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raw joy
Sometimes, joy doesn’t look like rejoicing. It may feel startling, or undesirable; its rough edges may scrape our fragile skin as we brush up against it. But when we begin to recognize joy in the raw places of our grief and disillusionment, we are convinced anew that God is good, that faith is real. When we see that there is hope ahead, that we haven't been abandoned in the midst of an unfinished story, this is our joy. So hang onto this truth, Beloved, when the winds blow untamed and the path twists in front of you. Yes, there may be suffering and pain where the road bends, but the…
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when roads bend
Almost without fail, one of the reasons God allows our dreams to die is an intimate one: He is using this place of surrender to draw us closer to Himself. Remember the patriarch Abraham, obediently holding the knife over his beloved son, Isaac? By his actions, Abraham had proven himself loyal to God. Now, the Lord wanted to test the faith of his heart. The precious dream of hope and future God had granted his faithful servant hovered a breath away from its demise. Would Abraham remain open to hearing God’s voice, even in his moment of greatest anguish?
