Today is Wednesday, June 20th, 2007; Karen's Korner #1088
Another exerpt from Stormie Omartian's "The Power of a Praying Woman" and a portion of a prayer at the end of chapter 21 titled "Lord, Comfort Me in Times of Trouble":
"Every time I take off in an airplane on a gray, dreary, rainy day, I'm always amazed at how we can fly right up through the dark wet clouds, so thick that we can't see one thing out the window, and then suddenly rise above it all and have the ability to see for miles. Up there the sky is sunny, clear, and blue. I keep forgetting that no matter how bad the weather gets, it's possible to rise above the storm to a place where everything is fine.
"Our spiritual and emotional lives are much the same. When the dark clouds of trial, struggle, grief, or suffering roll in and settle on us so thick that we can barely see ahead of us, it's easy to forget there is a place of calm, light, clarity, and peace we can rise to. If we take God's hand in those difficult times, He will lift us up above our circumstances to the place of comfort, warmth, and safety He has for us.
"One of my favorite names for the Holy Spirit is the Comforter (John 14:26). Just as we don't have to beg the sun for light, we don't have to beg the Holy Spirit for comfort either. He is comfort. We simply have to separate ourselves from anything that separtes us from Him. We have to pray that when we go through difficult times, He will give us a greater sense of His comfort in us.
"Tough times happen to everyone at one time or another. Pain and loss are a part of life. There are many different reasons why these things occur, but God is always there to bring good out of it when we invite Him to. If we understand the different possibilities for our suffering, it will help us overcome our pain and see our faith grow in the midst of it."
"Lord, help me to remember that no matter how dark my situation may become, You are the light of my life and can never be put out. No matter what dark clouds settle on my life, You will lift me above the storm and into the comfort of Your presence. Only You can take whatever loss I experience and fill that empty place with good. Only You can take the burden of my grief and pain and dry my tears. 'Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer' (Psalms 4:1)."
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