Your litmus test

“And if you doubt what happened, wondering if it really mattered, let the pain be your litmus test.  Where pain is present, a wound exists.”- Matt Bays

In Chapter 13 (“Someone Else’s Story- Telling Your Story”) of Finding God in the Ruins, Matt Bays asserts that telling the truth is not easy.  It’s not because we are liars, but because it is easier to tell a version of the truth.  However, the truth never is inappropriate.

Some things in life fall away from us and never are heard from again- until an old picture in a photo album reminds us that it happened.  Such is not the case with painful memories like a ministry downsizing or vocation loss, as Pastor Bays describes:

“Those cruelties aren’t stuck into old photo albums for us to thumb through.  Instead they are emblazoned on the walls of our hearts like stubborn wallpaper that won’t budge.”

Expect painful passages to come when you tell the truth- the whole truth.  If the pain becomes overwhelming, take a break from your story.  When you are good and ready, return to it, as Matt encourages: ” . . . plan to finish the book, because there’s a beautiful ending to it.”

We authenticate who we really are by telling our stories.  Telling the truth isn’t nearly as painful as holding it in.  As writer Anne Lamott says:

“You own everything that happened to you.  Tell your stories . . . If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should’ve behaved better.”

Today’s question: Using pain as your litmus test, how have you neglected to care for your internal wounds?  Please share.

Tomorrow’s blog: “Our healing gift”

Your litmus test

The litmus test of trust

Mark Batterson begins Chapter 11 (“No Answer”) of The Circle Maker with the litmus test of trust:

1.  Do you trust that God is for you even when He doesn’t give you what you asked for?

2.  Do you trust that He has reasons beyond your reason?

3.  Do you trust that His plan is better than yours?

Trust is essential because some of life’s hardest moments are when you have prayed hard, but God’s answer is no.  And you don’t know why.  In fact, Pastor Batterson notes, many of life’s unanswered questions derive from unanswered prayers.  However, Mark states that if you are able to trust God when His answer is no, you’re more likely to praise Him when the answer is yes.

Failure to guard your heart can result in unresolved anger toward God, which undermines faith.  But Mark encourages us with good news about unanswered prayers- “what we perceive as unanswered prayers are often the greatest answers.”  We may feel like God is getting in the way.  We should be glad He is!

Mark explains why we should thank God for unanswered prayers:

“Our heavenly Father is far too wise and loves us far too much to give us everything we ask for.  Someday we’ll thank God for the prayers He didn’t answer as much or more than the ones He did.  Our frustration will turn to celebration if we patiently and persistently pray through.  It may not make sense . . . on this side of eternity.  But I’ve learned a valuable lesson about unanswered prayers: Sometimes God gets in the way to show us the way.”

Today’s question: What does the litmus test of trust reveal to you?  Please share.

Tomorrow’s blog: “Divine detours”

 

The litmus test of trust