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7.19.2011

Plotting for our Joy


This has been helpful to me in recent days... 
“Life is a winding and troubled road. Switchback after switchback. And the point of biblical stories is to help us feel in our bones not just know in our heads, that God is for us in all of these strange turns.
The life of the godly is not a straight line to glory. It’s more like a dark and seemingly unknown trail through the mountains. There are rockslides and slippery curves, and hairpin turns that make you go backward in order to go forward.
But along this hazardous twisted road that doesn’t let you see very far ahead, and may even make you feel like you’ve been lead to the edge of the cliff, God gives us encouragement and hope that all the perplexing turns in our lives are going somewhere good.
Often when we think God is farthest from us, and has even turned against us, the truth is, that he is laying a foundation for greater happiness in our lives. God is plotting for our joy. He is plotting the course and managing the troubles with far reaching purposes for our good and for the glory of Jesus Christ."
From John Piper's book, A Sweet and Bitter Providence

3 comments:

Rochelle said...

Wow, what a great word of encouragement!! Thank you for sharing that! I've flipped through that book before but hadn't seen that. I really like all of it, but appreciate the reminder that he often allows things "that make you go backward in order to go forward" and also that he is "plotting for our joy". Hmm, great thoughts!!

dona/url said...

Sara and Don, the Lord brings you and your baby(ies) to mind so often. You are in my prayers. I am thankful for the encouragement that the Lord sends your way as you walk and wait for the joy that is before you. Lots of love, Dona

Sarah Jones Trask said...

Amen sister. What a great reminder. I love you.