Marty quoted this above and it is so right on:
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
I don't know why some things happen the way they do, just in my own life, I get a shock now and then. I got another one a couple of weeks ago, not about illness but about a financial matter, and the first thing I did was just
crack up. I mean right now I am laughing, just thinking about it, it is hysterically funny, like something you might see in a movie, how this happened, which was not meant to be funny at all, it was intended to be a slap in the face, I know very well my enemy that old serpent the devil did not expect me to laugh, for crying out loud, he arranged it to make me, well, to cry out loud, to be hurt, and to hold on to that hurt for a long, long time, maybe for the rest of my life here on earth. But see, that's where your armour comes in, too, you put it on and you don't
ever take it off, be prepared for attacks & fiery darts, because sure as shootin they are coming,
you can count on it. Not that you are being consistently gloomy and looking for bad things to happen, you see. But
you keep His Word in front of you day and night, night and day, at
all times - His praise shall
continually be in my mouth, the joy of the Lord is my strength, what the enemy meant for evil against me, God turns to good, I
know it. It's too late, I have seen it happen over and over and over, too many times, to not just
believe that to be the truth, but to
know it.
The only way to do this, of course, is not to just repeat all these "positive thinking" mantras, what a goofy thing that is to say, to keep a positive attitude, people will tell you that really, just for something to say, and mostly those who don't have a
clue what they are talking about. I mean, just how does one go about keeping a positive attitude, without God. It is
impossible, without God, I
know it is, been there, done that. And you don't have to put on a cheery face while you are boiling inside. You don't have to be boiling, you can actually be ridiculously and happily full of joy - I mean if joy is the fruit of the Spirit, and you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, then, well, there you go.
No, the only way to go about this, your whole life should be, stay in the Word, read it
yourself, and don't go anywhere in your mind without checking your thoughts and reviewing, "what does the Word have to say about this."
Now don't get me wrong, there are times when, being human, we will be sad, or grieving, even - A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance, I know that too.. But the Word says (if or when) you are passing through the valley of the shadow of death, doesn't say camp out there, says pass through!
And of course, absolutely I pray for your peace, brother Gord, God's peace. And you don't have to know why this happened, so many times people go "why, oh why did this happen" or "why did I get this illness" or "why did he die, when we were all praying and believing..." I go to the last few chapters of Job, where God told Job, in a nutshell, it's none of your business why this went this way, or that other didn't go so well for you - no matter how horrible it is or was,
it's really none of your business, see, to try to figure out why, or "if only I'd have done this," or "maybe I didn't pray hard enough" and for goodness' sake, don't ever, ever, ever think or let anyone tell you, oh you just didn't have enough faith, that is such false teaching. You have faith, the kind of faith that cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.. Of course, all the faith possible, the faith of a child... but if something does go topsy turvy then listen,
your business is to trust in God and lean not to your own understanding. Okay, when I say "you" it's the, what is that word, not generic but... collective? I mean it's all of youse, and me, hang on by your fingernails if you have to and, like Winston Churchill said, "Never, ever, ever, ever,
ever give up."
Psalms 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence
is fullness of joy; at thy right hand
there are pleasures for evermore.
We love you, brother Gord, and we pray for you - and all of you - daily.
And p.s. I can see you shining, Gord, with the love of the Lord and for the Lord in you, just by your posts and conversations in here, so I know you know all this, so maybe I am writing this for someone else or... for
me