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Jacob
said to his sons, “You have deprived me of my
children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more,
and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is
going against me!”
Genesis 42:36 |
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Have you ever lain awake at night, or
woken early in the morning, echoing Jacob’s words in your heart and
feeling that everything is against you?
Deep down you know that it is not
unusual for God’s children to go through times of extreme loss, from
Jacob’s day right through to people like Corrie Ten Boom, who lost
her entire family to the cruelty of the Nazi war machine.
Nevertheless, you struggle to understand why so much suffering has
come your way, and find yourself working hard not to let anxiety
hold you back from proper risk taking. Or you find yourself going to
the opposite extreme and becoming reckless, caring too little what
happens to you.
Those who have experienced rape,
burglary, assault, or some other physical or verbal threat, know
only too well how the memory of these shocks can dominate not only
your waking moments but surface again in your dream life. Wherever
there is any crack in your spiritual or psychological armour, fear
will attempt to slither though – and once fear takes root in the
soul, the ramifications are enormous. You dread going out, the door
being left open, the phone or doorbell ringing, the post arriving .
. . No part of life remains untouched.
The Lord can give you grace to handle
your “real” fears, as well as to cope with the underlying
insecurities that make you susceptible to allowing a foothold to
anxiety. If some generational sin or weakness has opened the way for
your fears to “attract” dark powers, then by far the best response
is to seek appropriate prayer from someone experienced in this
field. As quickly as possible! |
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Reflect and Pray
I mentioned the example of Corrie Ten Boom a moment ago. She alone
of her family survived the horrors of Belsen concentration camp,
from which she was mercifully released – by a clerical error(!) –
just days before she was scheduled to be killed. How easily she
could have breathed a sigh of relief and settled down to rebuild her
life in the aftermath of such intense trauma.
Instead, inspired by the vision her
sister had received before she died in the camp, Corrie set out to
minister to people who were suffering acutely, to tell them what
Jesus can do for broken people. Only eternity will reveal how many
people owe their salvation to Corrie rising to the challenge of such
a sacrificial lifestyle, rather than pulling down the shutters and
leading a safe and spinsterly existence.
Lord, inspire us with this same determination
to fulfil the vision that You have given us.
Use even the shocks we have experienced
to propel us into more of Your purposes,
In Jesus’ Name, Amen. |
Serif photo dvd |
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Shock and Guilt in the
Aftermath of Loss (ii)
When I consider how my
light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodg’d with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide,
“Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies: “God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts: who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed
And post o'er land and ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait.”
John Milton, On his Blindness
The huge number of people who live with some form of disability is
one more good reason for taking the time to understand the grief
process more fully – as well as for giving people time and space in
which to mourn the things they can no longer do.
Read More .
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