{“… longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”}First things first. I wish I could gift each one of you a copy of Lisa Whittle’s new book, {w}hole. It’s just that good. That being said, the family budget only allows for two winners this go around, and those who’ve been chosen through random.org are Tiffany @ Tea with Tiffany and Terri Tiffany. Weird that they both have Tiffany as a name. Congratulations girls. Please e-mail me your snail mail, and I’ll get these to you in swift order.
Now, on to a thought for the day. A question really. One that’s been simmering close to my heart these past couple of days, because my heart has been tenderly bruised by the painful realities that sometime accompany a heart’s vulnerability—a heart’s willingness to lay open for exposure without placing any conditions on how it may or may not be received. Problem is (whether we realize it or not), we almost always place conditions on such vulnerabilities. We long for certain outcomes, and when the outcomes don’t meet up with our initial expectations, we’re sometimes left with a deficit of hope.
“Hope deferred does, indeed, make the heart sick; but longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12).
Deferred hope. Who of us hasn’t experienced this kind of heartache at least once, twice, or fifty times in our lifetimes? When this happens, even as it has happened for me this week, we must practice our faith despite worldly contradictions. We must speak it, rehearse it, pray it, and read it until we finally, again, rise to believe it. If we are to recover from the searing pain of hopelessness, then we must hit our knees to the floor and reach out for truth. God’s truth. Not truth as the world gives, but the truth that truly is and that lives in the heart and witness of Jesus Christ.
So, here is my question for you. A fill-in-the-blank sort of pondering. What answers would you provide to the following statement?:
I know that God is ________________________, because ________________________ .
What one (realizing that there are many) characteristic of God is most relevant, most needful, most apparent to you today—one thing that you “know that you know that you know” about our God? And secondly, you know this to be true because… (try to be specific here using a particular example of when this particular characteristic of God was made evident in your life).
Why the exercise?
Because sometimes we need the benefit, the courage, the strength, and the testimony of other believers to buoy us along on our road toward deeper faith. I certainly could use your witness today. If you’re so inclined and have the time, I’d love to hear some truth about our God. As always…
Peace for the journey
I know that God is loving and compassionate because He's comforted and ministered to me and my loved ones time and again. One recent example is how He has comforted, strengthened, and ministered to our family through the Word, songs, the words of others, etc. in an ongoing hope-deferred situation. Our strength is in Him…
I know that God is trustworthy because He has provided for me again and again throughout my life.
I know that He is capable of anything because before Brian's cancer took him, he knew Jesus and had the hope of a heavenly home. And now even though I am sad for today, I am filled with HOPE in the day I am reunited with my dear friend!
These comments are beautiful! I know that God is awesome because I see His beauty outside and inside through my family. His great love continues to amaze me. He gives us a fresh filling of Himself daily. Wow! Thank you sweet one for this post.
I wrote about {W}hole on blog as well along with a few other books. Can't wait to get started on Lisa's book.
Hugs!
Susan
I know that God is FAITHFUL because despite where I've been or will be in the journey of life… I can now look BACK to all the times He has never failed me… never! And that gives me revived hope to trust more boldly in the now. I can quickly point my finger at satan and remind him that God has NEVER failed me, and move more quickly ito the trust posture that God loves. That record of the past has become more dear in this chapter of my life.
I will be reading these comments with interest, and you and I and all the rest will be blessed and lifted up. I LOVE a testimony to God's faithful, loving, forgiving, understanding, compassionate, kind… heart!
xo
I know God is Faithful because he continues to provide for my needs
(don't just think physically needs)
When fear, doubt or despair come knocking at my door, He will show me a scripture that will minister to where I am, or I will recieve an unexpected email or phone call from a friend with encouragement, often starting with "the Lord just put you on my heart" When something like that happens it a real reminder of just how intimately aquianted God is with the details of my life and his care for me.
I know that God is compassionate, because He came near with His presence yesterday.
I had to have some tests run yesterday – and you know how much this type of situation makes me fearful. And yet, God came so tangibly close to me. His presence walked into the room, and He held me.
I'll be posting about the experience in about a week. But it was a moment that caused me to realize that He has been with me since before I was born. He is a tender Father, with hands strong enough to encompass my entire world and my entire lifetime – and yet those hands are soft and tender and kind and good.
I am being held – just as you are – by a God who loves His little ones (even if they're all grown up).
GOD BLESS!
I know that God is PROVIDENT in those moments when we are unable to help ourselves; because when I was overwhelmed with recuperating from major surgery and wondering 'how' my family and household was going to run smoothly during recuperation, He sent his angels.
Those who came to us with food to revive and sustain, presence surrounding me with peace rather than lots of talking, and willing hands and feet to vacuum floors and put away dishes without saying a word.
In those moments I knew, that I knew, God was showing me his love, teaching me to open my heart and mind to 'receiving' in order for it to bless someone else.
Receiving is hard when one is used to being in service…lessons from the valley become the BEST mountaintops.
(p.s. at the end of this comment…my WORD VERIFICATION was…get ready…I didn't make this up: 'vallymen'…God's creativity of showing us when He's with us…even in the smallest 'word verifications'…oh, I could go on from there…)
I know that God is faithful because His fingerprints are all over the moments in my life that seemed the most hopeless. To the world, to the fleshy eye…there was no hope. But because of His faithfulness I saw His hand at work because I chose to see with HIS eyes only. It's a conscience effort. And when HIS eyes in mine cannot see, I know in my heart the truth
Hi Elaine,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting on my post "Smoldering Eyes and a Neck that Smells of Toothpaste." I agree, that is such tenderness, huh?
Thanks for your beautiful red leaf maple tree there, and the discussions happening here about who God is and hope deferred. God is faithful because he has shown it throughout the years to me, is what I would fill in the blanks there.
Blessings.
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
I've been studying the sovereignty of God – a couple extreme positions and quite a bit in between them…
I DO believe God is sovereignty. I'm trying to fill in the second blank with something more than "the Bible tells me so". Maybe I'll be back when I figure it out. 🙂
Praying for your "bruises", by the way.
I KNOW that God is faithful because no matter how hard the circumstances may have been MANY times in my life, He is ALWAYS there…ALWAYS makes His presence practically tangible for me. Has walked or even carried me through some of life's biggest challenges. This btw has been true for me EVEN WHEN I was too weak or lost to look to reach for Him. He reached for me. This is a wonderful post, and I will be checking back for more thoughts…
I know God is majestic because this whole week on my drive to work He has shown His majestic hand in the beauty all around me. I have been in awe and praising His name. It has been the most wonderful lesson I have gotten to learn. To see Him all around me.
Loved the tree by the way.
Blessing my frien
Tammy
I know that God is who He says He is because He has been faithful to reveal so many attributes of Himself to me time and time again!
I know that God is loving, because He doesn't always give me what I want. And sometimes He gives me what I don't want. I think of things in my past that I was sure were good for me, and God said no because He loved me too much to give me that and could see how it would hurt me. He could also see my future and know His plan was better. I only have a piece of the puzzle, but He has the whole thing put together. It is only when He gives me all the pieces that it makes any sense. He loves me so much that He knows how much I can handle at once. If He had revealed some things sooner, I might not have trusted Him. I might have backed away and said I can't do it. He loves me so much that He knows me personally. He knows all my thoughts and fears and weaknesses, and strengthens me. When I am having a discouraging day, He gives me just the right song, or verse, or reading material, or message to pick me up. Oh, how much He loves me! I could go on and on.
I know God is faithful and HIS timing is perfect because after 10 years of praying about a situation I'm seeing Him at work….not in the way I would have expected, but in HIS way and HIS time.
thanx 4 stopping by…
yep, no one can tell you the surprises you have after surgery (they took all my parts includ'g ovaries) … i woke up hot and have been that way ever since; even with HRT. I talk with God a lot about it…
I know that God is is real, because my heart longs for its maker and my heart longs for its maker because He (God) has set eternity in my heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11) so that I will seek Him, the eternal One who was and is and is to come.
Blessings!
I know that God is ________________________, because ________________________ .
I know that God is living and active, because He has been real to me through His Word and in prayer as I've struggled through a personally difficult and heart-wrenching month.
So thankful He lives!
Love you, precious Elaine. So thankful you took the time to minister and have me reflect this way today. I needed it.
I know that God is my Healer, because He has healed me over and over. I love you sweet friend, praying for you.
I know God is faithful to complete what He has started because I am living proof of that. I almost laugh when I think about the fact that I mentor women who range in all ages up to 85 plus years old. Me? Mentor someone who is almost twice my age? Especially when I have the privilege to know where I came from… who I was… all my baggage… God, you are amazing!
Love you, darling!
I know that God is able because He alone is God! I'm sorry for not being more specific, but it's just what popped into my brain. And, I so live this knowledge of Him in my life. Yet, there are times when I must reach deeply for it. Praise God that truth is always there, even when I have to search for it beneath any hope deferred.
Love you so much!
Andrea
" … that God is VERY near, because the enemy is doing his darndest to distract us."
As usual, I love your heart, Elaine. Tender & curious, you always take us to places of reflection.
God bless you!
Hi Elaine, I know God is trustworthy because He has never left me alone in a difficult situation. Never.
The past two posts you wrote were so honest, and you have once again touched a raw nerve in my heart with your words. I woke up a few nights ago from a dream where I had a huge lump on the right side of my neck, and clearly the message in my dream was that it was filled with infected pus. I understood the message… all God wants is for us to be aware of our deep need of Him – being humble enough to admit it.
Thanks for sharing about Lisa Whittle's book. When an author like her writes with a compassionate heart, her words have a tremendous capacity to speak healing into the lives of her readers!
I really loved the red leafed tree on your post. Is it a tree in your yard? May I know what tree it is?
Love
Lidia
I know that God is real and cares for me because he has clearly shown that to my family during our trials of the past four years. I know he has a plan as he has been unfolding it for us once we got onboard.
I am so excited to win this book!!!!! Thank you! It will minister to me at a time when I can really use it.
I know God "IS" because I simply couldn't make it without him. I pity those who try.
He is so faithful and continues to bless me and mine daily, even when we don't deserve it.
I know that GOD is personal because HE meets all of my needs.
When I am overwhelmed, HE displays patience, trustworthiness, love and power as HE works out the details of my life…including the healing of relationships to bring HIM Glory.
Blessings Elaine…sending my love!
🙂 Hi Elaine!
Did I see my name for the book (w)hole? If so, wow, thanks. I want to read that book.
I think you have my home addy, if not, let me know.
🙂
Miss checking in on you. Sending love and hugs,
Tiffany