And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose...
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...
NAY, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, ...nor things present, nor things to come...
Shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of GOD, which is in Christ Jesus of Lord.
Romans 8:28, 35, 37-39 (emphasis added)In a recent phone conversation with my cousin Karlee, she read back to me a letter that I had written her years ago in which I had quoted this scripture. It was a strange feeling hearing my own words read. Of course most of them weren't my own, but the Lord's. As she read these scriptures the words "nor things to come" really struck my soul. More than ever I have been carrying around fear in my heart, fear for things to come. Heavenly Father was speaking comfort to my soul through these words, that whatever may be approaching on the horizon, it will not separate me from His love. The other half of this equation is that I cannot let it do so. I must not allow whatever comes to cause me to separate myself from His love.
We may have heard many times, "that all things work together for good to them that love God", but I had not given much notice to the words that follow, "to them who are called according to his purpose." I have been called to this purpose, HIS purpose. I am not sure what it is yet, but I know He has one. I pray that I will slowly begin to see what it is and that I will remember His promise, that it will work together for good.
As I look at this photo of Mike as Felicity's champion as she takes her first steps, I see joy in the present and I see hope in our future. That is truly the Love of God manifest in our lives.
Thanks, Brianna. My struggles aren't the same as yours, of course, but your words help me. That's why those scriptures are so powerful--they touch so many people in so many different situations. I think we don't always see our purpose beforehand or even while we're going through something, but afterward we can look back and see that we were guided the entire time.
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ReplyDeletethank you for sharing your eloquent thoughts. i love it when you speak from your heart.
ReplyDeleteThanks for such hopeful reminders!! For me it's always the "things to come" that threaten my faith the most. The past and present tough times remind me I CAN make it through (I'm still standing, right? Or at least breathing...) :) and that the love of a perfect Savior will buoy me up for as long as I allow it...just as it always has before. I pray often to remember the strength I've found in the difficult moments I've already emerged from, and to let my sometimes fearful heart use those reminders to keep the uncertainties of tomorrow from paralyzing me today...impossible without the enabling power of the Atonement. So grateful for the restored gospel that gives us total access to the power of that most selfless saving act! Much love to you my friend! xoxo
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