Crushed and perplexed, but not destroyed

“We are pressed on every side by troubles,

but we are not crushed.

We are perplexed,

but not driven to despair.

We are hunted down,

 but never abandoned by God.

We get knocked down,

but we are not destroyed.”

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 nlt

The same day after writing and posting my last blog, something happened that shook my soul. I won’t share the details, but it certainly perplexed me.

 

Yes, I shed some tears in the shock of being caught off guard and knocked off my sure footing. However, I also praised the Lord because I knew it was His plan and protection for me.

I became rather silent over the next couple of days as I dealt with the emotional blow. I made very few Facebook posts, no phone calls, and was caution with anyone I encountered so that I could process the event through the Word of God.

With my thoughts held captive, I marched them to the Throne of Jesus Christ. His words calmed my injured heart. He reassured me that it was for my good and His purpose for this to happen.

From those words also came the need to forgive and to pray for the person and situation which cause this uneasiness. And I did.

I continued to seek His will for me. I pursued and clung to the study of why He gave me the word “steadfast.” Moment by moment, scripture by scripture my heart returned to His sure foundation. My anxieties were replaced with His peace which surpasses all understanding. His strength restored my determination to stand firm. (Philippians 4:6-7, 13)

 

 

Too often, in the midst of the unexpected punches from the world, I fall to pieces. My steadfast heart isn’t so steadfast. Nevertheless, God’s steadfast love endures forever as He waits patiently, like the Father He is, for me to come to my senses and reach out to Him.

My heart may have momentarily been shaken,

but my faith in the One who is Faithful and True remained steadfast.

  

"For our present troubles are small

and won’t last very long.

Yet they produce for us a glory

that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now;

rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.

For the things we see now will soon be gone,

but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

2 Corinthians 4:15-18 nlt