[Discoveries] 09-18-07 ... a little longer

[Inspiration in Your Inbox]

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/*When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of 
those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony 
they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, 
Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until You judge the inhabitants of the 
earth and avenge our blood?" Then each of them was given a white robe, 
and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their 
fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was 
completed. -- Revelation 6:9-11*/

I got an email one day from someone who told me that she hates God 
because she finds Him to be cruel. As I prayed and reflected on how to 
best answer her, I realized that I don't have very many answers. I don't 
know why life doesn't make sense, and why so many people suffer so 
terribly. I knew that even if I had the answers, they probably wouldn't 
satisfy her. God has all the answers, but He only chooses to share some 
of those answers with us. If we really needed answers, I guess He would 
give them to us.

Here in this passage, God's saints in heaven cry out for an answer. But 
God doesn't give them a direct answer. All He does is tell them that 
every person's suffering counts. There is weight and value in every 
person who suffers. Each one is bringing God's plan closer to it's 
conclusion. The moment will come when the last saint will fall. Then God 
will rise and judge the earth.

When I wrote my reply, all I could do was tell her what suffering people 
had shown me. I had nothing to offer her, because what are my little 
trials compared to years of pain? But I could point her to members of 
the heavenly family who know pain more intimately than I do. I stood on 
the sidelines and looked with awe at what God had done in their lives. 
And I invited her to look with me. I couldn't explain it to her. Rather 
I just stood there, like a little child, and pointed at something I 
didn't understand.

Their suffering counts. It speaks when I am silent. It brings God back 
into the lives of the people He loves.

Be encouraged!
Dwight



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