Proverbs 12:25 “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” A few years back I facilitated a book study where we used the late Dan Fogelberg’s Along the Road as our theme. “Joy at the start Fear in the journey, Joy in the coming home. A part of the heart Gets lost in the learning Somewhere along the road. Along the road, your path may wander. A pilgrim’s faith may fail. Absence makes the heart grow stronger. Darkness obscures the trail. Cursing the quest, Courting disaster. Measureless nights forebode. Moments of rest, Glimpses of laughter Are...
Have you ever heard the expression, “everything happens for a reason?” How about, “God is in control?” Maybe the proponents of maxims such as these have good intent. In fact, maybe that is why they are spread so far and wide without a resounding outcry. Dollars to doughnuts, if you are a person in pain for any reason, your heart will at first balk and then swallow this bitter pill. I say you will “swallow it” because (especially if you have caused your own pain, as we all do, many times!) this formula will make shame arise like a Phoenix....
I read this analogy once that was in an article meant for parents with special needs children. It said something to the effect of: Imagine you have scheduled a long vacation to Sweden. You packed all the right stuff. You scheduled your places to stay and made plans for places to visit once you arrive. You tried to prepare for every detail for your adventure. But something happened, and when you landed, you were not in Sweden, you landed in Norway. What will you do? Will you pretend everything is as planned and you really ARE in Sweden? Will you...
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