What a Friend We Have in Jesus

"What a friend we have in Jesus" is one of my favorite hymns. It was written by Joseph Scriven who came to believe in Jesus Christ after losing his bride-to-be on the eye of their marriage. She was drowned a couple of hours before she became his bride. We can never imagine his pain and anguish. But isn't it amazing that he found true peace and rest in the arms of His Savior Jesus Christ. Please read the lyrics of this song keeping in mind Joseph who lost his beloved!!

 What a friend we have in Jesus, 
 all our sins and griefs to bear! 
 What a privilege to carry 
 everything to God in prayer! 
 O what peace we often forfeit,
 O what needless pain we bear, 
 all because we do not carry 
 everything to God in prayer. 

 Have we trials and temptations? 
 Is there trouble anywhere? 
 We should never be discouraged; 
 take it to the Lord in prayer. 
 Can we find a friend so faithful 
 who will all our sorrows share? 
 Jesus knows our every weakness; 
 take it to the Lord in prayer. 

 Are we weak and heavy laden, 
 cumbered with a load of care? 
 Precious Savior, still our refuge; 
 take it to the Lord in prayer. 
 Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? 
 Take it to the Lord in prayer! 
 In his arms he'll take and shield thee; 
 thou wilt find a solace there.

Song for Every Season

There are times where I am hurting for several reasons-could be a severe trial or a genuine remorse for a repeated sin before my Holy God. And I am without words as the burden is too heavy to bear. At times like this, a song can be such a balm to your soul as it lifts up your spirits.

One such song that lifted me up during that time was, “It is well with my soul”

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

I love the chorus!! “It is well, with my soul, It is well, it is well, with my soul.”

“...I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” Philippians 4:11b

Of Grace under Trials

On Sunday morning, while waiting for my church service to begin, I noticed a guy walk into church with the help of a walking crutch. For a minute, I couldn’t place the guy in my memory, but then I recalled he was the same person who had met with a severe accident couple of months ago. 

Watching him walk across the room with the crutch, released a flood of memories in my mind. I immediately recalled the phase when I walked about with the help of an elbow crutch. Of course, mine was a minor accident compared to his, just torn ligaments in my ankle and badly bruised bones. It took me a couple of months to get back on my feet. Literally!! 

Those days constantly reminded me of my frailty and how much grace I needed to go through it alone. The day I met with the accident was the day I got confirmed in my new job. Looking at the severity of my injury, I knew instantly, I had lost my job. I was job hunting those days so I knew what I had lost. And six months earlier, I had undergone two dental surgeries back to back within a span of two months. That put a considerable toll on my health. 

Now, with the ankle injury, I was battling a lot of emotions. I was confused wondering what went wrong. But praise God for His word. Truly, it is a light unto your path. James clearly says that we will face trials of all kinds and this is to only to build up my faith. (James 1:2-4) He calls us to have an attitude of joy! Christ has promised that His grace is always sufficient in any trial we go through. (2 Corinthians 12:9a)

Paul experienced that promise when he suffered under a great trial of having the thorn in his flesh. He prayed thrice to God to have it removed, but Christ only said, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor.12:9)

I always marvel at Paul’s response to this promise of Christ, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor.12:9c). This is true grace manifested in our weak bodies! 

I have known believers who have survived a car wreck and underwent several operations. I have seen their godly response to such deep suffering. I have seen Christ’s grace manifested not just in their attitude towards suffering but in the humble acceptance in what God in His immense wisdom has allowed to pass. I saw this same attitude in the person I mentioned in the beginning of this post. 

I am humbled and at the same time marvel at God’s ways. This in my sight is truly a miracle!!

A RIGHT RESPONSE TO TRIALS

      We had done this study in our women's meeting a while back. As I was going through the notes again I was encouraged by the following verses.

      God brings trials in the Christian’s life for many different reasons. How we respond to it, reflects our view of God. The followings verses can help us think truth in our heart about God during our  trials.

         God uses trials in the believer’s life to:       

1.   Produce endurance in us.

 James 1:3 “For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness”

   2.       To conform us to the image of His Son.

Romans 8:29-30 “For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son in order that He might be the first born among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom he called, He also justified and those whom He justified, He also glorified.”

 3.       To make us mature and complete and lacking in nothing.

James 1:4 “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.”

 4.       To produce greater fruitfulness in us as God prunes us. Remember how close the gardener is to us as He prunes us!

John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes that it may bear more fruit.”

 5.       To grow us in perseverance proven character and hope.

Romans 5:3-4 “ More than that we rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produce endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope”

 6.       To teach us His comfort-so that we might comfort others with that comfort.

2 Cor 1:3-4 “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

New Job...New trials...Renewed Hope

Its been almost 3 weeks at my new job. I don't even know how the weeks have flown by. It was like just yesterday that i said good bye to my friends at MIT Design and here i am today in the IT industry. If you would ask me how the journey has been since then; I really don't know what to say.I have had mixed emotions. Times of joy and times of sorrow. I know that its the initial time and it will pass soon. But the journey seems so long.

The only thing that keeps me going is that my God is in complete control of every situation. He knows why He has placed me here. Sometimes everything seems so overwhelming that you you just want to run away. But to know that in any trial we are not alone,He is always with me and He never leaves me. At this new job I feel really lonely as its taking me a while to make friends and people here are more into their work. But at these times I have realized that its only my Lord Jesus who will be my faithful friend. I have sung the song “What a friend we have in Jesus” many a times. But the last few days the truths in those verses have been more dear to me.

I praise God for saving me and giving me a new life. To know that I have hope and as it says in 2 Peter 1:3-4 that He has given me all things pertaining to life godliness. All i need to do is completely depend on Him.

This new place, new people and new trials are gonna reveal more of my weak areas which will show me every single day as to how helpless I am on my own and thus will make me go to the cross every day.

Thank you Jesus for a being a compassionate friend, patient, loving and always faithful. Thank you for your perfect sacrifice and that in you I have eternal life.

These Inward Trials- John Newton

I asked the Lord, that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.

I hoped that in some favored hour
At once He’d answer my request,
and by His love’s constraining power
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
the hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

‘Lord, why is this?’ I trembling cried,
`Wilt thou pursue Thy worm to death?’
`This in this way,’ the Lord replied,
`I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou mayst seek thy all in Me.’

By John Newton

Faithfully promised!!

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you" Isaiah 43:2

God has promised trials for His children. There is no escaping with this fact. Sometimes, it is through deep waters or rivers and sometimes you are called to walk through fire! If you read the verse carefully, it says 'pass' and 'walk'. There is no sense of hurry or impatience; slowly one step at a time!

But, look at what God has to say, "I will be with you". That is His promise. He has promised to be present in our deepest afflictions. And no matter, how hard our trials, God will not give more than we can bear. He is compassionate!!

Look at the verse, "When you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." (emphasis mine!)

God is faithful in all His words and kind in all His works. (Psalms 145:13)

The blessing of trials!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comforts those who are in any trouble with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ." 2 Cor.1:3-5

How wonderful to know that no matter what pain we go through, or how agonising our circumstances may be, we can always run to God who is Our Dear Father! He comforts us in all our troubles. His mercies are new every morning.

God's desires in this, is that we be made Christ-like. To bear the nature of Christ in our mortal bodies. To shine forth His glory to an unbelieving world.

Trials are to break us, stretch us, refine us and mould us! It removes unwanted sin patterns, bad habits, sinful thought processes. In other words, God uses trials to purify us, make us holy, to be like Him!!

To be partakers of His holiness and His righteousness is what God desires for His dear children. Oh!! How much we should love Him and desire His Glory always!!

My prayer!

Heavenly Father, I thank You for You are good and You do good! Your loving kindness is better than life. I rejoice in You and surely, my soul delights in You alone! Your promises are true and an anchor to my soul. Your goodness, who can compare and who is as tender as You are?

Thank you LORD, for the trial that You put me in. What comfort to my heart to know that in much love and wisdom you placed me in the fire. Your promise, "I will never leave You or forsake You", keeps me from fainting! Your grace is sufficient for me. For in my weakness, You are strong.

Even though, I walk through fire, You promised that I will not be burned or consumed. Your word is sufficient and it is good that I am being afflicted coz I will learn much from Your Word!!

Thank you for Your dear Son, Jesus Christ.... He is my Sympathetic High Priest and He knows my every weakness!! Your grace is sufficient!

My prayer is that I will glorify Your Holy Name during this time of affliction and that my faith is made perfect. In Christ's Name. Amen.

Trials? A blessing? -Part 2

And how to endure in the midst of trials?

• Accept that you are going through a trial and choose to trust God for the timing when the trial struck. Remember one thing, God will never give you more than you can handle, and that's a promise! “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1Cornthians 10:13. (emphasis mine)
• Share your burden with a godly Christian. (Galatians 6:2)
• Develop an attitude of thanksgiving and of rejoicing by meditating on the outcome of your trial. (1Peter 1:6-7)

Yes! Trials are hard and many a times painful to bear. Whether it is in the form of illness, loss of a loved one, heart break, dashed hopes, misunderstandings with family and friends or suffering for the sake of Christ, we have Jesus Christ who has experienced it all. He is our High Priest who intercedes for us and remember that, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

So, let us all we are knee-deep in trials run to the throne of grace in order to receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need!! (Hebrews 4:16)

to be continued..

Trials? A blessing?

Trials are really blessings in disguise!. Not in itself, but what they can achieve.

• Trials 'show'/reveal what's really in our heart and help/set our mind on Christ.
• Tests our faith (James 1:2-3)
• Makes us patient/longsuffering/steadfast
• Makes us mature or a wholesome Christian
• God offers wisdom on how to deal with a particular trial (James 1:5-9)
  Hence, our response to all trials should be of extreme joy as God is doing a wonderful work in our hearts.

How can we prepare ourselves before trials come?

• Fortify our hearts with appropriate scriptures!
• Our minds should be saturated with God's word. This will definitely affect the way we respond or 'perceive' trials.
  

For example:

• Make a list of all the questions that come to mind regarding trials. Find appropriate verses to tackle or answer these questions.
• Study various characters from the Bible and notice how they responded to trials. But your best example should always be Our Lord Jesus. Others include Job, Paul, Daniel, my favourite Joseph, David, Mary and so many more.
• Memorize specific portions of scriptures and constantly meditate on them.
• Be in constant prayer. This is so often neglected in our Christian circles. Remember, Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed before He went to the cross. And that is what we should be doing. We don't know when trials may come, but come they will.

To be continued

Benefits of trial

Few days back, I was going through a study series on trials and how the saints can benefit from the trials that befall upon them. It was exciting to go through scripture verses and learn from Christ Himself on how He endured the cross(Hebrews 12:2). Many things were covered as how we as God's children are called to endure trials in the right attitude and trust God in the light on seemingly endless affliction.

Come Thursday, and I was down with a bad sore throat. Okay, I knew it was application time. It is one thing to nod ur head in affirmation over the truth of God's word when things are going well and another to trust in times of pain and agony. But God is gracious. He never gives more than what His child can handle. (1 Cor 10:13). Later on, the sickness got worse with an attack of flu and severe body ache. Just to lay in bed and say, "You are good and You do good"( Psalms 119:68) took tremendous amount of faith, to be honest!

But, I always feel especially for me......I am more tuned to God's word and receptive in times of illness. Otherwise, we are so busy and doing a million things...When was the last time you sat still before God and quietened ur soul?? Hence I can always say, "It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes" (Psalms 119:71)