Suffering Has Limits
Guys, I have to confess…I’m going THROUGH it. Things have been ROUGH lately. Sometimes you can do all you can do and it still doesn’t go the way you hoped it would.
Sometimes it feels like this is my life verse without me wanting it to be:
Mark 5:26
She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.
Even so…
Isaiah 52:7
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
But I come with GOOD NEWS.
I'd like to share a ridiculously obscure, maybe even weird verse that has meant so much to me since I found it. (Hang with me here, this IS a bizarre verse!) Actually it's two.
Malachi 4:2-3
"But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act" says the LORD Almighty.
It's ok if you laughed. Who uses the word frolic?!?
If you haven't seen calves being let out after they have been cooped up for a while, it's quite hilarious. It looks a bit like they are having a seizure while running away from bees.
They jump around so high and frantically, when I was little I asked Dad if they were going to hurt themselves. He laughed and said no, they'll stop just before that point.
But for YOU who revere my name.... that's US!!
The sun will rise with healing in its rays...then we get to frolic! I'll have to say I have a bit of frolic in my heart whenever something great happens to my husband, my kids, and my friends.
But I'm still waiting. The sun hasn't risen completely with my healing yet. So why do these verses comfort me?
...trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act say the LORD Almighty.
The wicked doesn't mean the neighbor you don't like. In Hebrew it means "guilty one" as in the enemy of our souls.
Oh, my goodness. So looking forward to this. Ashes under my feet. I hate how he's out to hurt me, my family and you, my friends. How he's out to destroy relationships, and the Church!
The day when I act could also be translated from Hebrew the day I prepare, or the day I appoint.
This is so comforting to me too because there is a definite end of not just my suffering but ALL suffering.
Nothing God appoints is hurried, and nothing is delayed. It's just perfect. I'm not, however. So I hang onto this knowing the HE is my rescue. He is the gate keeper. He will open the gate at the right time. For me and for you.
And just as a funny aside, let's go back to "well-fed". I'm so looking forward to that. If you have any health issues, like me, that limit what you eat, you’ll appreciate that too!!
All joking aside, that phrase is actually only in the NIV and it's not quite there in Hebrew. What they are trying to portray is that they were looked after, healthy, taken care of.
We are always taken care of by our Abba Father regardless of the appearance of our circumstances.
I continually remind myself, I don't know what the finished me is supposed to look like so I need to just be quiet about the process and surrender to it.
Frolicking is coming my precious friends!!!
EVEN IF things feel difficult right now.
Remember these three vital things:
#1 Continue to revere God’s name…no matter WHAT. He is completely worthy…even if it feels difficult. He has a purpose for everything!
#2 God has placed LIMITS on suffering.
#3 FULL healing and restoration WILL be ours one day!!
No sorrow, no suffering, and unlimited joy in the presence of Jesus. 💙
In passionate purpose,
Dorothy
Abba Father,
Things feel SO HEAVY sometimes. Help me keep my eyes fixed on YOU and Your purposes. You promise beauty for ashes and an abundance of fruit from “pruning.” Help me more fully and continuously submit to Your process of taking away what does not matter in order to fortify and build what does.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
https://ignite.passionatepurposeschool.com/