She sits across the coffee table from a friend she hasn’t connected with in years. This friend knows the suffering, pain, and disappointment God has brought her through. The question from her friend hangs in the air between them: “How are you?”
She looks around, tilts her head, squints her eyes, and hopes uttering the words won’t break the spell. She almost whispers, “I’m good…really good.”
Has this ever been you? Have you ever found yourself in a wonderful season where it’s easy to see the gifts from God outweighing the negatives? I know I have. The heaviness of the world is still there; I have friends I’m praying for desperately, but for me and my house right now, everyday life is without major problems.
The Bible answers many of our questions when suffering leaves its mark. In our broken world, grief should be expected at some point, but what about when everything seems to be going mostly right? How do we interact with God and Scripture then?
Thankfully (pun intended), Scripture has an answer for this as well in today’s story of the ten lepers. Ten men were healed of their leprosy. Ten men were released back to society to work for wages, went home to their families and friends, and walked in the streets again. How many thanked Jesus?
One.
I thought thankfulness would roll off of their lips easily. Wouldn’t we do anything for God if He would just answer our prayers? Then we’d have something to be grateful for. But when all is going well, it is very tempting to forget who gave us the blessing in the first place.
God is the One who gives us everything, not our human efforts (Psalm 95:3–5). When we move into a new home or a long-awaited baby is born, we can shout hallelujah! Thank you, Lord, our Creator who makes beautiful things! We don’t have to feel guilty when we experience happiness on this earth. However, we must fill the jars of our hearts with lightning bugs of joy, treasuring up gifts of his eternal faithfulness. His gifts are meant to be enjoyed; they really, truly are. But we return to the core of our joy, that lightning bug inside the jar.
What should we ultimately find joy in? Colossians doesn’t let us forget which treasures we should be storing up, “the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Colossians 1:9). All of heaven rejoices when we put our faith in the only One who can save us. Kyle Worley from the Knowing Faith podcast says it this way, “We shout truths about God in the light so we can stand on them in the dark.” Lightning bugs don’t show up as well in the light, but they can’t be missed in the dark. The greatest joy is being saved from death and darkness to eternity and light with Jesus.
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@ELLE K – praying for your mom and her biopsy! I know scary it can be as I work with those types of patients every day. Praying her results are clear. Happy Monday ladies! Praying for you all today!! So grateful for everybody’s honest hearts. Thank you to everybody who prayed for my sister. She got the apartment but now is the test on whether or not she has the will to leave the situation. Praying she has faith to do so.
My husband died suddenly in July 2020. When I was in the emergency room handling all the admin stuff while his body was in the holding area, the song Blessed Be Your Name just snuck its way into my head.
“Oh you give and take away
God give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name”
Store those lightning bugs in your jar, ladies. They will serve you well when it gets dark. ♥️
My husband died suddenly in July 2020. When I was in the emergency room handling all the admin stuff while his body was in the holding area, the song Blessed Be Your Name just snuck its way into my head. “
I totally agree❣️
I have been so moved by all the testimonies from those who have experienced tragedies that are the worst life has to offer. Your stories of how God was always with you, and your praise to Him, is such a testament to your faith and His faithfulness to always be with us.
I agree with lolly regan and Jennifer Anapol that I can take all the amazing blessings from God for granted. I have even complained about some of those blessings, such as my house, which is very small compared to former houses in my life. I am making a commitment to consciously express my gratitude and thanks to God for all of his blessings in my life. I am extremely blessed, and want to give all praise to God.
Thank you to everyone who prayed for my friend and her daughter, Aliya, who was having so much difficulty getting her drivers license due to citizenship issues. By working with a different DMV office, and three officials there who stepped up to work through the red tape, Aliya now has her drivers license. God cares about everything in our lives, and there is so much to praise Him for.
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He left all behind to save the 1 lost soul (me). I am quite literally eternally grateful and thankful that God cared enough about me and loved me to make sure that I was rescued and saved! I love ❤️ this parable from Luke 15. It warms my heart like nothing else ever will. Thank you SRT Ladies for your encouragement and faithfulness in reading this study with me. GOD BLESS all of you and your families.