July 2018

to know our Almighty God on a
personal level through our circumstances.
Getting a Better View
God is a God of love, a complete
love which brings those who love
Him into a close relationship with
Him (1 John 4:16). His love is a
sacrificial love, having given Jesus
as payment for our sin, yet
raised Him to life offering us
new life (Romans 4:25). He never
promised life would be easy
or would go our way, but God
promises to always be with us
(Isaiah 43:2, Psalm 91:15). We
are sinners saved by the blood
of Jesus Christ for good works
(Ephesians 2:10), yet we doubt
sometimes. Growing in our faith
is a lifelong process requiring
trust in the truth.
We can trust God’s goodness,
even when life does not seem
so good. In His unfailing love,
He comforts us and provides
for our needs. We can make
plans for our lives, but He does
not guarantee they will always
happen the way we think they
should (Proverbs 16:9, Jeremiah
10:23). Sometimes, His plans for
us may mean walking through
some rough times that He will
use to refine us (Malachi 3:3, 1
Peter 1:6-7). We need not fear
trials because He is with us (Isaiah
41:10). We can trust that not
only is God on His throne, He is
with us during times of trouble.
Clearing Away the Mud
Painful memories may haunt
you for a very long time, causing
problems in your present. The
key is to heal from the pain you
still feel that you would rather forget.
It begins by seeing the pain
for what it really is. Broken, hurting
people hurt people. Tough
circumstances beyond your control.
Imperfect people who live in
a fallen world.
At some point, we need to look
at those moments and the people
involved from God’s view.
According to Juanita Ryan, RN,
MSN, from the National Association
for Christian Recovery,
we cannot fully heal without a
heart of compassion (Juanita
Ryan 2018). Give those people
and situations over to God so
you can be free from the storms
which rage inside you (Jordan
2012).
See yourself as God sees you,
too. You may need the help of a
licensed clinical Christian counselor
or your pastor to do this. By
removing pain and anger from
your heart, you will be ready to
see who you are in your relationship
with God.
The next step to clear the mud
from your spiritual windshield is
to dig into the Bible, God’s revelation
of Himself to us. Dr. Joyce
Myer recommends reading the
truths of the Bible so healing may
happen (Myers). There is no better
place to become acquainted
with God. Simply set aside some
time with your Bible or Bible
app, a note pad and a comfortable
chair to read, pray, reflect,
and write. The Psalms are full of
descriptions of God’s character,
so beginning with Psalm 1, you
could read one each day prayerfully
making notes of your impressions.
Another way to learn more about
God’s character is to study the
Names of God. For example, El
Shaddai means “Mighty God”.
Elohim means “One True God”.
Abba means “Daddy, Father”
(McDaniel). The names of God
can be found in a concordance,
topical index, or Bible dictionary.
Remember to look up all the
Names for Jesus Christ, too, because
He is God.
Make note of the context from
the passage when a particular
name is used. As you make discoveries,
pray for God to reveal
Himself according to the names
you found that describe Him.
Make note of His responses to
your prayers.
Finally, see how He has interacted
with His people in both the
Old and New Testaments. Notice
character traits and imperfections
in the people God loves.
It is very important to understand
His holiness and sovereignty in
light of His tender loving care for
His people.
When the debris is cleared away,
your view of God, circumstances,
and other people become
crystal clear. May your relationship
with Him grow richer.
Note: All Bible references come
from the Holy Bible, New International
Version. Copyright 1973,
1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
Charlaine Martin is a writer and
personal trainer with Be Totally
Fit for Life! www.betotallyfitforlife.com.
She is married with
three adult children and 11 active
grandchildren. Charlaine and
her husband live in the Thumb of
Michigan.
42 www.faithfilledfamily.com July 2018