Last week I had the opportunity to hear Ward Foley speak. Ward is known as Scarman and goes around speaking about the pain, surgeries and disfigurement he has endured after being born with Arthrogryposis. I heard him speak at a secular event and it was amazing to hear him speak about his life with such a positive attitude. As he recounted all he had been through he highlighted the specific times there was a difficult period in this life: severe burns, a car accident, the loss of his mother, etc. Each time he talked about these afflictions he would say they were a "blessing and a gift."
Can we as Christians say this about the minor inconveniences (or the major ones) we are called to endure? Do we see the testing we are currently in as a blessing and a gift from God? Can we thank Him for the thorns in our side whether they are physical ailments, a pesky family member, or being stuck in a job we despise?
Ward has used the pain in his life to comfort others who are suffering from physical handicaps or those who are close to death. He talked about the peace he has and how he converses with God daily so perhaps he is a born-again believer. It's hard to fake true peace. For those who don't know God they often seek temporary peace in a belief system, meditation or even an illicit drug. But the true peace we find in God through Jesus Christ is a peace that no one can steal from us. When I understand that God is with me at all times and through any difficult challenges, what do I have to fear?
To learn more about Scarman, visit his website.
Have you thanked God for the blessings and the gifts that come with thorns?
It's so easy to lose sight of that when we are going through trials, and we really do need to remember that the trials that we endure our for our good and for God's glory. Its because He loves us that He gives us the blessings of trials that make us grow.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great reminder.