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Closer to Christ
The trials of life are meant to push us closer to Christ. The night Jesus was betrayed, we find John with his head on his Master’s chest. When Jesus announced that one of His disciples would betray Him, wouldn’t John’s reflexive response likely be to quickly lift his head and draw back in shock? In my imagination, I see Jesus placing His hand gently on his head to draw him near again.
Near Jesus is exactly where I need to be when troubling words or wounding circumstances come. This kind of intimacy can feel a little uncomfortable for some, specially for men, but the physical image points to a deeper spiritual reality. When one of my kids wants to crawl into my lap and press in close after a skinned knee or a scary dream, I can’t help but be reminded of the tender love God has for His children. I am glad to be the one they run to. Think about it: There is a short list of folks who have an open invitation to place their head on your shoulder or chest. My list includes only my wife and two kids. No one else gets those kinds of hugs, because there is a depth of relationship that precedes such intimate contact.
When I am hurting, when I’m experiencing that part of God’s will that I do not want, He is the one I run to. The truth is, God has “rigged” this life to require Jesus Christ at its center. Faced with the part of God’s will I do not want, He is the One I draw close to, trusting that He is weaving a plan— even when I don’t understand how.
Through that difficult morning of loss and heartbreak, Kelly and I learned immeasurable lessons in trust. We chose to pray and believe that God was in control. We returned home from the hospital and cranked up some of our favorite songs of praise in the stereo ... and we cried. We focused our attention on God and pressed in to Him, hurting, but knowing it was Him we needed most. We didn’t like His will and did not want it, but He didn’t ask us about that. He does not have to. He is the Sovereign One. My job is to cling to Him in trust.
About this Plan
In the most difficult times, we can deeply trust that those are the very circumstances God will use to accomplish His eternal plan in us! He is faithful not to wound us at random; He is faithful to save us forever. Throughout our lives, we will surely experience pain and heartache, but they are not meant to thwart the mission of the Lord, but to further it! So, keep standing. Keep trusting.
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