The Lord has allowed Julie and me to walk a path of testing for the last seven years. We can, without hesitation, say that these have been the most blessed years of our life and ministry. We have wept an ocean of tears. Our hearts have oft felt like they would break in two. The difficulty of the years, though, have been far outweighed by the grace, peace and fellowship we have experienced from the Lord. God has given us the opportunity to minister in a far greater way.
With hopeful expectation, we wait everyday for Emily to come home. God has flooded our hearts with peace, that He is in control. I’ve watched my wife weep deeply and then turn around and try to lift someone else’s burden. God’s goodness can always be found in God’s trying.
We often do not understand why God chooses to disrupt our pathway. I remember how healthy I had been all my life. Loved sports…loved the outdoors…..strong as an ox…all that surely made it easier to serve the Lord….. or I would think. Then God had a different plan. Twenty-eight surgeries…… a heart attack….five heart procedures…nine spinal surgeries…hundreds of doctors appointments…..memory loss….six years of every moment pain…..asthma, cellulitis, afib, severe arthritis, and I could bore you with more.
If I were to choose the path to best serve the Lord, in my flesh I probably would not choose this new path. It hinders me…It frustrates me….It embarrasses me….it weakens me. But, that reminds me that with God, there is strength in weakness. Often we would never seek to draw from His resources if ours were not depleted. God is teaching me everyday that His peace is better than my potential. His grace is better than my guarantees. Some may say, aren’t you hurt at God for what He has allowed. I can fervently say, NO….What are the benefits then, Mark?? The opportunity to fellowship with Him more in prayer. The opportunity to lean on Him more. The opportunity to understand more the beauty of His name. The joy to give Him my burdens so I can help share someone else’s. The experience of reaching into the Word of God daily to pull out words to transform my life.
Julie and I love serving God together. We love singing. I love preaching. I’m humbled at seeing people saved. We love counseling. We love teaching…..but I have become so thankful for the ministry of “weakness”. It has taught me so much. It has blessed me so much. It has deepened my trust in God, so much.
If God is taking you through trials. Please let Him use it to glorify Himself, edify others, and make you more like Him. Let’s thank the Lord for “weakness”.
Truths for Today 