“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)
I remember years ago when my heart was in absolute calamity. My mind was troubled, everything felt unsteady, & all anyone could tell me was- “Remember, perfect love casteth out all fear” & I felt so guilty because I loved God so much. & people just kept telling me that somehow, if I just loved God more, I wouldn’t be so anxious, I wouldn’t be so afraid.
But loving God more doesn’t always mean the bad guys go away. Loving God doesn’t always mean the bad dreams stop coming at night.
Part of the human experience mandates that sometimes we’re afraid, sometimes we’re just troubled. & it isn’t always a result of lacking faith.
But just because we are troubled. Just because our hearts at times feel weak, & we struggle, & we doubt & all the faith we can muster is like 1/8 of a teaspoon when the recipe calls for 3 cups, doesn’t mean we are distressed. It doesn’t mean we are damaged, or out-of-date.
We aren’t blemished or dented. We aren’t scratched or stained. We aren’t in despair. We are not hopeless. God has not given up on us. We are not a lost cause. We are not forsaken. We are not abandoned or deserted. We are not destroyed. We are not useless, we are not defeated. Our troubles don’t reduce us to useless fragments, to remains injured beyond repair or renewal.
We are promised that our troubles don’t have to destroy us because Christ’s perfect love for us can cast away any fear, all our fears.
Christ’s perfect love makes us whole.
Christ’s perfect love repairs & renews us. Christ’s perfect love eases troubled hearts.
Emmy Burton
London Road Ward
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