Why have you suffered? Why has God not prevented harsh days? or miserable months? or gloom-filled years?
In writing your memoir, are you asking such questions? Are you searching for answers to: "Can anything good come from darkness?"
Oswald Chambers writes, "Sometimes God puts us through the experience and discipline of darkness to teach us to hear and obey Him."
Ah, yes, sometimes God does things we humans don't understand at first. Have you ever asked God to help you hear Him? Obey Him? Then perhaps your troubles were leading you to God's answers. Could it be that your sorrows were necessary for you to hear and obey Him?
Chambers says, "God puts us into 'the shadow of His hand' until we learn to hear Him (Isaiah 49:2)."
Chambers has a special message for memoirists like you: "When you are in the dark, listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else once you are back in the light."
Read that again!
"When you are in the dark,
listen,
and God will give you
a very precious message for someone else
once you are back in the light."
Chambers reminds us that "song birds are taught to sing in the dark," and so are we!
What precious messages has God given you to share with others?
What vignettes can you include in your memoir about God teaching you to hear Him in the dark, and to obey, and to even sing in the dark?
Your stories are important. Someone needs to hear them.
Make time to get started today, even if you jot down only a few words as a reminder to yourself for another day.
Once again, I feel as if your blog is a personal message coming to me at just the right time. I'm taking this to heart and listening--but I think I need a hearing aid! ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh, Cathy, your comment made me smile: I think we all need a hearing aid! Why is it so hard for us humans to really listen to God?!
DeleteI know you must have special stories just waiting to be told. Write then down, Friend, write them down!
Thanks for stopping by, Cathy.
Linda
You are such a source of inspiration and encouragement Linda and your comment gave me the impetus to "pay it forward" and encourage others to tell their stories. I'm working on a blog story I hope to have posted later today in which I think you will be happy to see the influence you have had on me--and I hope you don't mind that I mention your blog in my post. :-)
DeleteIt is so true about God revealing Himself when we are in the light. I spent years wondering where God was in my past. For a long time He couldn't reveal where He was because it would have driven a bigger wedge between Him and me. As I began to learn who God was, and began to open my heart ot Him, He shared where He was. It was in unexpected places. For example, in my fantasy world, He was my imaginary mother and father. God was in the "nots" what did not happen with my abuse. He was also in surprising areas that even Christians might question - As I work on my memoir, He shows me more and more where He was in the events that happened.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is a blessing and I look forward to your posts.
Have a blessed weekend.
Your story is powerful! I especially took note of your comment about finding God in the "nots" -- what he was preventing that could have happened, but didn't, in your abusive situation. He is so good! We often miss His goodness if we don't take time to think about our past and search for where He was and what He was doing. I praise Him for the many ways He protected you and brought you to this place of healing. Bless you as you continue to process it all and write your memoir!
DeleteKeep in touch,
Linda
Thank you for encouraging me. He even used non-Christian groups to keep me alive until I was finally at a point where I could come to Him. Writing my memoir is a blessing and it's bringing me closer to God. Sure hope it helps others find Him too.
ReplyDelete