At times, pain can blind you to God’s love but then unexpectedly, He’ll show you a thousand ways of showing His care and concern.
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SHAUNA: This is Shauna on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Today Joni reminds us that God’s got a thousand ways of showing His concern for your welfare.
JONI: And I should know that. And let me tell you how I know it. Many years ago, when my battle against pain shifted into high gear; when it began to really dampen my spirits and cause me to lose my joy, I realized I needed to shift into gear, too. I needed to start believing with a capital B that there was more faith to be had; more hope to be found; more peace; more victories. The spiritual level that I was on back then, it just wouldn’t do for this much more demanding battle. It was clear I needed more of Jesus – or I should say, He required more of me. The captain of my salvation was calling me to advance further into enemy territory, to a new frontier of battle. A battle against the ho-hum status quo; against doubts about God and His intentions; a battle against fears of things getting worse or even fears of the future. I needed to know that God was concerned for my welfare because my pain was completely blinding me to the reality of His concern. Really. What’s more, back then, I needed to see those thousand ways of Him showing His concern.
And so, I prayed. I mean, back then, I desperately prayed the prayer in Ephesians 1. I would highly recommend it. Somewhere around the 17th verse, you’ve got to pray that God’s going to give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation. I’m going to pray that the eyes of my heart are going to be enlightened, so that I can see hope. So that I can see those thousand expressions of His concern. I’m going to pray for more faith. Faith to see Jesus in all my pain.
And then, I stumbled across Isaiah 63:9. God opened the eyes of my heart to see something there I’d never seen before. And He revealed a fascinating side to His character in this passage. Because just listen to this; it is speaking of God’s people who are doubting and fearing. God is speaking to His people who are blind to His concern, and it says, “In all their affliction, [God] was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them. In His love and in His mercy, He redeemed them; and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.” Now, the prophet right there – Isaiah – he's reciting all the many ways God is concerned for His people. “In all their distress He too was distressed, and the angel of His presence saved them.” Wow, did God open my eyes with that verse. And He gave me faith to see that beyond a shadow of a doubt; God’s tenderness is aroused when I hurt. He knows when I suffer, and your suffering, too. He is touched by our tears. And He's not about to leave us alone in our misery. He’s going to come to our aid. It may not be the exact remedy we want at the time we want it, but He will show up. He has a thousand ways of showing His care and concern for your welfare and mine.
So, back then, from then on out, I began to see – I began to look for – the thousands of ways God shows His concern. God opened my eyes and helped me recognize my caregivers, my medical helpers, as “angels of His presence sent to save me.” Sometimes it was a card in the mail, a friend at the door, an encouraging insight from the Word, or a phone call from someone in a distant place who was suddenly prompted to pray for me. And life began to change. My heart became grateful through my pain, and I got back my joy.
SHAUNA: Friend, what are the ways God shows His tenderness to you? He does, you know. And if you don’t know, then ask Him to open the eyes of your heart, to give you faith, and to restore your joy. And then, just be on the lookout for the many thousands of ways He shows you His concern.
© Joni and Friends