Poem 1
You don't count on
Being left alone so that
It can be seen
What's in your heart
Yet, GOD did Hezekiah that way
Like things may be done today.
(This poem says to me that, sometimes in life, you go through some things to have your mettle tested. This means how you measure up in critical moments; when situations get rough; when your resources are seemingly dried up. What do you do then?)
Poem 2
No one likes the twisting and turning
That comes along with the scrubbing
But it's thru the washing
That your true colors show
A fact that I know.
(This poem says to me that as a result of what has happened to you in the first poem, you have been reduced to the bare bones; all of the fluff is gone, you have bare bone rubbing against bare bone. If you suffer from arthritis, then you know what I am talking about and if you don’t, ask somebody. They will gladly tell you what it is like. If you are a bit younger and don’t know anything about such things, then allow me to explain it another way. If you have ever played sports and have ever torn cartilage in your knee, then that resulting pain can sometimes be because of bone rubbing against bone because the cartilage has been displaced. At any rate, you know that it is a very painful situation.)
“Yes, well get on with it; make me feel better, (if you can),” you might say. Alright, here we go, a few home truths:
If you are a person of faith, then you are a person who prays regularly, right? If you pray regularly, then rest assured that Jesus knows about you and knows your name and hears every prayer that you pray.
That means that you have His attention.
That is a big plus for you!
People with great faith are tested just like Hezekiah was.
You don't believe me? Well, look at these scriptures: Elijah, 1 Kings 19; Nehemiah 4 - 6; and Abraham, Genesis 22:12. There are many more, but I just gave you a few of them. During the testing of your faith, you pray more fervently than ever. The trials teach you to lean on Jesus more and less on self because he will take some of the trappings out of the way so that you can realize and fully learn to trust Him. When there is no money in the bank anymore and the proud savings that you used to have and the 401k are all gone when you have been reduced to bare bones and things begin to rub. Bone upon bone… a blessing for you because when sinew begins to form on those old bones, relief from pain is so piercingly sweet that you will tell anybody who will listen just like I am doing right now. Your faith is strengthened because you can now say with conviction like the saints of old, “He made a way out of no way. No, no That's not right! He took what you thought you knew to be an impossible situation and did some Godstuff and now you are stronger because of it and your faith is on its way to being rock solidly built! Another blessing for you, blessed before, during and after the storm!
Blessed before the storm because you got His attention
Blessed during the storm because your prayer life was strengthed in that you developed a closer relationship with Him
Blessed after the storm because your faith is now unshakable and your resolve to tell your fellowman is tantamount
Your telling of your story causes you to Brag on God, like me! Either way, you count it, you win!
So, when your troubles come, and storms begin to rise, just know that this is an opportunity for the strengthening of your faith and for blessing building for yourself and your fellowman.
(This topic is covered in much more detail in the book, Chopping My Row.)
Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,
Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones
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