"[People like to pretend that in our current struggle, it can't get worse because Paul says that God does not throw struggles for us to bear that surpass our ability to handle them.] That's not true; it can always get worse."
I put that in quoted brackets because the wording is mine, but the thought was not.
My sister gave me some derivation of that (thanks Sis). And how true I am finding it is. We struggle and we hurt and it's hard, but His promise isn't to only give us a limited amount of difficulty to our lives-- His promise is to give us strength to see them (the struggles) through, a "way of escape" found through full trust in His deliverance.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. - 1 Corinthians 10:13
I read through some of Matthew today. It was strange; I was sitting in my Anthropology class and my professor was talking about laborers, and carpenters, and I couldn't wait to get out because I needed to open up my Bible. When he dismissed us, I went straight to Memorial Union and settled into a comfy chair to hear what God had to say. Matthew was the book I thought of-- I'm not exactly sure why, other than wanting to read about the work Jesus did while he was walking on earth.
This is what He told me in the time I spent with Him:
Seek first the kingdom of Heaven.
When you pray, pray that My will be done.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for I will satisfy them.
Faith is all I'm asking for, but I ask for it wholly.
This week has been a big week of prayer for us at the Zou. The ministries here have joined to focus on the power of prayer to our God that connects to us individually, our God that works for us and not against us, our God that hears, and listens, our God that has the strength to move this school in ways we cannot imagine. We have a common meeting area in a church on campus that's been open for the last seven days, 24 hours a day, for us to go in and pray together (or separately). Last night, I went in with a few girls from Crusade and we prayed together, and I can honestly say that it was the best communication I've had with Him... maybe ever.
He's been showing me more about patience and obedience in my growth than I've ever cared to ask Him for before now. He's showing what it means to be faithful and trusting in the most difficult times to give up my fight for control, when things are so hard that I can't understand what He's doing. He's showing me what it means to be blessed through His infinite and unconditional love for me, His loving desire to show Himself to me more fully, the ways He works for me and not against me, and how every single way I embrace Him fulfills His will for my life.
And when I read in Matthew today the way Jesus shows us how to pray (because there is no desire we have that God does not already know), prayer to God took on a whole new meaning. That prayer he gave us looked different than it ever has to me. Because I'm beginning to see what surrendering to His will really looks like. I'm beginning to feel, not simply know, the Truth in the fact that nothing is greater than my God that is for me, than His plans that are for me, than His love that is for me.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 4:4-7
The words don't start until about 1:40 or so. It's worth the wait though. (:
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