a little crow can be good for you.

So, I started studying verse 17,

Never stop praying.

I had to ask myself,

“Why would Paul have added this reminder to a people group who were being persecuted for their new faith? Doesn’t he realize that they’re already praying, that prayer is their only hope for the situations they are in? (Kinda like YOU, SHERRA?)”

And, OK, sure, that’s true. What is also true is that I hadn’t really been praying much this week. Oh, I mean, Robert and I pray every day, several times a day for different things, but I, myself, hadn’t been praying about my situation. I think, if I’m honest, I was afraid of being disappointed again. The truth is, I do not believe for one minute that God CAUSED any of these health issues to come up, but I KNOW He could fix them. So why doesn’t He? I wish I knew…

But then, this verse really came to life for me when I started studying it in some of my commentaries. My favorite one was this, out of my beloved New Living Translation Illustrated Study Bible,

Never stop praying means not giving up.

Um, mind blown. So many times in my life, when things are looking out of control and way too difficult, I feel like my prayer centers around,

“God, fix this, dang it!”

when in reality, prayer is the thing that helps us focus our minds and spirits back on God. Being able to pray to a God that I KNOW loves me, cares for me, and has a great plan for my life, gives me hope. It helps me recall all the times in my past that He has come through for me, in ways I never could have imagined. It convinces me to keep going, to NOT GIVE UP. Gosh, I needed that this week!

Next, I studied verses 16 and 18,

Always be joyful…Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

I’ve heard many, many teachings about the concepts of being joyful and thankful, despite our circumstances. And, look, I know that Jesus’ life here on earth and those of His disciples were certainly not without major trials and trouble. But, my first thoughts were,

“I know, God, but gosh! How am I supposed to handle ALL of this? How? It feels like it’s never going to end, like my life will never be back to normal! I need help down here, God!”

But, again, when I really studied these two verses in my commentaries, here’s what I came up with,

Be thankful: God is sovereign and can redeem any situation.

Wow, wow, wow! This idea that God can redeem my situation, just brings tears to my eyes, even now. I had been so focused on God just fixing my situation that I actually didn’t think about the fact that God can and will REDEEM IT! And that is so much better, because when the redemption comes, it’s a way to draw others to Him – and isn’t that what we, as Believers, are supposed to be doing? The fact that God is still able to bring beauty from ashes, desires for this sickness to stop, and to restore my life – redeem it – is something that no one else in my life can do. Only God can take what the enemy meant for evil and bring good out of it – bring greatness out of it! Y’all. These verses brought me so much light even in the vast darkness I felt I was in. And, guess what? If God will do that for me, He will certainly do that for you!

Friends, I don’t know what kind of dark tunnel you feel like you’re in at the moment – there are so many ways this life can knock us down – but here’s what I DO know:

• For those of us who belong to Christ, there is ALWAYS hope in Him! You may feel like your prayers are hitting the ceiling; you may feel like God has forgotten you or that He is very far away. Please choose, as I have had to do over and over again this past week, to believe what is true of our God – that He is always good, that He will never leave or forget us, that He grieves with us when we are hurting and discouraged.

• Choose not to give up! Choose to believe God is working in and through you, even when you are so exhausted and discouraged, you can barely lift your head. God is the one who meets us where we are. Jesus understands our feelings – He experienced every single one of them while on earth, as a human. He can handle our discouragement, our anger, our confusion, our fatigue – He really can! Choose to be honest with Him and let Him heal you – body, soul, and spirit!

• Choose to EXPECT whatever your situation is to be REDEEMED by our wonderful Lord! He is the only one who can take something that almost kills us and turn it into someone else’s transformed life. And He will do it!

I don’t know how many of you have seen The Chosen, Season 3, Episode 8. (Side bar: if you haven’t seen it, PLEASE watch it – it will change you!) The episode starts out with King David and his wife listening to a performance of Psalm 77, by Asaph, David’s choir director. One of the things I love about the Psalms is that these poets, King David included, let it all hang out with God! They weren’t afraid to tell God how they were feeling; they knew God well enough to know that God would love them through whatever they were dealing with. But, no matter how “gloom, despair, and agony on me,” some of the Psalms start out, they always end with the poet going back to who God was, what He had already done for them in the past, and their faith in what He would do now and in the future. I thought I’d leave you today with portions of this chapter. Be encouraged, Friend; God loves you, He sees you, and He is always working in our lives!

Psalm 77

I cry out to God; yes, I shout.

Oh, that God would listen to me!

When I was in deep trouble,

I searched for the Lord.

All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted.

I think of God, and I moan, overwhelmed with longing for His help.

You don’t let me sleep. I am too distressed even to pray!

I think of the good old days, long since ended,

when my nights were filled with joyful songs.

I search my soul and ponder the difference now.

Has the Lord rejected me forever?

Will He never again be kind to me?

Is His unfailing love gone forever?

Have His promises permanently failed?

Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has He slammed the door on His compassion?

But then I recall all You have done, O Lord; I remember Your wonderful deeds of long ago.

They are constantly in my thoughts.

I cannot stop thinking about Your mighty works.

O God, Your ways are holy.

Is there any god as mighty as You?

You are the God of great wonders!

You demonstrate Your awesome power among the nations.

By Your strong arm, You redeemed Your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.