One of the struggles that I have is that I feel I often live my life like there is no other life after this. Sure I know that there is an eternal destiny for every person, but I find myself often not living that way. I often live for this life and not for the life to come. At times when life becomes a struggle or when facing difficulties I get angry or frustrated with God. I some times wonder why God does not make my life a little easier. I wonder why mission work can not be a little easier. While we do see blessing on the work, it is often overshadowed by pain, heart-ache, frustration and difficulty. I do not understand God in so many ways especially when difficulties arise. Although I do not hold to the wealth and prosperity gospel which is so prevalent these days, as I find it unbiblical and damaging, I do find myself at times living like it is true. I wrongly assume that because I am a missionary and making sacrifices by being here and serving the Lord, that He will make other parts of my life easier. This of course is not the case and I need to be reminded of that. Earlier this year, or perhaps it was even at the end of last year, I heard a song that really brought these things in perspective and has been a huge blessing for Lia and myself. This song helped us to focus on the fact that God's "love is way too much to give us lesser things, that this world is not our home, and that the trials of this life are God's mercies in disguise"! What God has in store for us is so much greater and better than what this life and this world have to offer us. The song is called "Blessings" and I highlighted the parts that have really impacted me. I hope it does the same for you and that we can remind each other that when struggles and difficulties arise God is allowing these things to happen in order to mold us more and more into His image and to make us yearn for our heavenly home.
"Blessings"
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not our home
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not our home
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise
