Welcome! I realize that my devotion today may be hard to swallow. I understand. No one likes hardships, and yet, no one is exempt from them. God’s Word teaches us that adversity is one of His greatest tools for shaping us spiritually.
I have to confess…I want to be mature spiritually. I just don’t want to be shaken nor do I want to go through a trial to get there. But these are the ways of God. Perhaps this story might explain it better. God really is at work in your life and mine—not trying to destroy us—but to make us a thing of beauty…a display of His glory!
“There once was a little piece of wood once complained bitterly because its owner kept whittling away at it, cutting it, and filling it with holes, but the one who was cutting it so persistently paid no attention to its complaining. He was making a flute out of that piece of ebony, and he was too wise to cease from doing so, even though the wood complained bitterly. He seemed to say, “little piece of wood, without these holes, and all this cutting, you would be a black stick for ever—just a useless piece of ebony. What I am doing now may make you think that I am destroying you, but, instead, I will change you into a flute, and your sweet music will charm souls and comfort many a sorrowing heart. My cutting you is the making of you, for only thus can you be a blessing in the world.”
If you’re going through a hard time right now, think back on a past hardship in which God brought a new song from a painful experience. Ask Him to do it again. Then, rest in His care as He finishes this melody and never forget…He is faithful!
pam says
Loved the devotional today. It was filled with words I have KNOWN and clung to lots in my life but it was such a timely reminder today. So thankful He never leaves us in the refiners fire and walks away. His eye is ALWAYS on us, for our good and His glory.
Becky Peed says
Wow, I asked God to speak to my troubled heart. He used today’s devotional to do that. I have been a believer for a very long time. I have studied his word and can quote his principles and scripture because it is ingrained in me. Our emotions are so tricky. I think I am walking in faith, until doubt starts whispering in my ears. I listen and get derailed. I have been looking around me lately instead of up. Thanks for the reminder that his hand in on me and my circumstances. He knows what needs to be removed from my heart. I have a pretty good ideas where he can start. Ouch!
Thanks Micca!
Chef Diane says
Micca,
I read your devotion and blog today. It blessed my heart in ways that you will never know. I feel as though all my life I have faced adversity after adversity. To sum my life up in a nutshell: I have been the victim of rape, molestation, sexual abuse and assault. In the past 6 years I have undergone 11 surgeries and am currently in my 56th cast. To top things off about 3 weeks ago my husband of 22 years filed for divorce. I have truly felt like Job. Thank God for his mercy and love. Through his love for me there is a calmness in my soul that can only be explained as his love and mercy. My emotions are all over the place right now and I am realizing that if I take the idea of “there are no big deals”, it helps. We simply must take the attitude of total reliance on the Father. Thank you for reminding me today to do that. I hope to see you again at She Speaks.
God Bless,
Diane
Check out my blog for more of how God is using adversity in my life.
MrsProverbs31 says
Thank you so much for your devotion today. It reminded me to put things in perspective in aligning myself with His will for me. I’m facing some small thumps on my life. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it causes me to pause everything I do to focus on this particular situation, and I don’t like it. I know God is good and He’s working behind the scene to bring good out of this situation, so I will wait patiently. Thanks for the encouragement.
Pamela (His maidservant) says
Micca-your P31 devotion for toady (Friday) is a great testimony of God’s power and the kind of faith we need to live in. Thank you for sharing it!!
In His Graces~Pamela
Zoe says
Micca,
Thanks for the great devotional today. You have such a gift for telling us what we need to hear in a way that makes us want to hear more.
Thanks for sharing your story.
I can’t wait to see you in a few weeks.
I’m praying for you and Amy this weekend as you speak together.
Zoe
Maryanne says
Hi thank you for your words today.I really needed to hear them it was a if you were speaking directly to me.I also have a mass in my colon I am now waiting for more tests and there results .You have givin me hope.I pray to god each day but have been unable to go to church because of all the pain im in and I have been feeling a distance from God.You have brought him closer to me THANK YOU.
Compleat Mom says
Perhaps the Lord allotted you at first a smooth and unclouded path, because you were weak and timid. He tempered the wind to the shorn lamb, but now that you are stronger in the spiritual life, you must enter upon the riper and rougher experience of God’s full-grown children. We need winds and tempests to exercise our faith, to tear off the rotten bough of self-dependence, and to root us more firmly in Christ. The day of evil reveals to us the value of our glorious hope. from Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening, April 29
Katrina says
Awesome May 2nd Devotion! Wow! I am always amazed at how the Lord is never late and always right on time! Friday was a day where many fiery darts were shot at me and I had to choose whether I would revert to my old ways of letting my emotions rule me or if I was going to take authority over my emotions. I was tempted to let offense creep in and let others define who I was, instead of believing who God says I am! Thanks to these words of encouragement, I will choose blessing over cursing and life over death! I will forgive and lift up those involved so that a root of bitterness does not take root! Praise to the Lord, from whom all blessings flow!
Tammy Nischan says
Thank you for your devo! I love that verse in Job! I love the entire book of Job! Have a wonderful Saturday! Love, Tammy
Cris Nole says
Micca,
Great devo… What I have learned through hardship is the way I respond and the peace I find that I know can only come from the Lord. There was a time in my life when a hang nail would have been a hardship and an excuse to quit my race and now today I find that I can endure much because He endured all. Thanks Micca for sharing your faith out loud, you rock!!!
Cris
heartfelt.prayers@gmail.com says
Amen… I know in each of our souls there is a song, sometimes of praise ,sometimes of pain, and struggles, but each soul has a story to tell, and when the Lord touches it and heals it.. songs of beauty and worship comes out in a way where it brings glory unto the Lord through words of thankfulness and freedom.
Thanks for this post.
Aloha Lorie