I probably should have paid more attention in high school to my artsy, animated philosophy teacher. I couldn’t really get past his hand gestures at 8 in the morning. I also should have listened to my quiet, wise theology professor in college. Maybe I would be a little further in my spiritual fundamentals. But then again, maybe it’s a good thing I zoned out during those important classes. They had important things to say and some of it did stick, but sometimes a classroom isn’t the best place to learn things about God. Sometimes, you understand more about God’s character from seeing prayers answered, from walking through difficult times, or from simply not knowing the answers already.
I started a letter to myself a year ago and have slowly been adding to it ever since. (I do this sometimes, write letters to people to give to them years later.) I started writing it because I was just coming out of a difficult time and wanted to remember what I was learning. I realized that I might need to write it to my future self just the same. I know I will face more trials. Harder trials than before. In those times, I don’t want to forget what I know about Truth. Because, honestly, doesn’t our view of God seem to change with our circumstances sometimes? I know mine has the tendency to. I am writing myself a (lengthy) letter, so that when I am tempted to think differently about myself, God, others, my marriage, my children, the Church, etc, I can come back to what I truly believe is the right way of viewing these things.
And just like that, I leave you with a little of what the Lord has been faithfully showing me. But then again, maybe these are just like my professors’ lessons:
“If God was willing to break perfect unity with His Son so that mankind could have the hope of being adopted as children into eternity in paradise, does that not make Him the ultimate picture of love? Is there anything more extraordinary than God’s sacrifice of part of Himself to rescue a perishing race? No. There is not- nor will there ever be- anyone as loving and good as God. That is why Job could endure his suffering. Because God is good in spite of our circumstances. We may not see that He is good in our circumstances, but he is good in spite of them…..If the rest of my life is full of pain and torture and endless agony, God is still good. He is good, because He loves me with a ravishing love that would not allow my soul to perish. He loves me with a love that willed the Trinity to break its perfect unity to save me from eternal wretchedness. He loved me when I did not have the ability to love Him back. He loves me still. He loves me in my anger, doubt, fear, insecurity, sin, unfaithfulness, and brokenness. He is completely good no matter what is happening to me, because He sealed my soul for Himself for the rest of eternity. My body and problems will die with this earth, but my soul will reign with Him in His Kingdom forever. He is good. Always.”
I started a letter to myself a year ago and have slowly been adding to it ever since. (I do this sometimes, write letters to people to give to them years later.) I started writing it because I was just coming out of a difficult time and wanted to remember what I was learning. I realized that I might need to write it to my future self just the same. I know I will face more trials. Harder trials than before. In those times, I don’t want to forget what I know about Truth. Because, honestly, doesn’t our view of God seem to change with our circumstances sometimes? I know mine has the tendency to. I am writing myself a (lengthy) letter, so that when I am tempted to think differently about myself, God, others, my marriage, my children, the Church, etc, I can come back to what I truly believe is the right way of viewing these things.
And just like that, I leave you with a little of what the Lord has been faithfully showing me. But then again, maybe these are just like my professors’ lessons:
“If God was willing to break perfect unity with His Son so that mankind could have the hope of being adopted as children into eternity in paradise, does that not make Him the ultimate picture of love? Is there anything more extraordinary than God’s sacrifice of part of Himself to rescue a perishing race? No. There is not- nor will there ever be- anyone as loving and good as God. That is why Job could endure his suffering. Because God is good in spite of our circumstances. We may not see that He is good in our circumstances, but he is good in spite of them…..If the rest of my life is full of pain and torture and endless agony, God is still good. He is good, because He loves me with a ravishing love that would not allow my soul to perish. He loves me with a love that willed the Trinity to break its perfect unity to save me from eternal wretchedness. He loved me when I did not have the ability to love Him back. He loves me still. He loves me in my anger, doubt, fear, insecurity, sin, unfaithfulness, and brokenness. He is completely good no matter what is happening to me, because He sealed my soul for Himself for the rest of eternity. My body and problems will die with this earth, but my soul will reign with Him in His Kingdom forever. He is good. Always.”
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