Food for the Soul

My dear child, are you questioning the number of trials in your life? Remember the vineyard and learn from it. The gardener stops pruning and trimming the vine or weeding the soil only when he expects nothing more from the vine during that season. He leaves it alone, because its fruitfulness is gone and further effort now would yield no profit. In the same way, freedom from suffering leads to uselessness. Do you now want me to stop pruning your life? Shall I leave you alone?

I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. (Ezekiel 34:26)

What is your season today? Are you experiencing a season of drought? If so, then it is the season for showers. Are you going through a season of great heaviness with dark clouds? Then that too is the season for showers. “Your strength will equal your days” (Deut. 33:25). “I will send… showers of blessing.” Notice that the word “showers” is plural.

God will send all kinds of blessings. And all His blessings go together like links in a golden chain. If He gives you saving grace, He will also give you comforting grace. God will send “showers of blessings.” Look up today, you who are dried and withered plants. Open your leaves and flowers and receive God’s heavenly watering.

You, O Lord, can transform my thorn into a flower. And I do want my thorn transformed into a flower. Job received sunshine after the rain, but was the rain all wasted? Job wants to know, and I want to know, if the rain is related to the sunshine. Only You can tell me – Your cross can tell me. You have crowned Your sorrow. Let this be my crown, O Lord. I will only triumph in You once I have learned the radiance of the rain.

Excerpted from the book: Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete (John 16:24)

I was struck by this verse today, the first line immediately caught my attention. The word “until now” woke me up because still, at this time, I am not confident enough to say that I have given my best, nor have I tried my best, or do I know what IS the BEST I can give. I have so many things that I want to happen in my life. So many questions wanting to be answered, so many events that are still left with hanging questions as to why it all happened. And now I come to this point wherein I ask myself, have I really asked for it? have I prayed hard enough… did I plead… have I lifted it all up?

I am not ready to answer all those questions, I am unsure of where I stand now. But I am willing to try, may it be big or small steps. I know one day, someday, I will be confident enough to say, I am STRONG and I will have nothing else to worry about because I have You and You are in me completely.

An out of nowhere hug from an innocent child… truly a comfort from above…

I was not in the right mood (or mind) late this afternoon. As usual, out of a simple thing, I was able to complicate it that somehow hurt me and someone I really love in the process. This is one of those days that I am not able to control my emotions. I could’ve said this or that, or simply just shut up but I chose not to. Instead, I let my emotions take over. Call me “pikon”, an unremarkable trait I have, striking again!

I left the house with this bitter feeling, walked down the road blankly and waited for the elevator to bring me to the 3rd floor where I’m to meet friends. With me was a family waiting as well, a typical Arab family with 3 children. Once I got in the elevator, to my surprise, the little girl hugged, literally hugged in full, my right leg and smiled. This gave me shivers… do you know why? I felt the sudden rush of His love working through that little girl. He comforted me right away, calmly… through this innocent girl of around 3 or 4 years old. This really made me smile… knowing how fast He sends out his angels to give comfort. It totally shifted my mood and made me realize, how could have I had the time to entertain this foolish emotion when there are a lot of things (blessings) that I should pour out my emotion to…

Everything went clear… emotions settled… and the image of this little girl remained on my thought… this is one simple testimony to share… just look around… He has never stopped pouring out His love on us… we just have to stop, see and appreciate…

I thank Thee for thy comfort today…