Spurgeon Series Part 1

I came from the doctor today with bitter sweetness settling in my heart. After a brief easing of symptoms, neuropathy and fatigue have yet again begun to plague me. "This was expected," she said to me. I was aware there is no clear cure for my illness with a possibility of it being a permanent part of my life; however, for a couple months there seemed to be hope. Yet very soon after introducing myself back into being a "working" member of society, i am once again surrendering my dreams and desires to God. Without Him it would be hopeless. Because of Him i can look on my 4 years, 6 1/2 months with Him and 4 years, 6 months with pain, in awe at the sanctification and relationship He has fostered. I praise God for Paul's writing in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, that i may read for myself i am given a similar honor as Paul. Our God does not show favoritism, but gives to each as He deems necessary. Yet in times of trial it is easy to become discouraged. If we do not rejoice in times of trial we may very well die by the hand of idols. We must protect our hearts with the Word of God and fellowship of other Christians.
After turning to the Word, i also really enjoy reading from Charles Haddon Spurgeon. His sermons are littered with depth and get me every time. Here is one of my new faves.

Nothing Impossible

Your faith prospers when everything is against you. Your faith increases with every trial. No flowers were so lovely a blue as those that grow at the edge of a glacier. No stars shine so bright as those that glisten in the polar sky. No water is sweeter than that which springs in a desert oasis. No faith is so precious as that lives and triumphs in adversity.

Tested faith brings experience, and experience makes religion real. You will never know the bitterness of sin or the sweetness of pardon until you have felt both. You will never know your own weakness until you have been compelled to go through the rivers. You will never know God's strength until He has supported you in deep waters.

All the talk about religion that has not been personally experienced is just talk. If we have little experience, we cannot speak so positively as those whose experience has been deep and profound. Once in the early days of my ministry, I was preaching on God's faithfulness in trials, and my venerable grandfather was sitting in the pulpit behind me. He suddenly stood up, came to the pulpit, and said, "My grandson can preach this as a matter of theory. But I can tell it to you from experience because i have done business on great waters. I have seen the works of the Lord and His wonders of the deep" (Ps. 107:23-24). There is an accumulation of force in the testimony of one who has passed through great trials.

Faith increases in firmness, assurance and intensity when it is exercised with trials. Praise Him for your trials, and you will have more and more of God's blessings until your faith will move mountains and nothing will be impossible (Matt. 17:20).

It is this kind of faith that can be difficult to talk about but such a blessing to hear. So i thank God for my dear Christian brothers who provide guidance with vulnerability, my BFF and mi Chula who empathize and exhort. I have also been blessed by Wolf, my brother who has won our race to heaven - meet you there! Yet above all, praise and glory to our Abba Father who can redeem any trial by allowing us to comfort others with the comfort we have received!