Today I spent an entire afternoon drinking coffee, eating fattening desserts (twice), searching for Khakis(unsuccessfully since the Morgantown mall seems to thinks it more important to have out spring clothing than winter clothing), and laughing with two amazing friends. (The snow kept the other half of my brain stuck at home) After we survived the drive home in the whiteout, we wanted to continue our night of fun with game night. The Barrickville bus, (my Honda Civic with unlimited miles for 2011) made rounds to each of our homes to ensure we got the best games, movies, and food supplies available to make our night more entertaining. As we were arriving at our destination for the evening; we received a phone call. The friend on the other end of the line had a miscarriage today. Instantly, I began thinking of the pain that had plagued me for so long. My night of laughs (and junk food) was halted and sadness filled my heart. As I listened to my friend on the other end of the phone, I thought of the trials my closest group of friends had endured over the years. We have a history of the pain involved with unexpectedly losing a loved one. We have a history of the helplessness involved when watching a week old baby boy fight for his life in the NICU. We have a history of the cascade of emotions experienced during miscarriages, sexual assaults, affairs, and drug addictions. Our history is so intense that reliving it brought tears to my eyes but it didn’t bring pain to my heart. My heart was filled with peace. My heart was filled with peace because despite our heart-wrenching events; we have a history of God.
The very gift of our friendship was a part of God’s plan for each of us. He has sustained us with His presence and love. He uses the best qualities in each of us in order to make our friendship superior to most. But our history of God extends beyond great friends, good laughs, and priceless memories. We have the history of God’s greatness in every area of our lives. When I find myself surrounded in pain or when I find myself asking God why; I know that I may not have the ability to grasp His purpose or plan but I have the faith to trust the history of His greatness. And His greatness has been revealed over and over again, especially within a group of beautiful, strong, determined friends. His greatness healed the scars of sexual assaults, His greatness has provided us with 4 BP babies, His greatness provided strong Christian husbands. His greatness broke the bondage of drug addictions. His greatness has given us each other to face this life with. And when we aren’t strong enough to stand or when we just want to sit, cry, and ask God why; we have each other to remind us of how beautiful God’s love really is. My history of God isn’t limited to my friends. And unfortunately neither is my history of pain and heart ache. Many times I have been left crying out to God. Many times I have found myself overwhelmed with the history of my life in just 26 short (or long) years. And when my heart is broken and my cheeks are stained with tears; I remember the deep history of God. I trust Him and love Him more than anything in the world, even more than my history of painful, traumatic, and scarring events. Are you constantly finding yourself asking God why? Are you consumed with a history of pain and hurt? Have you made room in your heart for God to allow His history to begin? God is beyond awesome friends. And even when all we can see is hurt, pain, and sadness; He still has a strong history of greatness. A history that can be found in every part of our lives when we trust Him.
Tonight despite a phone call from a broken hearted friend; we still had game night. (Tomorrow, I will invade her home hold her in my arms and cry with her) We played Mad Gab and as I listened to others try to figure out a phrase; I laughed until it hurt. I laughed mostly because to everyone else, except the one trying to pronounce the words on the card, the phrase was completely obvious (and because BLT-V was hysterical). God is like the other players in Mad Gab. He is able to make sense of our lives and He understands every detail to His plan when we are left in a state of confusion. We may never be able to understand the intense history of our lives but to the one providing the greatness, it is completely obvious and part of His History in us.
Verse to remember: 1 Peter 4:12-13 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the suffering of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
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