Promises

It's been awhile since I've blogged.  I've been pretty busy making some bad decisions.  But I think it's about time to write again.

So I had a "thing" with this guy.  Some might call it dating, but I don't really know what to call it.  It doesn't matter what it was though, because after about a month it ended.  I took it a lot harder than....well, let's just say that I guy that I only knew for a month did not deserve that much of my affections.  Granted, it happened at a time in which there were a million other stressful/painful things happening in my life.  But I still couldn't figure out why this thing, this boy had hurt me so badly, which made me confused and angry.  

         I'm not going to lie - I was angry at God.  I felt like he was punishing me because this boy wasn't a Christian.  I imagined Him shaking His head at me saying, "Alright, Maggie, I told you not to be yoked to nonbelievers.  You disobeyed me and this is what you get.  I am gonna make you hurt so bad, and you're gonna learn your lesson.  This'll teach you!"  That is legitimately what I thought was happening.  But He is a "compassionate and  g r a c i o u s  God, slow to anger, abounding in love and FAITHFULNESS." -Exodus 34:6.  My anger melted away the moment I realized that.  The Lord doesn't want to see me hurting.  But if I do go through heartache or suffering, He uses it for GOOD!  And He reminds me that I have so much to look forward too, and that even though things may look rough now, in the big scheme of things these little problems are so unimportant.  Romans 8 says,

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us...We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.  Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Aren't those wonderful promises to cling to?  There are so many more, too!  The list is endless.  

"I will never leave you nor forsake you"... 

                                                                      

                                                                    "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you"...

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart"...

                                                                

                                                                  "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall want for nothing"...

"The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?"

Those are just a few, but I think you get the idea.  I sure did.  And I won't smile and pretend that He immediately erased all my pain.  But it's not the same type of pain anymore.  It's almost like it's turning into a scar now.  The mark will always be there, along with hundreds of other marks of heartache and pain in my life.  But it's not a wound anymore.  The Lord is healing me in ways that no one and no thing ever could.  He is patient and merciful and loving and unlike any other.  He is good, and He keeps His PROMISES.  :)