In Very Hard Time, Remember This...

[Char-Gar]

Paul/Saul of Tarsus was a very complex man that faced many hardships and privations in his life, including physical problems, being beaten and left for dead and long years of imprisonment under very hard circumstances. He prayed often for relief, but the answer came back to him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2nd. Corinthians 12:9).

Each of us, often very different ways, has suffered or will suffer what I call the long dark night of the soul. This is a time when crushing burdens are laid upon us and we cry out to God for relief. It is in these times we should remember that God's grace is sufficient for us. In life and in death, all we really need is God's grace. If you are a person of faith, you have all you need to weather the fiercest of storms that life can put against us.

[Andy]

Amen to this, we just got through a rough patch over the last four months and we are just about out of the woods. God always provides for our basic needs and we always feel our best when we are talking to him daily about it.

[shoot-n-lead]

Thanks for that post, Char-Gar.

[Blackwater]

Amen, Char-Gar. We seem to grow through suffering, and tend to confront the things that we've been dismissing until we get in a deep, dark hole, and suddenly, they mean something real to us again. God truly does work in mysterious ways, His wonders to fulfil. I think He'd be a lot gentler with us if we just had less concern for our selves and OUR wants, and looked rightfully to His will in our lives. I know it took me an awful long time to learn this simple lesson, and I'm still learning it again and again. "Too soon old, too late smart."

This is another reason I think humility is the most important personal attribute we can have as Christians. If we're humble, more things matter to us, we notice them more reliably, and we no longer concentrate so near exclusively on our own wills. I keep trying to get it all figured out, but this is as far as I've gotten. I'm just thankful He's tendered me for as long as He has now! He gives us what we NEED, and not necessarily what we WANT. Thank God for that!

[rl69]

Thank you. Great words of encouragement.

[rl69]

On another forum we post complementing verses. I hope I'm not stepping on your toes

Daniel 10New American Standard Bible (NASB)Daniel Is Terrified by a Vision10 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a [a (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22017a)]message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great [c (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22017c)]conflict, but he understood the [d (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22017d)]message and had an understanding of the vision.
2 In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. 3 I did not eat any [e (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22019e)]tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the [f (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22020f)]Tigris, 5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. 6 His body also was like [g (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22022g)]beryl, his face [h (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22022h)]had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult. 7 Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves. 8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my [j (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22024j)]natural color turned to [k (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22024k)]a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength. 9 But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.
Daniel Comforted10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my [l (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22026l)]hands and knees. 11 He said to me, “O Daniel, man of [m (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22027m)]high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand [n (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22027n)]upright, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. [B]13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was [o (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22029o)]withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the [p (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22030p)]latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet [I]future.”
15 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I [q (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22031q)]turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. 16 And behold, [r (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22032r)]one who resembled a human being was touching my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who was standing before me, “O my lord, as a result of the vision [s (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22032s)]anguish has come upon me, and I have retained no strength. 17 For how can such a servant of my lord talk with such as my lord? As for me, there remains just now no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me.”
18 Then this one with human appearance touched me again and strengthened me. 19 He said, “O man of [t (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22035t)]high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace [u (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22035u)]be with you; take courage and be courageous!” Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, “May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” 20 Then he said, “Do you [v (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22036v)]understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the [w (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22036w)]prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the [x (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22036x)]prince of [y (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22036y)]Greece is about to come. 21 However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who [z (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+10#fen-NASB-22037z)]stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.

[Boaz]

A good post , open to individual need . Thank you .

[Boaz]

Weakness , need of GOD . A strength .

[Eddie Southgate]

Amen to all of the above. Glad to see these postings are allowed here .

[smoked turkey]

Thank you Char-Gar for that great post. There is a lot of wisdom in it.

[Bzcraig]

Thanks Char....great reminder!

[USMC87]

Excellent read!

[Pine Baron]

Thank you Char-Gar, great reminder of the strength through Grace.

[w5pv]

Amen to the above.

[Preacher Jim]

i qoute that verse to myself many times per day when i want to complain about my not being able todo things.
a great post.

[Blackwater]

Truly, there are many paradoxes in the Bible. They usually take me a while to figure out, how they could possibly work that way. But maybe that's why they exist to start with - to get us TO think seriously, deeply and thoroughly, and to see things that are NOT at first quite so apparent or clear? Truly, God is SO much more knowledgable and understanding than we could ever be! Thank God for it, too!

We tend to follow the paths of least resistance, and we only learn, really, when we're challenged and tested. We generally call these "problems," but I think God sees them as more "opportunities" for us? If anyone here can figure it all out, PLEASE explain it to me! I've been working on it all my life, and even so, still "see through the glass darkly!" But maybe that's so we can and will realize just how massively awesome our God truly is? That's the biggest lesson I've been able to glean from it all. I wish I were smarter, but even if I were, I still doubt I'd be satisfied even then. I guess that's why He gives us Faith?