Is This Your Hour?

You have an important story.  Some chapters are written with laughter and joy, and some chapters scribbled with tears of frustration, sorrow and pain.  Every page is important and all of the content is allowed (I didn’t say caused) by God.

I saw a really frazzled mom in the grocery store the other day.  Her baby-in-car-seat was strategically wedged into the shopping cart with diapers, wipes, toilet paper, lettuce and cans of Spaghettios packed in every little crevice.  The baby was obviously not crazy about mom’s decision to shop... she was crying LOUDLY, having rejected both the pacifier and bottle. Frazzled-mom looked like she wanted to scream or cry... or both.

For what purpose was this mom allowed to come to this hour?

I know three beautiful women who’ve recently been handed the verdict of cancer... No one is adequately prepared to hear that wicked word.

For what purpose have these precious women been allowed to come to this hour?

I know several people who are either unemployed or under-employed and are struggling financially. 
For what purpose were they allowed to come to this hour?

I’ve had severe head pain and migraines every day since I was 19... Coupled with intense daily body pain due to several injuries, nerve damage and FM. For this moment, God has chosen not to alleviate the pain. He’s chosen not to “save me from this hour”.  Perhaps tomorrow will be different… 
For what purpose was I allowed to come to this hour?  

"But for this purpose I have come to this hour.

Father, glorify your name."

John 12: 27, 28 ESV 

   

How do we glorify His name? 

Well, some days it's as 'simple' as dragging ourselves out of bed when we don't want to.  Getting showered, dressed and making ourselves do what needs to be done.  It might be doing laundry, feeding the baby, going to the grocery store, or driving to the office.  It might mean being wife, mom, worker or boss. And in the middle of it all, it means:

We love.

We forgive.

We become like Him.

We boast of His goodness.

We allow our faith to increase.

We allow Him to be our strength.

We praise Him in the middle of it all.

We recognize His presence moment by moment.
We train our minds to focus on the goodness of God.

We endure the trial, and allow ourselves to be changed. 
We don't entertain the seed of bitterness.  It can grow so quickly. 
We don't compare our life's limitations and trials to others.  Not so easy.

We continue to believe, despite and because of, the frustration, pain or sorrow.

We persevere.  Yes, we keep moving forward even when we feel like giving up.
We allow God to squeeze out the 'poor me', 'It's just too much', or 'I can't do this anymore' thoughts.

Our trials and suffering present opportunity to hone our faith-unshakeable.

 "So be truly glad.  There is wonderful joy ahead,

even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.

These trials will show that your faith is genuine.

It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold-

though your faith is far more precious than mere gold."

1 Peter 1: 6, 7 NLT

What trials are you going through right now?

How are you glorifying God through your trials?

What changes is He making in you in this hour?
Or, perhaps you don't see Him in the middle of it all..

I'd love to hear your story.

Leave a comment!

 Living in His grace,

  Mary  
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