How to become your "right size"

"So often the initial reaction to painful sufferings is 'Why me? Why this? Why now? Why?' You've heard God speaking with you. The real God says all these wonderful things and does everything he says. He comes for you in the flesh, in Christ, into suffering, on your behalf. He does not offer advice and perspective from afar; he steps into your significant suffering. He will see you through and work with you the whole way. He will carry you even in extremes. This reality changes the questions that rise up from you heart. That inward- turning, "why me" quiets down, lifts its eyes, and begins to look around.

You turn outward and new wonderful questions form. Why you? Why you Why would you enter this world of evils? Why would you go through loss, weakness, hardship, sorrow and death? Why would You do this for me, of all people? But you did. You did this for the joy set before you. You did this for love. You did this showing the glory of God in the face of Christ. As that deeper question sinks home, you become joyously sane. The universe is no long supremely about you. Yet you are not irrelevant. God's story makes you just the right size. Everything counts, but the scale changes to something that makes much more sense. You face hard things. But you have already received something better which can never be taken away. And that better something will continue to work out the whole journey long.

The question generates a heart felt response: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget any of his benefits..."

David Powlison ( Page 173)
Suffering and the Sovereignty of God
Piper/Taylor
Crossways Books

Log in Date

Yeah!!! We heard from Bethany Services today and our log in date was June 26, 2007...only 5 days after our dossier got to China. This is very encouraging news and we are hopeful that things will begin to move forward quickly...a relative term. The current wait is 21 months. Please continue to pray for our little Sophie girl.