“It is in the quiet crucible of your personal private sufferings that your noblest dreams are born and God’s greatest gifts are given in compensation for what you’ve been through.” Wintley Phipps
The road of getting from a place of loss to a place of blessing can be difficult and confusing, not to mention frustrating. Navigating this path takes much more than patience. It takes wisdom, trusting God, trusting the process, and discipline. We must discipline ourselves to change our thought patterns and our words from a negative influence to a positive one, even while we are in a negative situation. The Apostle Paul discusses this in his letter to Philippi as he writes,
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8
This verse is not just a positive thinking motto; it’s a statement of faith, believing that the things we hope for and are convinced of, things that we do not yet see, will eventually come and speak those things into existence. (Hebrews 11:1) This statement of faith, believing and speaking what is lovely, admirable, pure, and praiseworthy, takes discipline and is in itself, discipline and it is forged inside the crucible of trouble. It is here, where if we change our thought patterns and our words from negative to hopeful, that God brings into existence those very things in a wondrous way. I have personally experienced this. Here is a great exercise in helping us change our thought patterns in the midst of trouble or loss:
Take Philippians 4: 8 and write a list of what is good in your life. Although this may seem too simplistic, it works in changing our perspectives. Sometimes, our lives are in such a mess, that it may be difficult to come up with what is true, noble, right, pure lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. If we cannot see it, how can we possibly think about it, much less speak of it? After all, the negative is all around us, and honestly, sometimes it’s easier to see that than it is to un-see it. So we have to force ourselves to get very primitive in our thought process. I’ll start you off:
What is true? God is always true. He is always noble and right. He is all the things Philippians 4:8 states. That in itself is enough, however, let’s take it a step further. Take a walk outside. What do you see? Can you be thankful for the clouds, shading the hot sun? Can you be thankful for the sun on a cold day, warming you and the earth around you? What about the birds singing or your family? Do you find solace in friendships? These things are noble, admirable, and excellent. What about a newborn baby or baby animals? These things are pure and lovely. Does your car get you from point A to point B? This is praiseworthy. Do you have food in your pantry and clothes to wear? You get the point.
I know from experience that when you are in a place of loss, the draw toward the loss, focusing on the pain, is huge. Honestly, we can’t help it, and meditating on what is good in life will not take away the pain of the loss. But I also know from experience that writing down and speaking about what is good in life, is worth the journey because it becomes a salve for our wounded souls. After all, we do want the pain to stop. Every word that we speak or write has life or death, blessing or cursing in it. (Proverbs 18:21) I’ve learned that if I want my broken wounded heart to heal, I must speak thankfulness and blessing. (James 3:10-12) Philippians 4:8 has become a guide for me. Even in the midst of great loss, I can be thankful for my family, friends, and my possessions. I can get a thankful heart from watching a bumblebee or butterfly pollinate a wildflower. I can be thankful and I have found that this thankfulness leads me down a path of forgiveness and hope that eventually leads me to joy and joy opens doors of abundance and restitution. God states that He will give us double for our trouble.
· Isaiah 61:7-11, He will double your inheritance and joy.
· Psalm 71:20-21, He will restore your life.
· Isaiah 40:31, He will renew (restore) your strength.
· Isaiah 61:7, He will restore your confidence and give you double what you lost.
· Jeremiah 29:11, He will prosper you.
· Jerimiah 30:17, He will restore your wounds.
· Job 42:10, He will restore what you lost.
Each one of the above verses speaks about restitution following a loss. Let’s give this a try and see hope spring forth out of our “quiet crucible”. Let’s look for thankfulness through our private pain, and see the possibility of new dreams being born from our suffering.
“Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope;
even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.”
Zechariah 9:12
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