This is a newly edited version of a prior version of this post (written 7 years ago)
33 years ago this month I ‘tithed’ my legs to God. You don’t believe me? The righteous Lord is my witness, I asked the Father to change my whole life – my ways and destiny – and offered my legs on the altar of surrender as a sign I recognized Him as the owner of all of me.
Just as Christ was three days in the tomb and Jonah was three days in the belly of the great fish, I was in limbo for three days, waiting on the Father to act. And on Friday night – three days later – He did. (Read about it in My Story on the menu bar above)
When I was a severely ‘backslidden’ college junior, my eldest sister was deeply burdened for her miserable brother and sent a brief epistle outlining her sisterly concern. Her words spoke life to my dead bones and fueled my desperation to leave my wretched, lost condition far behind and pursue that for which Christ had pursued me.
Dearest Scott, my heart hurts for you—it’s no fun when you’re miserable. But it may be partly my fault. You see, I’ve been praying seriously that this would be a year in which God makes you a ‘man after His heart’—a man of God—I love you so much that I want to see you reach heights that so few ever really reach. Maybe our Faithful Father is taking you through the ‘refining fire’ to become that man who knows Him intimately—Scott, I known I’m preaching, but please let this be a year where nothing or no one is more important to you than God Himself—this year may be a humbling one for you—and if you don’t want any more of the ‘fire’ maybe I should stop praying for you…
“Man after His heart.”
“Heights.”
“Refining fire.”
“Fire!”
These are my companions through life and I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m living the life I could have only hoped for 33 years and a different lifetime ago. My wheelchair is an asterisk and paralysis a footnote. The real narrative of my life tells the Story of a faithful God who is using my brokenness as a means of taking me from glory to glory.
Thank you, Lord, for entrusting me with this life and teaching me about Your ways.
Here’s 33 things* I’ve learned about God in my school of suffering:
1. The refining process is tied to His purpose of our transformation and glorification
2. God is always faithful in the furnace; you may not always know what He’s up to, but you can always know He’s for you
3. God is always good and enduringly kind
4. He wastes nothing in making us holy
5. He redeems out of us each and every flaw
6. I am strongest when I’m utterly dependent on Him
7. When I weep, He weeps along with me
8. He never leaves me to face the dark valleys alone
9. Every trial and all suffering has a redemptive purpose
10. In the heat of adversity, God keeps His hand on the thermostat and His eye on the thermometer
11. Faithfully enduring trials invites us into deeper intimacy with the Father
12. It is not in suffering itself that brings glory but our voluntary, joyful acceptance of it
13. Broken people release the aroma of Christ’s love, healing and mercy
14. God only allows suffering when He is intent on birthing something new out of it
15. When we run from trial, or fight against it, greater works and blessings in us will be aborted
16. Each trial and hardship is accompanied by sufficient grace to enable us to overcome
17. To voluntarily endure suffering is proof that we belong to the Age to Come…it is the hostility of THIS age that works against us (and is the doorway into future glory!)
18. Suffering is the will of God
19. Suffering does not occur in a vacuum. It’s purpose is to unveil dedicated vessels to all creation to show forth the glory of God, so that all creation–every created thing–will know God has no equal and is infinitely wise, good and holy.
20. Our suffering adds greater punishment to the adversary’s destiny in eternal hell
21. When we faithfully stand in trial, the enemy is humiliated
22. The heavenly realm looks on in awe and reverence when the people of God express surrendered joy through trial
23. Our faithfulness in adversity strengthens the church as a whole and increases faith in others who witness it
24. When we suffer – and come through it – God will give us a platform to help others in their trial
25. Experiencing God’s faithfulness through our suffering makes sin and the sheen of this world less attractive
26. Our sufferings are always captured in prescribed, momentary seasons and the blessings are exponential and eternal
27. Suffering subtracts pride and multiples humility
28. The more you triumph in trial, the more courageous you become and the threats of the enemy become less intimidating
29. There’s no greater evangelical “tool” than for the unsaved to encounter a broken vessel that let’s the Light of Christ shine into the darkness!
30. The afflictions of this lifetime will determine the affluence of my eternity and the pains I endure here will reciprocate to pleasures compounded daily for eternity
31. Until faith has been tested in fire it cannot be trusted in life
32. God is more focused on my character than my comfort – but not at the expense of His being my Comforter!
33. Joyfully embracing brokenness leads to patience, gratitude and infectious hope
*Incidentally, I composed this list parked at my son’s graveside, having a chat with my boy
Amen Brother
Thank you so much for sharing this again! I forwarded it to two dear people I talked with today. I know it will encourage and bless them. Thank you for living the life and walking the walk that floods this article with credibility. You bless me and challenge me beyond words!!