The past few weeks in church we have been singing a song that has greatly affected me, and unfortunately I can’t even think of the tune or the lyrics right now! (So if anyone can help me out, please do) The last line in one of the verses speaks on God glorifying his name through our lives.
When we sang this song last week, I was struck again, as I have been many times through this, that his glory does not always come in the way that we would choose. On my own I would never chose this situation to reveal His glory. And in my own finite wisdom, I wouldn’t be able to see how much this would glorify Him. But God is so unlike us. He has become for us wisdom, He knows the result of this trial, and He planned it for His glory. I can’t see that now. But I’ve been thinking how declaring to God that we want Him to glorify himself through our lives is one of the most ultimate acts of humility and submission to him. To ask Him to glorify His name in us means giving Him all that we have, not knowing what He will do with it or how painful it will be, but trusting that it will bring Him glory.
This trial certainly doesn’t feel good. Everything in me is screaming 24/7 to let this be over. I hate that Ian has to suffer this way. Yet, this is how God willed to glorify Himself. I cannot question that. So I must continue the battle of finding even one place in my heart that wants to submit my life to Christ in this way.
Thank you, always, for praying
Larissa
anonymous
January 30, 2008 at 4:10 am
Larrisa you are truly showing his “Amazing Grace”
Praying for you all
Minori Family
Stephen Altrogge
January 30, 2008 at 2:24 pm
“O Great God”…
Freeman
January 30, 2008 at 5:10 pm
“O Great God, of highest heav’n, occupy my lowly heart…” Is that the one? “O Great God” is on the Valley of Vision album. It truly is a piercing song that portrays our surrender of everything to God.
Larissa, you have been an example of a willing and humble heart in a most grievous circumstance; thank you for how you lead in continuing to seek God’s glory and submit to His will.
Praying,
Steph
Darryl & Donna Wenger
January 30, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Dear Larissa,
Your post brought tears to my eyes. I’m Donna Wenger (Darryl Wenger’s my husband) from Living Hope Church in Harrisburg. Thank you, for continuing to post on this blog.
You, Ian, and Ian’s family are not forgotten, many are continuing to pray. And, most importantly, God has not forgotten…He forever holds Ian in the palm of His mighty hand…He is good. God indeed IS being glorified in your lives. In everything we experience is this short life…may His Name alone receive adoration and praise…He alone is worthy. And, one day, (can’t wait for that day!) all will be made right, and all suffering will end…Jesus will wipe every tear from our eyes. He is good.
Larissa, I pray that the Holy Spirit fills your heart afresh each and every day with power to obey, power to submit, and power to love unselfishly.
God gives grace to the humble…and you, friend, are demonstrating humilty. Much grace to you!
Donna Wenger
anonymous
January 30, 2008 at 6:44 pm
larissa,
i have no eloquent words but a heart that overflows with awe and love for a great saviour for how he speaks to and through you.
we are praying.
jb and mj
Sarah
January 31, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Larissa,
I read something today that encouraged me and met me in some of my own difficult circumstaces; I thought of you all and Ian and hope it may also benefit your soul.
It is 2 Cor. 12:8-10, Paul is speaking about the thorn in his flesh:
Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
I am so glad that God works for our good and His glory; may your heart find refuge in Him today.
Sarah Sensenig (CrossWay Church of Lancaster)
Sandy
January 31, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Larissa, you are the good; you, Mary, Steve, the bros, little Lydia, everytime you choose to say, He is Good, that you, despite wrenching pain, KNOW that our God is GOOD and loves you and Ian. You are His Good in this fallen world. You are making claim to the promise of a faith in the unseen. What is good does not have to be pleasant or comfortable. With every breath I wish I could bear what you must, even a bit. That is the Good of God, that a family world wide is drawn together by the Common Spirit of one so Powerful yet so Gentle, so Magnificant but so Kind and personal that he allows strangers to pray, to love each of you personally and intimately. The scripture quoted in the last comment is one on which I am dependant on every day. He is ENOUGH. Everything else is a luxury. Daily you choose, you depend on Jesus for all that your are, that is good. Any smile that comes to your face, that is the Goodness of God. You my dear, you are His Good. I am honored to worship our Saviour with you and your dear Murphy family.
Michelle
February 7, 2008 at 1:20 am
Larissa,
I continue to pray for you and am so provoked by your example and encouraged by the conversations we had at New Attitude. I’ve been meditating on this verse lately:
“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” ~ Psalm 25:13-14
Rae
March 5, 2008 at 8:30 am
Dear Larissa,
I just happen to look through Carolyn McCulley’s blog when I saw a snippet from this blog. I am a member of a small local Christian church in the Philippines called Higher Rock Christian Church. I just wanted to take this opportunity to send you some encouragement from across the great Pacific Ocean. 🙂
I am truly amazed by how much the Lord has used Ian’s condition to let you, his family, his friends, and even many of us readers see the all-satisfying Lord in the midst of great difficulty. Your (and the rest of the family’s) testimony has brought tears in my eyes mainly because I am humbled by the dependence on God that you guys show in the midst of these circumstances. I realize that I am not even as grateful and dependent upon God in many of my own difficulties, that do not even equal to any of what you must be going through. I honestly, honestly praise God for letting me read your stories today to let me see His beauty and value in the midst of hope being deferred for the moment.
Though we do not know each other (and it’ll be highly improbable that our paths will cross in the future), I do desire to encourage you to continue on loving and serving Ian the way you are beautifully doing right now. It glorifies God and He is magnified in this blog’s readers’ eyes. This I say despite those entries that you are just honest enough to admit that you are sad, lonely, and even tired. Those are real feelings that all of us go through but the mere fact that we see you guys continue to entrust everything to the Lord and still find so much joy in it is honorable to our God. It really is.
This situation is a lot like the blind man in John 9. Why was he blind? “..it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him…” and in you.
I would also like to encourage you through one of my favorite passages from Psalm 34:17-20:
“The righteous cry, and the LORD hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.”