http://www.cloften.com/?p=2241 He'd rather be funny than good! Fri, 29 Jan 2016 20:05:26 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 http://www.cloften.com/?p=2241&cpage=1#comment-1374 Nicole Wed, 18 Nov 2015 04:19:22 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=2241#comment-1374 Good word! I think that sometimes there are trials that are chronic, and that is sometimes not taken into account in a lot of teachings. It seems to mostly be with family, or with a disability. Mine was with family, as a child, growing up in a verbally/emotionally abusive home, and going through that as a person doing everything in their power to follow Christ; to be obedient; to be a peacemaker...and from the voices around me just hearing condemnation, disrespect, and mockery...it was a very difficult time. I started taking my faith seriously about 11 or 12, and the following years up until really the last couple months....were really hard. My family, who claims to be Christian but don't live in the truth, or in love, has went through the final spirals of destroying itself...and while I'm very grateful to not be in that negative environment...and also very heartbroken that things did not change....sometimes, the situation is not your fault, and the hearts around you are very hard, and you just have to endure it, and live in love regardless of whether anyone is following you. I know God used those hardships to make me who I am today, but despite my many prayers, and living by the Spirit...the situation really did not change, and actually only got worse and worse. It ended in my parents divorce, (my mom left) both my Dad & my sister (who claim to be Christians) living in sexual sin (as of now), and my one little brother addicted to drugs and totally against God in every way, and an entire family (including myself) who does not speak to the mother in the picture. (And please note, I am at peace about this decision. It was not made out of bitterness or anger, but out of respect. Maybe someday things will be different, but right now its for the best for everyone.) Add into that the Churches I attended (not the Grove) when I was younger did not accept me or my family, and did nothing, did not speak out...even when things were obviously bad...and never really cared. I'm in a good place now. I have good, godly women in my life who encourage me toward Christ, and I'm attending a small group and a Church (Cross Church Fayetteville)...but for many years, it wasn't that way. It was just me & Christ in a very dark hopeless valley...his word sustained me and he truly was my only hope. I went to Church but I was not loved at Church. I would have jumped of a bridge years ago if it were not for Christ holding onto me and keeping me here. That was really more than I meant to say, but my point is, sometimes you just have to stand. Sometimes the only word to be heard is, God still loves me even though that's not what I'm hearing from the voices around me. God still has a purpose for me even if I can't see it. God is still Sovereign even though nothing is changing. And through it all...God's grace is sufficient for me...his power is made perfect in my weakness. I'm 22 now, and really, I would say nearly my whole life was lived in that very destructive environment (with some respites, thank God), but it was particularly hard for 10 years...but God never gave up on me. He also didn't take me out of the situation for many years. (Until really the last 2 or 3 months has been the finish line for that trial) Suffering isn't always because of your sin. Sometimes you suffer for doing right. I don't know what he is going to do now, but I do know his love and faithfulness holds me here. "Surely his goodness and unfailing love will follow me, all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Anyway, this isn't a critique, but its just what I thought of after reading this. Sometimes, suffering is chronic and out of your control, and harder and more devestating than anyone told you it would be. But God is still good. He is faithful. Even if I had never seen the end of that trial, I know God had already saved me for a wonderful future in heaven. I couldn't see it then, not like I can now, how much he loves me, and how deep his grace still runs for both me and my family. His Grace covers all my mistakes, and all the situations I really couldn't handle then, from lack of knowledge, being young, to just mentally not having anything left....He filled in. I'm not a perfect person and won't be for awhile now (haha ;) ) but He was and is enough for me. I still hope for my family to turn back to God...for them to trust in him again. It seems impossible and a long way off, but I know nothing is impossible with God. I look forward to heaven with all my heart (don't we all!), and I'm also learning to be thankful for this life here. Anyway, just my thoughts and story about suffering. Good word!
I think that sometimes there are trials that are chronic, and that is sometimes not taken into account in a lot of teachings.
It seems to mostly be with family, or with a disability. Mine was with family, as a child, growing up in a verbally/emotionally abusive home, and going through that as a person doing everything in their power to follow Christ; to be obedient; to be a peacemaker…and from the voices around me just hearing condemnation, disrespect, and mockery…it was a very difficult time.
I started taking my faith seriously about 11 or 12, and the following years up until really the last couple months….were really hard. My family, who claims to be Christian but don’t live in the truth, or in love, has went through the final spirals of destroying itself…and while I’m very grateful to not be in that negative environment…and also very heartbroken that things did not change….sometimes, the situation is not your fault, and the hearts around you are very hard, and you just have to endure it, and live in love regardless of whether anyone is following you.
I know God used those hardships to make me who I am today, but despite my many prayers, and living by the Spirit…the situation really did not change, and actually only got worse and worse. It ended in my parents divorce, (my mom left) both my Dad & my sister (who claim to be Christians) living in sexual sin (as of now), and my one little brother addicted to drugs and totally against God in every way, and an entire family (including myself) who does not speak to the mother in the picture. (And please note, I am at peace about this decision. It was not made out of bitterness or anger, but out of respect. Maybe someday things will be different, but right now its for the best for everyone.)
Add into that the Churches I attended (not the Grove) when I was younger did not accept me or my family, and did nothing, did not speak out…even when things were obviously bad…and never really cared.
I’m in a good place now. I have good, godly women in my life who encourage me toward Christ, and I’m attending a small group and a Church (Cross Church Fayetteville)…but for many years, it wasn’t that way. It was just me & Christ in a very dark hopeless valley…his word sustained me and he truly was my only hope. I went to Church but I was not loved at Church.
I would have jumped of a bridge years ago if it were not for Christ holding onto me and keeping me here.
That was really more than I meant to say, but my point is, sometimes you just have to stand. Sometimes the only word to be heard is, God still loves me even though that’s not what I’m hearing from the voices around me. God still has a purpose for me even if I can’t see it. God is still Sovereign even though nothing is changing. And through it all…God’s grace is sufficient for me…his power is made perfect in my weakness.
I’m 22 now, and really, I would say nearly my whole life was lived in that very destructive environment (with some respites, thank God), but it was particularly hard for 10 years…but God never gave up on me. He also didn’t take me out of the situation for many years. (Until really the last 2 or 3 months has been the finish line for that trial) Suffering isn’t always because of your sin. Sometimes you suffer for doing right.
I don’t know what he is going to do now, but I do know his love and faithfulness holds me here. “Surely his goodness and unfailing love will follow me, all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Anyway, this isn’t a critique, but its just what I thought of after reading this. Sometimes, suffering is chronic and out of your control, and harder and more devestating than anyone told you it would be. But God is still good. He is faithful. Even if I had never seen the end of that trial, I know God had already saved me for a wonderful future in heaven. I couldn’t see it then, not like I can now, how much he loves me, and how deep his grace still runs for both me and my family.
His Grace covers all my mistakes, and all the situations I really couldn’t handle then, from lack of knowledge, being young, to just mentally not having anything left….He filled in. I’m not a perfect person and won’t be for awhile now (haha ) but He was and is enough for me. I still hope for my family to turn back to God…for them to trust in him again. It seems impossible and a long way off, but I know nothing is impossible with God.
I look forward to heaven with all my heart (don’t we all!), and I’m also learning to be thankful for this life here.
Anyway, just my thoughts and story about suffering.

]]> http://www.cloften.com/?p=2241&cpage=1#comment-1373 Carolyn Loften Tue, 17 Nov 2015 22:13:25 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=2241#comment-1373 Good stuff. It hits right where people live. It's a wake-up call and it is a get going with God call. Good stuff. It hits right where people live. It’s a wake-up call and it is a get going with God call.

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