Questions

[Lostandconfused]

I hate to do this. I have really enjoyed our talk today. You have been a great help. My husband will be home soon and I have so much to do. I have put my housework off as much as I dare. My husband is only home on weekends so I will not be on again until tomorrow night.

Thank you so much for your time and patience with me. I will start this back up tomorrow.

Again, Thanks,
Deb

 

[dvd_holc]

Ok...I don't know how long I have also...But I look forward to any future talks...When I am at work I can post more often than at home. So I don't think I will post "much" this weekend...like you have family obiligations.

 

[lilmissmontana]

I won't be on when you come back but I wanted to take a minute and tell you how sad I felt for you as I read pieces of this thread. I wish I had a simple cut and dry answer for you. Obviously I don't. I lost four children to an abusive ex-husband that shot a gun and I went out the front door to take it out of the house. He locked me out, changed the locks and by the time it was over he had befriended the family counselor as a fishing buddy and I lost custody. It was a looooooooong fight back and not without a lot of emotional damage to everyone involved. I could go on forever - growing up without a mom as the oldest of for with a dad that is hard. The list goes on and on. I say this because I want to be very clear that I Can understand a lot of your hurt and anger. Been there done that as the saying goes. What I can tell you today right now. Find your joy in the Lord. Search and seek and pray. I realize you've been doing that. I promise you the Lord will not let you down. It's everyone else that lets us down. If you seek you will find. And it's ok, by the way, to be mad at God. He expects us to be honest. The key is if you acknowledge that hurt and anger at God. But even more, faith. Ask him to get you through the hurt and anger and believe he will. He will. I believe no one can be happy truly without change from within. We can change our patterns of behavior, our hearts, our viewpoint. So many things. But we can not change the people around us. I hope this helps. I will remember you and pray for you. belle

 

[InspiredHome]

Are you familar with the story of Joseph? He was sold into slavery by his own brothers and eventually was placed in prison. However, God was with him the whole time and gave him the ability to interpret dreams. By this he was released from prison and interpreted the Pharoah's dreams. He saved Egypt and surrounding areas from famine and certain death and became second in command of Egypt. Here is a passage from the scriptures that state exactly what I am trying to say:

Genesis 50:20
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

No matter the circumstance, God is ultimately in control and he sees the whole picture. God uses a short-term bad circumstance to bring about his greater plan. Bad things indeed happen and this is because this world is filled with sin. Sin is falling short of the mark--God's perfection. We put people, places, things and ourselves above God and in doing so we bring about pain and suffering. God has provided a remedy in his son, Jesus Christ. Jesus took on our shortcomings, sin, and failures and we who put our trust in Jesus take on his righteousness. As long as we live in this fallen world, people will continue to sin, even those who proclaim to Christians. Regardless, God uses us even as poor and pathetic representatives of him and reaches through to our hearts and lives. I am very sorry for the terrible things that have happened to you through the years. But the truth of God's love and healing should not be dimmed by mine or any other Christian's poor attempts to demonstrate such. Seek God with all your heart. He is there, waiting with open arms. Lay your burdens down. You need not carry them any longer.
Hugs and ferrets!

 

[quadding101]

I guess the best place to start is, why we r here. God has a zero tolerance for sin, God will not be around sin, God will allow no sin to enter His kingdom. So why did God create a place that He knew would be so sinful and full of suffering? If God wanted more to serve Him and to fellowship with Him, then He could have made more angel and avoided all this. God wants something from His creation called earth. The angels stood before God every day and yet 1/3 of them rebelled because they WANTED what God would not allow and they WANTED it MORE than they WANTED God. If they would have WANTED God MOST then they would not have rebelled. We r here because of what the angels did. We r here to be tested and tried, molded and made ready for heaven. God will have no more rebellion in His kingdom. If God were to make man and angel to where they would rebel nor sin then He would be programming us and them and we would be no more than robots. We would do exactly what God wants and nothing else. It is a matter of quality of life that God made man and angel free willed. If u can serve God no matter the cost like Job and Joseph (go through the fire). If u can obey and surrender ur will and do God's will for ur life (take up ur cross). If u can obey and say no to sin here while being tempted (overcome). Then u will have no problem serving and obeying God in His kingdom. God will demand obedience and responsibility in His kingdom and we must do it here first. If u can serve and obey here with all the suffering and temptation then u will have no trouble doing it in God's kingdom. No, there will be no tempter in heaven but u will still want and desire. Want and desire is why the angels rebelled. The bible says that a man is tempted when he is drawn away because of his own lust. It is something that he wants and desires. We must come to the place that God and the things of God is all that we want and we have a life time (some longer than others) to become what we must become. Job in the old testament is exactly what God wants in a person. Job hates sin (u do not do what u truly hate) and will cling to and serve God no matter the cost. What does it take to have God's Spirit in our heart? God must be what is most important to us. The story of the young rich man lets us know that what is most important to us will have our allegiance. When he was given a choice between God and his money, he chose what was most imporatant to him, his money and the life style that it gave him. What is the most important to us? It us what we want more than anyone or anything else. It is what we will give up all else to get and to keep. It is what we will do anything to get and to keep. It is what we will go anywhere ot get and to keep. We must TRUST God so much that we can give up or do or go and not fear that God will supply our needs and the needs of our families. If u have God's Spirit in ur heart it will come down to, How much do u want God? I hope this helps u, P.S. God did not set up this world to be fair so do not look for things to be fair. God set this world up for what He wants to gain from it. A people that will serve Him no matter the cost and will obey Him and never rebel like the 1/3 of angels did. Now u know why Jesus said FEW.

 

[bethdinsmore]

I am so sorry you have had all this pain. I was a child of abuse too (tho not sexual), and multitudes of people like you and me have found solace and strength through God's use of Christian recovery groups, such as Overcomers. They are by far some of the strongest Christians out there. And they'll give you no "pat" answers. Pat Springle's workbooks are also quite helpful.

So why does God allow bad things happen to good people? Lots of reasons. I can't always see His hand, but I have learned to trust His heart.

For answers, you might want to check out the website www.rbc.org/ds/q0106/ or read the book of Habakkuk. (Or for a long version, see my website listed on my profile page, and click on "personal testimony.")

Aloha in Jesus, friend.

 

[Lostandconfused]

As you can see I have praying.

The first question I had was why. Why does he want me back. I have no questions on whether or not He wants me back. The farther I tried to run, the stronger He has been pulling. The answer was:

"I understand" He understands that I have done what I have done because of hurt and betrayal.

The second was of course "why did He allow these things to happen"
He reminded me that when it came to my son I am not blameless. I have been honest about that here. I put myself in the posistion for what to happen to him happen. And a reminder that he did give me my baby back. And to look at the blessing I do have.

So here I am broken and hurting, but I am right with God.

 

[Whitestone]

I have found that sometimes the bad things that happen to us are not for us to get stronger or because of bad decisions we have made, but to be able to relate to those that have come from similar situations.

It is written that God will not push us beyond what we can handle. Maybe the Lord had your life happen as it did, because you were strong enough to be able to handle it and be able to come back and ask the hard questions. For myself I think if I had to go through some of what you did I may have turned my back on the Lord a long time ago, but you didn't you are still here trying to understand Him.

You have bounced back, you didn't let the hard path destroy your understanding of what is right and wrong, or keep you from striving for having a happy in fulfilling life.

I think your story gives you a chance to relate to other girls/women in an understanding way that I don't think most other Christians can.

There is probably a girl out there that does not think God loves her, or that anyone could ever understand. Maybe you're the one person that can.

I also think stories like yours are great for humbling those of us that wallow in self pity and think we have had it hard.

Whitestone

 

[Lostandconfused]

I sure hope so. Hopefully then some good can come out of it.

 

[dvd_holc]

"So here I am broken and hurting, but I am right with God."


Being right with God does not mean you aren't broken, yet because you are pursuing a relationship with God then it is time to give him all our wounds. Let him pour out his healing out to you. Whatever pain you suffer and have suffered from was not the end of you.

It is not good of enough to understand why things happen, understand free will allows bad stuff to happen, know of sin, ask forgiveness of sins……then not allow God to take the burden and heal it. Jesus came to reclaim all things to God and to heal all the torn and batter people who struggle every day with the pain of life. He identified himself with all the sick and mistreated in the world. He was closer to them then he ever was with the well off. He came to give life to the full. Most often we get a point where we seem to be happy right here and now, and we never give all the baggage to God to take the pain off of us. Satan gains a foothold there in our regret, in our anger to injustice, in our grief that was never healed. The past is it is not the control factor in our life. Turning from the completeness of the healing of God is a form of denial. It is an illusion of health. I suffered from it for a long time. Some say, acceptance is the hard part of changing yourself. I do believe that the healing of the soul is equally as hard. We can hold onto the things that we had thought gave us strength and courage to do things before (Example: I am tired of being taken advantaged of and I am going to hold onto the feeling of anger about that to make me strong against anyone who will do it me again). The pain is there ready to relived over and over and over again. You have acceptance. It is time for healing. Let God control you life. Let him heal all the wounds. Let him make you a shining display of his love and healing powers. I wil pray for you.

 

[Lostandconfused]

I asked God "why do you want me back after cursing you, "switching sides" (yes I was a pagan that acknowleged that I was switching sides) and everything else"


His answer was that He understood.

See, if He just told me that He loved me, it wouldn't have moved me. But to know that God understands me, means everything.

I went to church for the first time last night. SO far so good, but I haven't been there long enought to know for sure that this is the place for me.

 

[dvd_holc]

Whereever God leads you, don't stop pursuing him. God bless...

 

[~*ZEE*~]

Hi Lostandconfused

I am empathetic with your past and present plights but it is good to see that in the space of a few days that something positive seems to be coming from your seeking. Hold onto that! Keep your focus on God. It is important to seek companionship with other Christians and I think it's great that you're making the point of worshipping God in church, but please (and I plead sincerely from what I've been feeling in response to all your posts) do not let your focus slip from God onto people...

People, especially 'Christians', seem to have become synonymous with hurt for you. You are not going to out-grow that sentiment overnight. You will have to learn to trust others, but first you need to learn to trust God - ok?

Think about it - If you cannot believe that our infallible, perfect, honest and merciful God wants to keep to His word and save you and love you and bless you as His child..then you will never be able to believe that any human/imperfect person is capable of treating you with the respect and kindness that all of us deserve.

So, to begin with, try to give up worrying about what people will think of you. And if you experience negativity, or people speak negativity over you, turn to God and replace those thoughtless, empty words with the fullness of God's statements for you - the Truth! He loves you - has always loved you, he looked upon you with sad fondness and tenderness when you were in your lowest, darkest pit covered with the grime of sin, with curses on your tongue - He loved you even then, just as He loved me in my own equally dire moments. I have a past of physical and emotional abuse by a parent, and even today as a stubbornly faithful Christian, that abuse affects my understanding of God's love for me - so I understand your questions.

I know God's Words, I (finally) understand them to be true but I just don't know what to do with that love, how can I accept it? How can I possibly contain it? I mean, God's love isn't a simple love...it's WHOLE love: desire for my company; wooing and pursuit of me for Himself; self-sacrifice; complete understanding of and empathy with my past, present and future; whole acceptance of my entire being; joy in my growth; affection towards my uniqueness; faith and trust in my abilities and capabilities; compassion with my weaknesses; steadfast and predictable in discipline; just in both punishing me and blessing me; devoted to listening; passionate in protecting me .... the characteristics of God's love are imnumerable! And all ARE GOOD. Anything that you experience to the contrary of this goodness is either Satan trying to corrupt what you've got with God, or your fleshy sinful nature looking for immediate gratification.

God IS all to me that my human parents couldn't be because of their own battles with their own sin. He IS the perfect Father and He IS the perfect Mother. Where you have missed out on these crucial parental influences in your life, God can fill and repair these areas - only He is capable. He hates the sin that drives people to hurt us. Yes, He allows it, He lets Satan tamper with our lives, but why? (I cried out for years!)

Potentially multiple reasons! In my situation, looking back with greater knowledge and on the other side of the experience, I know now that a few factors where involved that allowed Satan to provoke my mother to abuse me. He attacked her with depression and used her weakness to anger easily with the intention to destroy my young life and ruin my future prospects. He used my dad's childhood disicpline experiences and parental immaturity to ensure that I had no escape in the sheltering love of the other parent. Satan also made sure that my younger sister was favoured and as she became efficient at blaming me for her wrongs the abuse impounded etc. All this Satan used to harm me and tear our family unit (which should have glorified God) to tatters. BUT GOD intervened and ruined Satans plans
God is alive, even in the places where the foul stench of death and ruin lingers

God took the opening that was my aunt's prayer for me and my family and moved right in to save us from our oppression (Dad is the only one still resisting Jesus). But even after I was saved and I prayed and prayed with the innocent tears of a child for Mum to find God and stop hurting me, it was years before she was saved and the abuse stopped - but God heard and He did act. We learned later, through intercession and a prophetic word from someone I gradually learned to trust as God's servant, that there was a generational iniquity passed down my mother's side of the family and that occultic involvment (specifics we don't know) had given Satan 'legal' spiritual access to our family. We applied Jesus' blood to that iniquity and renounced that occultism and we are now free from any association by blood/family. Satan no longer has any legal right before God, to control our family (though, he stil has access through dad and even us Christians when we give him strongholds in our sin or doorways in our choices).

I've gone into this information with the intent of helping you see that God is greater than Satan and his miniscule powers. Some believers don't like to think about spiritual warfare or or even conceed to it's biblical existence, but I've experienced the release that only the power of Jesus' blood can give. The truth is, sometimes God has to allow Satan to have his horrible way with us, simply because WE have allowed him in. God doesn't discount and surpass our freewill...if we are ignorant to the fact that we've invited Satan to have a part in our lives, God will bring it to our attention so we can deal with it. As believers in Christ, whose powerful blood atoned for our sin while at the same time abolished Satan's previously automatic ownership of our lives, we have the power and authority through Him to tell Satan and his demons where to go!

If you feel an oppressive spirit in your house, you have the right to tell it to get lost. God wants you to feel safe in His presense, how can you if you're aware that Satan is right there? Here's a prayer from Cindy Jacobs book "Deliver Us From Evil" that you may like to use: Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I now bind and take authority over all demonic spirits, which may have attached themselves to me. Demonic spirit, I forbid you from manifesting or harming me or my family in any way. I cover myself with the Blood of Jesus Christ and ask you, Father God, to send your angels to protect me, my family, my loved ones, and my possessions. In Jesus' name. Amen.

When I'm feeling oppressed or tempted to sin I'll simply say something like: Satan back off now, you have no right to be here, I am a child of God, leave in Jesus' name! And then I'll start worshipping God (Satan hates that - he wants me to fear him) and I'll get out my Bible and read scripture aloud and thank God for His words The father of lies hates hearing God's pure Truth. Really stick it to him, afterall, he certainly enjoyed making your life miserable!!

Because you've been involved in paganism (however slight) you might want to take the initiative and renounce all your involvement with un-godly religions. From the same source here's a prayer: Father God, I now repent for all occult involvement, forgive me for participating in those practices that are forbidden by you in your Word. I now renounce and repent from my involvment in: [whatever it was] I did this myself, to make sure all my ties with Satan were cut because I was involved in a séance as a young Christian and I used to read horoscopes etc.

Whatever you decide to do, I am pledging to faithfully pray for you. One thing I've learned from my suffering is that God is so merciful! Today, I would not change one thing about my childhood because I love who I have become. All my merits are a result of my coming through that trial. All my faults do to, but God has shown me the amazing truth that HE can help me change despite my upbringing (I couldn't do it on my own). I am growing into what God designed me to be and He is using my filthy past to help others in similar situations. God will use me powerfully to save and assist others and if I only ever help one person acheive their God-made purpose, that will, truly, be well worth my 15+ years of turmoil!

Further than that - through prophecy God has revealed that my entire family will do amazing things in this world for His Glory - no wonder Satan attacked us without mercy, he wants to prevent God's designs on our life because he hates God and he hates us because God loves us.

I believe the same for you. God will turn this right around.

 

[dvd_holc]

nice post Zee

 

[bethdinsmore]

Amen, Zee.

Hi again, Lost and Confused:
I'd like to post this reply in three parts in response to three issues you have mentioned. In order to help make myself clear - hope it doesn't seem too impersonal, because I don't feel that way.

1. First, you said something about when you were a Christian. It is my belief that "once saved, always saved". I personally believe that a person, once they are saved, cannot lose their salvation, no matter what we do or whether or not we feel saved. Here's how I would summarize it, based on Scripture:
What is saving faith? in salvation verses, the Greek for believe is "to trust in or rely upon". As in John 3:16, Acts 16:31: to trust in Christ's death on the cross to pay for all sins (I Peter 3:18) and to get us to Heaven one day without any good works of our own (Ephesians 2:8-9). In other words, "faith alone in Christ alone plus nothing". And we cannot lose our salvation (see gift in Rom. 6:23 and 11:29, also John 10:28-29 - we can't even take ourselves out of God's hand). Once we are saved, God punishes us when we do wrong, just as a good father would, but He would never cast us out of His family, no matter what we might do.
Romans 6:23: "The wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life."
Romans 11:29 "The GIFTS and calling of God are irrevocable."
John 10:28-29 "no one can snatch you out of His hand" (this "no one" even includes ourselves, we can't snatch ourselves out of the Father's hand).

2.When I first answered you, I felt like God did not want me to add the following passage, but I feel He does now:
2 Cor 1:3-11 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
(NIV)
Even in Paul's life, he was not always immediately delivered when he called on God, but he was eventually. It was the same with Joseph. Look how long it took for him to be delivered. As someone has already quoted: Joseph told his brothers "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." NIV
Romans 8:18 says: I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." NIV (Paul again)

Your feelings understandably may not at all agree with those verses, but Paul and Joseph are two men who suffered much and long at the hands of others, and came to see that there were good and immeasurable results. Some of these results even reach out into eternity. The timing can be really hard on us, but if God followed our timing, sometimes He would be taking the cake out of the oven before it was done.

3. I am so glad to see that you are feeling less "Lost and Confused". Since you are seeking a church, thought you might want to see my answer to a similar post:
"Whenever we would more to another town, I would call conservative evangelical churches (such as S. Baptist, Evangelical Free, some non-denominational). I would want to ask the pastor three questions:
a. Is your church conservative evangelical (believes and teaches the Bible has no error, that salvation cannot be lost, and is not legalistic)
b. Do you believe the Bible is without error?
c. Do you believe in the cardinal doctrines of the faith (The Thrinity and the virgin birth, for example)
d. How do you believe a person is saved? (If the pastor threw in anything about works, I crossed that church off the list." (Romans 6:23 with Romans 11:29, and John 10:28-29)
"Christ died for sin, once for all [all people and all sins - past, present, and future], the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." I Peter 3:18, NIV, and "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

I would avoid a "fundamentalist" congregation. One who judges your spirituality by outward appearances, using some spiritual "measurement sticks" of their own. I have had this experience myself, and have found much more spiritual maturity, comfort, and love in churches that are "conservative evangelical". They follow God's grace rather than legalism, and they believe all of God's Word. I especially like churches with "small groups" that meet during the week for worship - it's so much easier to communicate that way.

Some people who are uncomfortable in church first attend Christian support and recovery groups such as Overcomers Outreach. They really get down to the nitty gritty with God and each other - and no condemnation allowed. To God, Christians are HUMAN BEINGS, NOT HUMAN DOINGS. Finally, much of our pain can be because we only know one way to relate - we only know one dance, so to speak. It is said that a codependent can pick out another instantly across a crowded room. Christian recovery groups can teach us a new dance, one that God can use to bring us growth and blessing.

I'll pray for you, friend - aloha in Jesus
Jer 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (NIV)

 

[Lostandconfused]

Zee,
Wow! I know that laying yourself out there like that wasn't easy. But you did it anyways for me. Thank you for caring and trusting me enough to do so. I feel like I need to read and reread it over again. There is a lot of punch in that post and it is hard to catch it all. I am sorry that you went through everything you went through. Forgive me, but I really don't have any words. Or better yet, I can't put my words together to say what I want to say. I am just WOW! Thank you so much.

 

[Phats]

" How can God allow "his" people to hurt children."

Great question. My guess is that God would ask us the same question. "How can you allow people to hurt My children?".

 

[~*ZEE*~]

Zee,
Wow! I know that laying yourself out there like that wasn't easy. But you did it anyways for me. Thank you for caring and trusting me enough to do so. I feel like I need to read and reread it over again. There is a lot of punch in that post and it is hard to catch it all. I am sorry that you went through everything you went through. Forgive me, but I really don't have any words. Or better yet, I can't put my words together to say what I want to say. I am just WOW! Thank you so much.

It was my pleasure, honestly. I wasn't actually intending to mention anything about my testimony, quite the opposite, I was ardently avoiding going there because I didn't want to take the focus off your situation and your pain. But I really felt that God wanted you to hear of the hope He has for your life and I prayed that He would give me the words that you needed to hear.

Thankyou for your compassion for me, but know that I am not sorry for what I went through. I've come to the point of maturity where I am glad it was me and neither of my younger sisters who went through what I did. I'm completely satisfied that God has turned my situation around to be the best thing for me (as odd as that sounds it is my truth). Of course, I still struggle with the negative effects of my childhood like... while I get on well with others I still don't completely trust people, I'm not good with commiting myself to others, any conflict with people can stress me out to the point of agitated nightmares and while our family is close and harmonious we still can't communicate effectively - things like that (though in God's strength all areas will continue to gradually improve). But I've seen how far God has brought me through symptoms like incredible shyness and introvertedness and social ineptitude, all my stunted intellectual/emotional/spiritual growth - God is helping me to change myself for the better from the heart outwards.

I know that, right now for you it feels like you've been unfairly left to deal with a mess that other people created; that it's all up to you to clean it up and get your life back into order and you don't know where to even begin. But I tell you - you can't effectively do it by yourself. The place to begin is where you are now, at God's feet! He is there to help you regain your footing. He will first console you where you lie on the ground, then He will take you by the hand and empower you to stand until you are able to see yourself as God sees you - thoroughly beautiful. When you learn who you really are (not who people say you are) you will have the courage to touch God's face knowing that He defines you and that you are His child eternally.

Look at all the positive things God has done for you already and be excited because He has abundantly more for you

After I was praying for you last night I opened my Bible and it fell to the book of Job. Verse 5 in Chapter 12 impacted me: 5People who are at ease mock those in trouble. They give a push to people who are stumbling. This was how Job felt in his suffering because his friends and the people around him all had their own opinions about why he was in such pain. But, while they had some valid points, their opinions weren't God's (and He later chastised them for misrepresenting Him). The one thing that Job persisted in doing was consulting God for His opinion, he didn't let other people's negativity disillusion him or disuade him from his clean conscience that told him that he was not to blame for his pain. Job persistently cried out to God for answers the the 'why' questions that plagued him until the Lord challenged him and puts things into perspective.

God is God and Job is a man. God sees the whole picture while we see only a portion of what is and will be. We think we know best how things should work out, but what is our feeble and partial understanding of such matters compared to God's?

At the end of the Lord's challenge Job replies with the realisation that God's plans are always to be praised: Job 42 1Then Job replied to the LORD: 2"I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. 3You ask, `Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?' It is I. And I was talking about things I did not understand, things far too wonderful for me.


I also likened Psalm 146 to your situation and mine, because when you don't have parents that you can trust to steadfastly love you and care for you unconditionally it feels that you might as well be an orphan, because they can't seem to give you what a parent should.

5 But happy are those who have the God of Israel as their helper,
whose hope is in the LORD their God.
6 He is the one who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them.
He is the one who keeps every promise forever,
7 who gives justice to the oppressed
and food to the hungry.
The LORD frees the prisoners.
8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts the burdens of those bent beneath their loads.
The LORD loves the righteous.
9The LORD protects the foreigners among us.
He cares for the orphans and widows,
but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.
10The LORD will reign forever.
O Jerusalem, your God is King in every generation!
Praise the LORD!
I hope these scriptures encourage you.

 

[Harlan Norris]

This life is a test of faith. Many believers think that means we have it made. God puts us through hardship to teach us something. Each lesson is different. Iv'e been through a few hardships. The result was that I changed my behavior. I could have stuck to my guns, so to speak. If I had though, I'd still be going through hell. When I came to Jesus, my attitude changed, and that changed my life. I pray for faith, more than anything. Because I know that will get me through.

 

[Davis]

JOB is all you need to know.
The things he had to deal with was amazing. Its all about holding on to the faith.