Faithful Fridays ~ Displayed

Hi everyone!  My Faithful Friday post is a little bit later today because I had to get some school done before I posted.  I usually write my post on Thursday night, but it didn't happen.  :) 

I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians could have one designated day a week (although I don't think they should keep it to just one day) to share something about their Faith--a prayer request, answered prayer, Bible verse, something God's laid on your heart, etc.  To participate in Faithful Fridays, just grab the button above for your post along with a link to my blog somewhere in your post, too.  After you've published your post, please come let me know in your comment that you participated and leave me a link to your blog.  I'd love to come read your post!

My mama also writes on Faithful Fridays on her blog, Country Girl at Home.
And so does Ms. Patty at Blessings Beyond.
And Ms. Retha at Retha's Rambles.
And Ethan at Ethanseverydayblog. 
And Ms. Sherry at He{art}.
And you could be next!  Come join us at Faithful Fridays!  :D

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I saw a part of Scripture on a blog the other day.  It was at the bottom of the page and it's a wonder (ahem, a miracle?) that I noticed it.  I've read about (and have been told about at church) the accounts of Jesus and the blind men he healed.  But I never read this part of when Jesus healed a blind man in the book of John:

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
    “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

-John 9:1-3

Christ says it right there--it's not the blind man's fault that he's blind, it's not the parent's fault, and it's not anyone else's fault.  His being blind is not a punishment, it is a blessing. 

When I was younger (and I admit--I still like to imagine it), I imagined that the world was this giant dollhouse or playset and God reached down and moved everyone around made the cars move.  It creates a fun picture, doesn't it?  But honestly, it mirrors how things really are--God is in control of everything--from the sand to the giant blue whale, and from termites to humans. 

There are no accidents (and, ahem, no big bangs or explosions), no things that God does not know about or can't control.  God chooses to do what He chooses to do, and it's all in His divine plan--whether we understand it at the moment or not.  And eventually, whether God reveals it to us on earth or in Heaven, we will understand why God did what He did. 

So, for people who have lost a loved one, who have a bad sickness, who have lost a limb, or have a learning disability, or were born with Down's Syndrome--they are blessed.  There is a song that comes on our local Christian radio station, K-Love, quite often.  It's called Fall Apart and it is sung by J*sh Wilson.  I love this song because it explains that when we go through something hard, when we fall apart, those are the times that we become really, really close to God, and our relationship with him grows wonderfully.  Check out this part of the lyrics:

Blessed are the ones who understand
We’ve got nothing to bring but empty hands
Nothing to hide and nothing to prove
Our heartbreak brings us back to You

If you are broken in any way, if you are going through anything--it's not punishment.  The hurt is not from God.  God can use these trials to display His works in you.  How awesome is that?  God is going to display HIS works in you!  You lucky duck.  Yes, you are blessed.  I'm reminded again of song lyrics.  Have you ever heard the song Blessings by Laura Story?  Those lyrics also fit with this post:

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

If you've been reading my blog for a little while, you probably remember me talking about a Ms. Mozelle from the nursing home we visit.  Ms. Mozelle has lost all of her children and her husband (she only has grandchildren left)  She has had several back surgeries and numerous other surgeries and is now in a nursing home--and through it all, she's glorifying the Lord.  Ms. Mozelle is such a jewel.  She kept on saying to me, "The Lord's kept me here for something, and I'm going to do it."  She said that she talks to him all the time.  How awesome is that?  You can tell that she has a very special relationship with the Lord.  God is truly using her through her trials.

We've also known a lady that lost her husband.  She used her widowed life after that to serve the Lord--she moved and is now serving a wonderful ministry and reaching people.  God is truly using her through her trials.

So if you're going through something, remember--find what it is in this trial that the Lord is using.  Decide in your heart that you are going to find out what God wants you to do through these trials--how He wants to use you--and do it.