DD Day 9 Report

Jeffery R. Holland said, "So in our efforts to swim through our sea of troubles, we must master this thought; in the common parlance of our faith, we must get a testimony of it. God is for us. He is never against us." (For Times of Trouble)

Sometimes I forget this truth. There are times when everything is stacked against me. Our microwave is broken. Our refrigerator is sometimes working. Our laptop has no power. Why is everything against us? I think it becomes easy to forget that God is for us when so many things are against us. Not that I think God is against me... just indifferent. That these things that are so frustrating to me really don't matter to Him. Furthermore, the fault lays squarely at my feet. How can God stand with me when my problems are of my own making? He should be indifferent. It's my fault. I should suffer.

But here's the thing, He's not indifferent. He can't be because He is God. "...God always loves us. He is always for us. In His divinity He cannot do or be otherwise (or)... 'He would cease to be God': (For Times of Trouble). There are countless examples in the scriptures where we are reminded that nothing "shall be able to separate us from the love of God" (Romans 8: 39) Paul even provides a handy list of things that cannot separate us from God's love. Because He is always for us. He is never against us.

I had a great talk with a friend tonight. It was really nice to be able to pour out my heart to her. All the dark secret thoughts I have. Even the ones that never make it here. My icky and unfair comparisons to others. It was wonderful to share the burden with someone who understands my feelings... who has felt them. Who's dealt with them and is stilling dealing with them. Who is about a hundred steps ahead of me but is still willing to reach back and beacon me forward. She also shared her doubts, fears and pain. And even though there was a lot of pain in the air, it some how lessened it. Lightened it. Removed it. Sometimes as women we tend to bear all this doubt to each other and then wallow in it. But tonight, in addition to the pain, we shared the hope. We shared and strengthened our testimony of God's love for us. We shared what we are each doing to get away from the darkness. She inspired in me greater hope and bit more endurance. Thank you. Thank you for being there. Thank you for letting your pain turn to empathy and love. Thank you.