EMBRACING WORSHIP

I recently came across this WORSHIP song  "WE BOW LOW"  and it has quickly become a new favorite so I had to share

I was easily moved to tears as I allowed this song to flow and wash over me over and over again
For me, worship like this, is heavenly and I love to EMBRACE worship in spirit and truth because it is so beautiful to "Bow Low" to our King of kings JESUS with all of our hearts in one accord
Today, on my earthly dad's birthday, which would be his 100th ... I can only imagine him celebrating in heaven with glory like this. What an impact to be in the Presence of our Creator, giving all honor, adoration, praise and thanksgiving to Him!

EMBRACING HURT & HEARTACHE

SUFFERING
{not really - as I try to remain honest here, I'm not quite there}
but that's not what this Part 3 of

... EMBRACED ...

was

In case you missed it, the most important word is

HIM

EMBRACING Him 

in the Midst of Hurt & Heartache

Embracing Him ... that Him, is God ... which really is the easiest part!

at least for me

It's where I run, it's where I hide,

it is the place I go most often

HE is the One

I EMBRACE in the midst of any hurt

any heartache, any suffering, any pain

Sometime earlier while reading these devotions, I wrote the following:

 ... the part that doesn’t come easy for me, and I would imagine, most of us, is 

Embracing suffering and pain ... or hurt and heartache! 

However, Embraced ... in this part 3 is all about God in the midst of every single ache, right there with us. 

As encouraging as this is, I find myself wondering if after spending time with Him, in the midst of each of these sorrowful times, these seasons of long suffering or seemingly so, endless and debilitating, perhaps unable to get beyond the ache, the pain, the suffering and incredible hurts, weak or weakened by the suffering physically, mentally, psychologically and emotionally, do we somehow seem stronger, or only comforted by knowing this truth that "He is in the midst," understands the suffering, realizes the pain-staking cost, or the increasing havoc of all this that a human being just barely can bear, hanging on to just survive it, it seems so often, or is He calling us into the depth of suffering? and through it to really know Jesus, the Healer and rely on Him completely so that we might help one other person through theirs - their suffering, their hurt, their heartache? Although our pain may not be the same, is God trying to stir us to encourage them and allow our empathy or sympathy to move us with more compassion and be more like Jesus? I also am more aware of the pain, hurt and heartache that I've caused in the lives of others and truly spent time in repentance of this, but for some, I'm done - and no longer think I should be paying consequneces still of stuff in the past. The past is done, and cannot be changed, but with God's help in the present and hope for the future, He makes all things possible. I pray this includes removing the pain, and taking away wrongful, revengeful plans of hurt people.

I can tell you that after reading these devotions, I did feel encouraged but not able to heal (just yet, with some) just deal better with some of the heartache. I’m more content with not understanding the many ‘w’ questions, especially ‘why?’, and even more thankful that He is with me in the midst, fully Embracing me as I fully Embrace Him, and understanding His promises a little better helps me too. I do realize how much Jesus had to suffer, and so many others suffer throughout this world and throughout history, but somehow that doesn’t help me or give me any solution to not feeling like God has allowed more than I can handle, or more than others can handle in the suffering scheme of things. Of course, when you’re ‘in the midst’ of any suffering, heartache, or struggle, it seems much more unbearable, more difficult to see clearly or feel brave until you reach that other side and are able to look back, seeing His Hand holding on to you through it all, a thread of hope and Him at work, traces of Him in His perfect love and Embrace, but until then ... (pause, breath of a deep sigh) - we wait, we pray, we seek and search, we believe and we trust. Meanwhile He continues to pour His strength into us, His healing touch upon us, His heart entwined in our pain, our ache, our suffering, His loving arms wrapping us in His Embrace, covering us over and over with great compassion and empathy. He longs to be close at all times as we draw closer and keep our eyes fixed on Him, not on our many needs, our circumstances - just soaking in His Presence.

It may be quite some time, or in no time at all, that we finally see an end to suffering, or have an understanding of our hurts and heartaches, or an answer for our pain; and I, for one, may never be able to Embrace suffering or heartache or pain, but I will most definitely Embrace the One who knows suffering, heartache and pain, and gives me victory to overcome, even in the midst, because HE took it  all for me, and He will see me through each one, every day, which is what I need to hold on to as I continue to surrender, give it all to Him, and cast each burden, EVERY ONE of them on Him, for He cares so much for me, and you - that He did Embrace suffering that wasn’t His to bear, and He aches each time any one of His children are hurting. He's longing to Embrace them, and take away their pain. If only we let Him. Jesus did so, so we don’t have to. All it takes, One lasting Embrace!

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This hardly does justice to all Lysa's devotions in Part 3 of

Embracing Him in the midst of hurt and heartache

and what I got out of reading them.

Nor does this help you to

EMBRACE SUFFERING

{perhaps these Bible verses might - sorry, the link I had, doesn't work now}

iPost Christianpost 10 Bible verses tells Christians to embrace sufferings

I should have copied the 10 verses

Bible Study Tools have 30 Significant Bible Verses about Suffering

Open Bible - 100 Verses

  {so I had to search again and this time found} 

10 Powerful Principles to Endure Suffering

{to EMBRACE or 'to Endure' are not at all the same to me}

Why do I share this? 

I guess because I've read somewhere recently something 

that we are suppose to 'embrace our suffering' so I'm still trying 

to figure this out.

I believe it all might have started when I read: 

Colossians 1:24

Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. (NIV)

because those words stuck with me until I read this verse in The Passion Translation and  received a clearer understanding
Anyways, I submerged myself in Psalm 23 and 91 studies and plans clearly
 Suffering is inevitable.  We can expect suffering.  No one enjoys suffering,  but it is a normal part of life even the Christian life or especially the Christian life.
BUT God...
can give us His grace and power
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The last part of "EMBRACED ... " Part 4: Embracing His Call to be Transformed, might have to wait a while for me to continue again ... perhaps mid-October or maybe not until November. It contains Devotions #76-100. It's not because I'm not ready to EMBRACE His Call or to be transformed or His Call to be transformed, I've just got other readings and things to deal with at this time (deadlines on forms, etc.). 
I'm looking forward to some "Quiet Time" and even some get-away time so I don't want to start and stop in Part 4 again like I did with this one. 
In fact, now that I'm thinking ahead about this, perhaps, I will begin 2020 with being "transformed" or EMBRACING His Call to be Transformed ... but, in no way am I thinking of 'transform' as my 2020 One Word (only God knows that for sure) I thought I was sorting out 3 'P' Words for One Word so we'll have to see ... anyways, it may be awhile to finish EMBRACED ... because of all that's part of this last part, which now may be the first part of 2020 and I must add, it's perfect to start out a New Year EMBRACING HIS CALL to be TRANSFORMED! {yeah I like that}
Maybe in part, it's just because I don't want to finish Lysa's book EMBRACED ... knowing that I have not yet EMBRACED all that is before me and I know that I have so much yet to EMBRACE! 

EMBRACING HIM in the MIDST of HURT & HEARTACHE 3-4

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September

EMBRACED

... Knowing God is Holding Me (You) Close

2019

Part 3: 

EMBRACING

Him 

in the Midst of Hurt & Heartache

Devotions #49-75 

(#71 - 75  in this week's post)

71. "Wisdom and Humility" Proverbs 11:2

"A wisdom like none other can arise from those hard places that bring us low."

{Yes, Lysa, such wise words "Wisom is our Silver Lining"}

72. "I'm Really Afraid" Psalm 34:7

"Sometimes living in fear of what might be causes more stress and anxiety that actually facing what we fear."

73. "Holding on to Truth" John 8:32

"Our souls were formed to recognize and respond to the calm assurance of Jesus."

{how beautiful written, Lysa! this truth is.}

74. "Pressing through the Pain" James 4:8 NKJV

"If we avoid the hurt, the hurt creates a void in us."

75. "Devastated but not Destroyed"Psalm 46:10

"God loves us and He will not leave us."

{5 really great truths on page 235 that we must cling and hold to ...} Ones we know but constantly need to remind ourselves.
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So, so often, I have felt devastated and thought I was destroyed or my future will be, mostly because of my insecurities, maybe I was (am) really afraid, BUT God ... He helps me press on through the pain as I hold on to His Truth, trying desperately to not let the lies of destruction and the enemy of my soul destroy me, with God's wisdom as I learn humility and lean into Him ... so as you can see all of Lysa's devotion titles tell my story too, of hurt and heartache. 

Without being able to EMBRACE God in the midst of them, I don't know how I would fare, or pray through getting beyond these obstacles trying to hold me back or crush me with their weight (not sure how anyone that does not have a relationship with Jesus ever does face their hurts and heartaches, maybe they don't, maybe they just stuff and think they've dealt with it by never dealing with them or facing them, maybe they don't care if they ever heal ... or fester others by their wounds, because we've all heard "hurt people hurt people" but "healed people heal people"). I prefer to be the second kind. Yes, I'm guilty too of stuffing or trying to move on (run from them) and forget the pain, the problem, the storm ... but it doesn't work for me. It's sure to resurface until I face it and deal with it. God's Word is a soothing balm and guide for me, offering unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness, with much wisdom and His healing touch. As I invite Jesus into my pain, my hurts, my heartaches ... I find that He helps me through in His strength (not mine), with His comforting EMBRACE.

HE is 

more than

enough

HE really does know our pain and our heart

PSALM 91

(another YouVersion reading plan I'm doing)

is one of my favorites and Lysa's too.

In fact, on page 232, in devotion #74, Lysa shows us

how to prayerfully invite God into our pain

through this Psalm.

Lord, Draw me close. ... You are my everyday dwelling place,
my saving grace!

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Previous blog posts of Part 3:

EMBRACING Him 

in the Midst of Hurt & Heartache

Devotion #49

 3-1 Devotions #50-57

 3-2 Devotions #58-65

 3-3 Devotions #66-70

plus this one for

Devotions #71-75

EMBRACING HIM in the MIDST of HURT & HEARTACHE 3-3

[My plan was to finish this Part 3 in August, but I needed to take a pause and tried "EMBRACING JOY in His Presence" (another devotional book, but by Sarah Young, which You Version had 2 different reading plans that I sampled). There are 10 "Embraced..." devotions left in this part that I have divided into the next two weeks while I continue "EMBRACING Him (even) in the midst of hurt and heartache", because no matter what, "Embracing Him" is the best way, and for me, the only way I get through, move on and move forward with His Grace.]

EMBRACED

... Knowing God is Holding Me (You) Close

2019

Part 3: 

EMBRACING

Him 

in the Midst of Hurt & Heartache

Devotions #49-75 

(#66 - 70 in this week's post)

66. "Alone in a Crowded Room" John 13:34

"Proximity and activity don't always equal connectivity."

{that's for sure!!!}

67. "Three Things You Must Remember When Rejected"

Psalm 34:19

..."Satan knows what consumes us controls us."

68. "The Best Worst Thing"  Matthew 8:26

"We live in a broken world full of broken people But isn't it comforting to know God isn't ever broken?"..."He can take our worst and add His best."

69. "A Better Place to Park" Philippians 4:8

"To dwell on hard things keeps us in hard spots."

70. "Wisdom Together" James 3:13

"When we can rise up on the wisdom of others and get a new view of our situations, our next steps seem a little clearer."

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Lysa has such a gift of writing devotions applicable to her life, but there are times when I read them that I cannot relate to experiences in my own journey (other times, instantly they are triggered) however every devotion makes good points for the reader and the brief prayer prompts at the end of each one often speak my very heart leading me to a deeper reflection, like some of the chosen ones that follow (which even if the devotion did not seem applicable, the prayer somehow was, bringing it home for me, tying it into the scripture with her devotion - now that's the gift.) 

So I just had to share some from this Part 3 that helped me heal while "EMBRACING HIM in the midst of hurt & heartache":

{not just from this week}

Lord, I can't thank You enough for the promise that I can trust You at all times. Even though people may fail me, {or I may fail them} others may abandon me, You never will. I'm choosing to let that truth steady my heart today. ...

Father God, I don't understand this situation. But I do understand Your goodness to me. Help me replace the fears threatening to consume me with truth, I know You love me, You are for me, and I absolutely can trust You with all of my heart. ...

Dear Lord, thank You so much for the way You love me - with a love that can never be shaken, taken or tarnished. Help me look to You and You alone to fill and satisfy my heart. ...

Dear Lord, You know the hurts I have from the past that still drain me {or affect me}. Please show me a good place to park my mind when that pain stings me{or someone or something else reminds me}again. [Help me not to dwell and rehash on the hard things that keep me in hard spots because that only serves to deepen my feelings of emotional emptiness.] ...

Dear Lord, Thank You for Your mercies and patience in this journey of imperfect progress. Forgive me for allowing disappointment (etc.) to capture my heart so easily. Adjust my perspective and help me to see things You have brought to life in me. ...

Dear Lord, I choose to hand my situation over to You today. ...
EMBRACING YOU while healing
EMBRACING YOUR PROMISES in the midst of hurt & heartache
EMBRACING YOU also and always as I face each heartache and heal each hurt in Jesus' name
I will continue to
EMBRACE
Your Joy
Comfort
Peace
...