Hope Deferred

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Z

zaoman32

Guest
#41
#41
IloveyouGod said:
I was reading this interesting book called How to handle adversity for Dr. Charles Stanley. The book mentioned what you've mentioned here that YES God feels and understands our frustration, hurt and grief. When Lazarus the man whom God LOVES got really sick, God didn't go to heal him right away but rather waited till Lazarus died and decayed THEN He went. And although God knew He will bring Lazarus back, yet, God wept!!!! ALL of this to say that sometimes God would interrupt our health or happiness for the sake of a greater goal. After ALL of that, God raised Lazarus from the dead and God's glory was crystal clear to the whole world. Imagine if God had gone and healed Lazarus right from the beginning, His glory won't be as big and clear as bringing Lazarus back from the dead and after being decayed, right? See the difference? It's NOT about us. God uses us for His glory.
Click to expand...
THIS. So weird the most random thing would make something click, ANYWAY. Yes, the story of Jesus and Lazarus. Something I never even thought of before. It's kind of like what I mentioned with Jesus in the garden just struggling with the idea of having to die, except instead of him dying this time, it was his close friend. Again, Jesus WAS human, he understands emotion. Jesus wept. The way I picture this is, here come Mary and Martha telling Jesus that his best friend is sick (yes, he had a best friend, and NOT an apostle) what would Jesus' first instinct have been? Same any of our instinct would have been if we had that power to heal, and we had a friend who was sick...I have no doubt he wanted to drop everything to go see him, and yet the Father stayed his hand and told him to wait. So, Jesus being human, it makes me wonder if he wouldn't be thinking the same thing. Did he question his whole purpose and meaning in life? Was he angry with the Father. I don't know, but it may be possible, I don't think it's out of the question.

IloveyouGod said:
God is faithful in His promises that He won't test us more than we endure BUT we do not know how much we can take. We might think this is as much as we can deal with. That's what WE think. God KNOWS exactly how much we can endure and how far He can push us. So because sometimes there's a difference between what we know and what God knows, we think that God did not keep His promise when He actual IS keeping His promise.
Click to expand...
I don't agree that God doesn't give us more than we can endure. I believe that he does, but only so we're required to lean on Him. Just my personal opinion and we can agree to disagree. And I certainly don't want or mean to upset after the wonderful insight you've given me, thank you so much. :)
 
rachelsedge

rachelsedge

Senior Member
#43
Oct 15, 2012
3,659
81
48
34
#43
Something else to keep in mind about the story of Lazarus, that I just learned recently...

Jesus waited. He could have gotten there and kept him from dying in the first place. Even when He got there, the others were basically like, "Uh, why are you JUST now getting here? He's been dead for days!" But then Christ raised him from the dead, and it was the first time people had seen Him do that. He waited, in His timing, in order to show them something about Himself they didn't know before.

On a side note I want to echo the others here and say that I truly am highly encouraged in seeing the love you have for your children, and for others, despite all that's happened. And I don't even know the half of it, I know there's a lot going on in your life that I don't know about. Sometimes I get discouraged at humanity. Legitimately. Not that I'm above it, but it's still disheartening sometimes, the stuff people do...and then I come on CC/FB and see posts like yours and I think, "Yes! There is hope!" (See what I did there? Hope?...meh.)
 
Last edited:
I

IloveyouGod

Guest
#44
#44
Thank you Rachel. Like I said about the story of Lazarus. the main purpose is to say that ​God can interrupt our happiness or health for a greater goal. AndThe greater goal is to show the crowd His Glory. When God allowed His people to suffer one time after the other from Pharaoh, was also to show His Glory.

Like I said it is NOT about us. God uses us as tools to show His Glory.

God's Glory won't show in average things because average/simple/normal solutions are left for us human beings with our limitations. But when it comes to God or when God intervenes, it's always like WAW!!!!!!!!! that's God's Glory.

There is a nice saying that says Don't tell God how big is your problem. Tell your problem how big is your God!!


rachelsedge said:
Something else to keep in mind about the story of Lazarus, that I just learned recently...

Jesus waited. He could have gotten there and kept him from dying in the first place. Even when He got there, the others were basically like, "Uh, why are you JUST now getting here? He's been dead for days!" But then Christ raised him from the dead, and it was the first time people had seen Him do that. He waited, in His timing, in order to show them something about Himself they didn't know before.

On a side note I want to echo the others here and say that I truly am highly encouraged in seeing the love you have for your children, and for others, despite all that's happened. And I don't even know the half of it, I know there's a lot going on in your life that I don't know about. Sometimes I get discouraged at humanity. Legitimately. Not that I'm above it, but it's still disheartening sometimes, the stuff people do...and then I come on CC/FB and see posts like yours and I think, "Yes! There is hope!" (See what I did there? Hope?...meh.)
Click to expand...
 
I

IloveyouGod

Guest
#45
#45
Hello zaoman :)

I wouldn't get upset when you disagree with me. No worries at all. Believe me, sometimes people thinks I'm a Pharisee. I don't care less. I even laugh for how stupid they are being unable to see the difference between a True Christian and a Pharisee simply because all what they want is to be treated like a child and hear what THEY want to hear instead of hearing the truth.

Unlike you, you have an issue that you want to know about and when you get the truth, you appreciate it and learn from it. I respect you for that my brother from another mother :D

To answer YOUR comment that says: So, Jesus being human, it makes me wonder if he wouldn't be thinking the same thing. Did he question his whole purpose and meaning in life? Was he angry with the Father. I don't know, but it may be possible, I don't think it's out of the question.

You have to remember that Jesus was human and God at the same time!! The only human emotion He showed was His tears. He wouldn't go farther than that because He knows EVERYTHING Past, Present and Future. Jesus just wanted to teach us or to show us that He feels and appreciates our hurts. BUT like I said, God can interrupt our health and happiness for a greater goal, which is showing His Glory. See my answer to Rachel as well.

Now, when you said: I don't agree that God doesn't give us more than we can endure. You are simply saying that what's written in the bible is not true. Or God's promises in the bible is not true. Because if one promise is not true, then the rest might not be true either. And that does not make sense at all.
Like I said, I'm not upset :)


zaoman32 said:
THIS. So weird the most random thing would make something click, ANYWAY. Yes, the story of Jesus and Lazarus. Something I never even thought of before. It's kind of like what I mentioned with Jesus in the garden just struggling with the idea of having to die, except instead of him dying this time, it was his close friend. Again, Jesus WAS human, he understands emotion. Jesus wept. The way I picture this is, here come Mary and Martha telling Jesus that his best friend is sick (yes, he had a best friend, and NOT an apostle) what would Jesus' first instinct have been? Same any of our instinct would have been if we had that power to heal, and we had a friend who was sick...I have no doubt he wanted to drop everything to go see him, and yet the Father stayed his hand and told him to wait. So, Jesus being human, it makes me wonder if he wouldn't be thinking the same thing. Did he question his whole purpose and meaning in life? Was he angry with the Father. I don't know, but it may be possible, I don't think it's out of the question.



I don't agree that God doesn't give us more than we can endure. I believe that he does, but only so we're required to lean on Him. Just my personal opinion and we can agree to disagree. And I certainly don't want or mean to upset after the wonderful insight you've given me, thank you so much. :)
Click to expand...
 
G

GreenNnice

Guest
#46
#46
Shobro worded things well in a past post about confirmation of your taking care of your kids, zaoofmen.

What passion you do have for your kids, bro, that's seen on c.c., heard. it's something God's shown hope in Him of. Your kids and that situation with ex not sure of fully. But I just encourage you to find love for your ex, in some way, even if it's tough love, for God wants us to show love to our enemies and an ex can be that of a person's life. Your kids see soo much in you that you don't even see in you, and, God sees it all, too. He uses your kids surely in your life to show you more of you and who He wants you to be in life, to give others hope.
:)
I know that God's plans include blessings and success and maturity and honor and good stuff in your future for your way of leading your kids in life. God soooo cherishes children and our taking care of them. You are, bro, as He's led you . :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.