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Nowhere To Run - Nowhere to Hide

Have you ever felt that you share in the long-suffering of Job?

Heart-tearing loss encompasses you, soul-numbing sadness fills your eyes, and even your spouse has advised you to turn your back on God. And, all the while the shame of blame pours across you.

Your friends who seek to comfort only examine your pierced heart, and pierce it afresh. In a proud blindness they judge it. Any soothing is absent, any comfort hides.

In your heart alone you plead innocence, because not one will listen. Your voice is silenced, and still the waves roar.

You know, you just know - there is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

Maybe Job could have penned these seven reflections, for he too lived long with nowhere to hide?

  • Suffering is not to be fled, it is to be redeemed.
  • When I trust God in the darkness, I also learn to sing in the rain.
  • Suffering is to forge my heart. I will not be the same when the blasts cease.
  • Suffering trains me for a harvest of righteousness.
  • How sweet does praise become when it can still arise in foul darkness.
  • Don't despise the day of hardship for the good Lord is both there with you, and has been there before you.
  • A man untouched by pain holds praise that can't reach heights. First his soul must kneel in the depths. It is from the release of suffering that praise will explode.

The book of 1 Samuel recounts the giant adventure of a young man, soon to be king. He fought Goliath. He had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. He knew who owned his battles. In faithfulness he saw their results.

As with Job, as with David - the battle was never theirs nor is it yours, it was the Lord's all the time.

Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands. (1 Samuel 17:47)

Today's Soul Snippet:

"Impulse does not drive wisdom." ~ Michael Cartwright

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