https://www.facebook.com/110470984025396/

He Is Worthy of my Praise, 311 Hardig Road, Unit A108, Warwick, RI (2025)

08/25/2025

🌊 When the Storm Reveals True Faith ⛵

Picture this: Paul, chained as a prisoner, aboard a ship being torn apart by a violent storm. For 14 days, 276 souls faced death at sea. The world would expect panic, despair, maybe bargaining with God.

Instead, Paul stood up and said: "Take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you... for this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul.'" (Acts 27:22, 24 ESV)

J.R. Miller captured something profound about moments like these: "The world sneers at religious profession. It refuses to believe that it is genuine... Then, godly men [and women] are called to endure loss, suffering or sorrow, not because there is any particular evil in themselves which needs to be eradicated—but because the Master needs their witness to answer the sneers of the world."

Paul didn't just preach Christ in comfortable synagogues. He witnessed to Him while shipwrecked, imprisoned, and facing death. His faith wasn't proven in prosperity—it was validated in the storm.

The centurion and soldiers who once saw him as just another prisoner now watched him save 276 lives through his unwavering trust in God's promises. "And so it was that all were brought safely to land" (Acts 27:44 ESV).

Sometimes God allows storms not to destroy our faith, but to display it. When the world is watching—especially when everything is falling apart—that's when our witness matters most.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses... to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8 ESV)

Even in shipwrecks. Especially in shipwrecks. 🙏

08/25/2025

Could I Have One Day Without?

I'm afraid. Every time I swallow, I feel like it's happening again. Every negative thought fills me with dread that it will start. Each time my chest compresses, I feel the crushing weight of panic. Whenever my stomach twists, I'm instantly on edge. My mind darts between thoughts, and I am terrified. I am trapped—trapped in my own mind! I can't escape. I can't run away. I can't fight because I can never win. This anxiety, which destroys my days and haunts my nights, will never leave, never end.

They tell you to stand up to your fears, but how am I supposed to stand up to myself? How can I confront what my mind creates? How can I stop the thoughts it generates? I can't handle this fear; it hovers over me. I'm ashamed of my weakness. I can't concentrate on anything else. I can feel it waiting for my defenses to weaken. I constantly hear a little voice telling me, "Nothing is alright, nothing is okay." I stammer back, "I-I am alright, I am o-okay!" It knows my imperfections, my vulnerabilities, because it is me.

I know being afraid of anxiety sounds like a paradox, but it's truly terrifying to know that anything can trigger it. I guard all my thoughts to ensure they don't spiral out of control. I monitor my desires to keep from getting obsessed. Every inward reflection is examined. I have neither the energy nor the desire to do anything else for fear of lapsing into an anxiety attack.

Every blink holds back tears of mental exhaustion. Every breath is carefully controlled. Each swallow is painstakingly planned. Why? Please, just let it end! I would do anything for one day without OCD and anxiety! Anything! For one day without... myself.

Scriptural References on Anxiety:

The feeling of being overwhelmed and consumed by fear is deeply human and is addressed throughout Scripture. For those who feel trapped and exhausted by their thoughts, the Bible offers solace and a different perspective.

When feeling trapped and unable to escape, the feeling of being "trapped in my own mind" can be countered by the truth that God is a refuge. Psalm 62:1 says, "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation." This verse acknowledges a quiet reliance on God for deliverance when we feel we can't save ourselves.

When struggling with shame and weakness, the passage mentions being "ashamed of my weakness." Scripture reminds us that our weakness is an opportunity for God's strength to be shown. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul writes, "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." This shifts the focus from our own inadequacy to the sufficiency of Christ's grace.

When facing the overwhelming nature of intrusive thoughts, the feeling of being "on edge" and guarding every thought is a common struggle. Philippians 4:6-7 offers a direct instruction for these moments: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." This passage doesn't promise the thoughts will vanish, but it does offer a peace that can "guard your hearts and your minds," providing a spiritual defense against the turmoil within.

08/16/2025

"They are new every morning;

Post those five words on the mirror that you look into each morning. Affix them on the door of your refrigerator. Tape them to the dashboard of your car. Glue them on the inside of your glasses. Put them somewhere where you will see them every day. Don't allow yourself to have a view of yourself, of others, of circumstances, of daily joys and struggles, of God, of meaning and purpose, and of what life is all about that is devoid of this gorgeous redemptive reality: mercy.

Mercy is the theme of God's story. Mercy is the thread that runs through all of Scripture. Mercy is the reason for Jesus's coming. Mercy is what your desperate heart needs. Mercy is the healer your relationships need. Mercy is what gives you comfort in weakness and hope in times of trial. Mercy can do what the law is powerless to do. Mercy not only meets you in your struggle, but guarantees that someday your struggle will end. Mercy is what this sin-broken world groans for. Mercy triumphs where justice can't. If God offered us only justice, no one would run to him. It is the knowledge of his mercy that makes us honestly face ourselves and gladly run to him. And it is mercy that we will sing about and celebrate a million years into eternity.

I love the words of Lamentations 3:22-23: "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Let these amazing words sink in. If you are God's child, they describe your identity and your hope. They give you reason to get up in the morning and to continue. They enable you to face and admit how messed up you really are. They allow you to extend mercy to the failing people around you. And they allow you to be comforted by God's presence rather than be terrified at the thought that he is near.

Not only does God lavish on you love that will never cease and grace that will never end, and not only is he great in faithfulness, but the mercy he extends to you and to me is renewed each new morning. It is not tired, stale, irrelevant, worn out, ill-fitting, yesterday mercy. No, God's mercy is new morning mercy. It is formfitted for the needs of your day. It is sculpted to the shape of the weaknesses, circumstances, and struggles of each and every one of his children. Yes, we all get the same mercy, but it doesn't come to all of us in the same size and shape. God knows who you are, where you are, and what you're facing, and in the majestic combination of divine knowledge, power, and compassion, he meets you with just the right mercies for the moment. Stop allowing yourself to assess your life in a way that is devoid of new morning mercies. Any scan of your life that doesn't include those mercies is tragically lacking in truth

Grace and Peace be with you,
Bill and Linda

07/29/2025

Feeling discouraged today? Read this from Romans 5:2! 👇

Our standing with God is rock-solid! We're clothed in Christ's righteousness, declared blameless, with all our sins forgiven and guilt paid for by His sacrifice.

Even in tough times, remember the incredible gift of faith God has given us. It empowers us to look back at what Jesus has already accomplished and forward to the glorious future that is ours. That's where our present hope comes from!

"Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:2)

Hold onto that hope!

07/24/2025

This is the prayer of a saint in winter, who in his old age realizes that life is mostly over for him:

1) In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!

2) In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me!

3) Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

4) Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.

5) For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.

6) Upon you I have leaned from before my birth you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you.

7) I have been as a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge.

8) My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day.

9) Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.

10) For my enemies speak concerning me; those who watch for my life consult together

11) and say, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.”

12) O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!

13) May my accusers be put to shame and consumed; with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt.

14) But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.

15) My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.

16) With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

17) O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

18) So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

19) Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?

20) You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.

21) You will increase my greatness and comfort me again.

22) I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.

23) My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.

24) And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed who sought to do me hurt.

In the Lord I take refuge: 150 Daily Devotions through the Psalms Dane C. Ortlund

This is the prayer of a saint in winter, who in his old age realizes that life is mostly over for him: "Do not cast me off in the time of old age" (v. 9), he prays. "So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me" (v. 18). As we continue to age, this psalm instructs us in how to walk with God.

We are reminded that our time on earth is filled with strife; God has brought into the psalmist's life "many troubles and calam-ities" (v. 20). The psalmists are realists. They do not skate over hardships, smiling all the way. They know what it feels like to spend time in "the depths of the earth" (v. 20).

Yet through all of the pains, the psalmist has not grown cynical. Cynicism is a great temptation as we walk through life and move toward death. As difficulties pile up, as relationships sour, as hopes and goals fail to materialize, it is easy to throw in the towel emotionally and settle into cold-hearted cynicism. The psalmist, however, teaches us that pain is not meant to numb us and cause our hearts to withdraw; pain is meant to draw our hearts up to God: "From the depths of the earth you will bring me up again" (v. 20).

Adversity is not intended to diminish our hope in God. Adversity is intended to heighten our hope in him. We are brought to remember that God is all we have, and that he is enough.

07/09/2025

Wednesday Wisdom:

Feeling down today? You are absolutely not alone! The Father of Mercies and God of all Comfort is right there with you. As it says in 2 Corinthians 1:3: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort." He deeply cares and understands.

Is fear gripping your heart? Remember, your Lord has promised to be your Guide, Defender, and Protector, providing everything you need. Philippians 4:19 reminds us: "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." You are covered!

Feeling overwhelmed? Take heart! The Lord of Glory not only rules over every single one of your circumstances, but He is actively with you, for you, and in you. Romans 8:31 beautifully states: "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?" Rest in His mighty presence.

Grace and Peace be with you all, Bill

06/23/2025

How we interpret "ABBA" matters!

We often misinterpret the "Abba" cry in Romans and Galatians. It's easy to hear it as a soft, sentimental cooing, like a baby saying "Papa" or "Daddy," implying only tender familiarity. While relational intimacy with God is certainly present and underscored by Paul's use of such a personal word as Abba, these passages are far from sentimental.

The Scriptures reveal a deeper, more profound meaning. It is through Jesus' Spirit that our hearts cry "Abba, Father!" (Galatians 4:6). This echoes Jesus' own agonizing cry of "Abba, Father" in the Garden of Gethsemane, offered "with loud cries and tears" as he sought deliverance (Hebrews 5:7; Mark 14:36).

Similarly, the doctrine of adoption teaches us that we, along with the creation, "groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies" (Romans 8:23). This is not a gentle murmur but the scream of the crucified, reflecting profound suffering and earnest longing for the fullness of our salvation.

Grace and Peace be with you,

Love Bill and Linda

06/18/2025

Our Heavenly Father created this day for His glory. Let's not waste it on discontent, self-focus, and fear. In Christ, you are in the dear Father's hands. All is secure!

Thought Process and Scriptural Evidence:

This statement reflects a profound truth about God's sovereignty, our identity in Christ, and the proper response to life's challenges. Let's break it down with scriptural support from the ESV.

1. "Our Heavenly Father created this day for His glory."

Thought: Every day is a gift from God, designed with a divine purpose – to magnify His name and demonstrate His character. This perspective shifts our focus from our personal desires to His ultimate plan.

Scriptural Evidence:

Psalm 118:24 (ESV): "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." This verse directly states God's active role in creating each day and calls us to a joyful response.

Colossians 1:16 (ESV): "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him." This wider scope emphasizes that all creation, including time itself, exists for His glory.

Isaiah 43:7 (ESV): "everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." This highlights that even humanity is created for God's glory, and therefore, our days should be lived to reflect that purpose.

2. "Let's not waste it on discontent, self-focus, and fear."

Thought: If each day is for God's glory, then certain attitudes and behaviors hinder that purpose. Discontent, self-focus, and fear are antithetical to a life lived for God. They are inward-looking and detract from acknowledging His goodness and control.

Scriptural Evidence:

Discontent:

Philippians 4:11-13 (ESV): "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Paul's teaching here directly confronts discontentment, emphasizing learned contentment through Christ's strength.

1 Timothy 6:6 (ESV): "But godliness with contentment is great gain." This verse explicitly links contentment with spiritual profit.

Self-focus:

Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." This passage directly opposes self-focus, advocating for humility and outward-looking concern for others.

Matthew 16:24 (ESV): "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'" Following Christ requires self-denial, the opposite of self-focus.

Fear:

2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV): "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." This verse directly refutes the idea that fear comes from God, offering a counter-spirit of power, love, and self-control.

Psalm 56:3 (ESV): "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you." This demonstrates a proper response to fear: placing trust in God.

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." A powerful promise that combats fear with God's presence and provision.

3. "In Christ, you are in the dear Father's hands. All is secure!"

Thought: This is the antidote to discontent, self-focus, and fear. Our security is not found in circumstances or our own abilities, but in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Being "in Christ" signifies a new identity, a new standing, and an unbreakable bond with the Father.

Scriptural Evidence:

John 10:28-29 (ESV): "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will sn**ch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to sn**ch them out of the Father's hand." This is a cornerstone passage for security, emphasizing both Jesus' and the Father's protective grip on believers.

Romans 8:38-39 (ESV): "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." This powerful declaration leaves no room for doubt regarding our unshakeable security in God's love through Christ.

Ephesians 1:3-4 (ESV): "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love." This emphasizes our pre-ordained position "in Christ," a secure and blessed standing.

Colossians 3:3 (ESV): "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." This beautifully illustrates the concept of being "in Christ" – our true life is concealed and safe with Him.

Grace and Peace be with you,

Love,

Bill and Linda

06/10/2025

Jesus: Our High Priest and Eternal Redemption

The cornerstone of our faith rests on an unshakable truth: Jesus Christ is our High Priest, and through His sacrifice, we have obtained eternal redemption. This isn't just a theological concept; it's the very foundation of our hope and security.

The author of Hebrews eloquently captures this in Hebrews 9:11-12 (ESV):

"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption."

Consider the profound implications of these verses. Unlike the Old Testament priests who repeatedly offered sacrifices, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place once for all with His own precious blood. This singular act secured an eternal redemption for us. This means our salvation is inviolate, irreversible, and everlasting. It's a gift that cannot be taken away.

The Church: Not a Building, But a Body

This understanding of Christ's finished work also reshapes our perception of the church. The church isn't primarily a physical building; it is every believer in Christ, unified in the body of Christ and sealed by His Holy Spirit. While we gather in buildings for worship, we don't go to church; we bring the church to the building. Before we arrive, it's just wood, stone, or whatever materials were used.

Consequently, our behavior shouldn't magically change upon entering a building designated for worship. Instead, we are called to walk in the Spirit of God from dawn to dusk, striving to do His will and fighting the constant temptations to sin. Anger, immoral behavior, lust, and greed are just a few of the many things God has commanded us to avoid. While we may never commit these acts within a church building, how easily we violate them when we exit! Lying, cheating, swearing, and violence of any kind remain sins, and if we are honest, we fail every day.

Jesus: Our Ever-Present Advocate

Still, Jesus, our Lord, our Savior, our King, our Prophet, and our High Priest, remains steadfast. He firmly established that these sins were paid for once and for all on His cross. Each time we fail and our sin is brought to God by the condemning voice of Satan, Jesus stands in our defense. He advocates for us, declaring that we are His children and that these and any other failures of ours have been paid for with His crucified body and washed away permanently by His precious blood.

What an awesome, grace-filled, loving, and merciful God we serve! Thank you, Father, that you sent your Son to suffer, die, and rise for a wretch like me. Yes, I once was lost, and now I am found; was blind, but now I see. I do believe, Lord; please help my unbelief, in Jesus' precious name. Amen.

Grace and Peace to you,

Love,
Bill and Linda
Through Jesus Christ, AMEN.

06/04/2025

"For total depravity means that I and everyone else are depraved or corrupt in the totality of our being. There is no part of us that is left untouched by sin. Our minds, our wills, and our bodies are affected by evil. We speak sinful words, do sinful deeds, have impure thoughts. Our very bodies suffer from the ravages of sin,"

The Totality of Our Being: Mind, Will, and Body Affected by Evil

The Bible consistently presents a bleak picture of humanity's natural state apart from God's grace, emphasizing that sin has corrupted our entire being.

Our Minds: The quote highlights that our minds are affected by evil. Scripture confirms this, showing that our understanding and intellect are darkened by sin.

Romans 1:21 (ESV): "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened." This verse speaks to the intellectual and spiritual blindness that results from rejecting God.

Ephesians 4:17-18 (ESV): "Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart." This passage further underscores how sin leads to a darkened understanding and alienation from God.

Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV): "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" While "heart" here encompasses more than just the mind, it certainly includes our inner motivations, thoughts, and intentions, revealing their inherent corruption.

Our Wills: The idea that our wills are affected by evil means that our desires, choices, and intentions are inherently bent towards sin, rather than towards God and righteousness.

Romans 3:10-12 (ESV): "as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.'" This sweeping statement underscores a universal human inability to naturally seek or do good in God's eyes. Our wills are not inclined towards Him.

John 3:19 (ESV): "And this is the judgment: a that the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil." This verse clearly demonstrates a preference for evil, indicating a corrupted will that chooses sin over righteousness.

Our Bodies: The quote states that our very bodies suffer from the ravages of sin. This refers not only to physical mortality and decay as a consequence of sin, but also to the fact that our physical members can be instruments of unrighteousness.

Romans 6:12-13 (ESV): "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness." This passage implies that our bodies, left to their own devices, are susceptible to being used for sinful purposes, highlighting their fallen nature.

Genesis 3:17-19 (ESV): "And to Adam he said, 'Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.'" This describes the physical consequences of sin: toil, suffering, and ultimately, death. Our mortal bodies bear the mark of the Fall.

Sinful Words, Sinful Deeds, Impure Thoughts

The quote also specifies how this total depravity manifests itself in our actions and inner life.

Sinful Words: Our speech often reveals the true condition of our hearts.

Matthew 12:34 (ESV): "You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Jesus directly connects the heart's condition to the words we speak, affirming that sinful hearts produce sinful words.

James 3:8 (ESV): "but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." This verse speaks to the untamable nature of the tongue and its capacity for great harm, stemming from our fallen nature.

Sinful Deeds: Our actions are a direct outflow of our corrupted nature.

Romans 3:23 (ESV): "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This foundational verse states the universal reality of sin, encompassing all actions that miss God's perfect standard.

Galatians 5:19-21 (ESV): "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, or**es, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." This list provides concrete examples of sinful deeds that stem from our fallen nature.

Impure Thoughts: Total depravity extends to our inner world, infecting even our thoughts and desires.

Matthew 15:19 (ESV): "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander." Jesus explicitly states that evil thoughts originate from the heart, demonstrating the corruption of our inner man.

Philippians 4:8 (ESV): While a positive command, it implicitly acknowledges the human tendency towards unholy thoughts: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." The need to be commanded to think on good things suggests that left to ourselves, our minds might wander towards the opposite.

In conclusion, the scriptures consistently uphold the truth of total depravity, demonstrating that sin has indeed permeated every facet of human existence – our minds, wills, bodies, words, deeds, and thoughts. This pervasive corruption underscores humanity's desperate need for divine intervention and the transformative power of God's grace in salvation.

Grace and Peace be with you,
Bill

05/03/2025

Current Mood:

It's a difficult thing for me to carry, this feeling I have sometimes – looking healthy enough on the surface while feeling utterly broken inside. When I'm in that place, it's so easy for me to feel like it's somehow my fault that my body isn't cooperating, like it's a personal failing. I know I wouldn't think that about someone else, but I can be incredibly hard on myself, which just adds another layer of weight to the loss and ill-health I'm already dealing with.

It's almost like I punish myself for my own body letting me down. When my body feels decades older than it is, I have to change how I live, and letting go of the life I imagined, or living one that feels so limited and thwarted, brings its own kind of pain. There's often a constant sadness humming beneath the surface for me, whether I show it or not. That sadness can feed into the self-blame, making it harder for me to speak kindly to myself.

In moments like these, when I grapple with these feelings, I find myself turning to certain scriptures that seem to understand the struggle. These are from the ESV:

Sometimes, I reflect on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." This reminds me that there's more going on than what people see, or even what I feel in my physical body. It acknowledges the decay but points toward an inner renewal and a bigger, unseen reality, which helps me hold on when the 'seen' reality feels bleak.

When I feel overwhelmed by weakness and limitations, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 speaks to 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." This passage challenges my feeling of failure. It suggests that my weakness isn't just a liability but a place where God's grace and strength can show up. It doesn't take the struggle away, but it reframes it, reminding me that true strength might look different than I thought.

The deep, inner ache, that constant sadness or longing for things to be different – I see that reflected in Romans 8:22-23: "For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." It helps me feel less alone in that "inner groaning." It validates that deep sigh within me that longs for wholeness and acknowledges the reality of waiting for the ultimate redemption of our bodies.

And when the pain and sadness are just too much, the raw honesty of the Psalms, like Psalm 42:5-6a ("Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me...") or Psalm 38:9-10 ("O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me."), reassures me that it's okay to bring my unfiltered hurt and frustration to God.

I have to keep reminding myself that experiencing physical hardship and the emotional fallout isn't a character flaw for me. It's part of being human in a broken world. I'm trying to learn to be gentler with myself, just as I would with a friend going through the same thing. These scriptures don't erase the pain for me, but they offer perspective, validation, and a reminder that even when I feel unseen or weak, I'm not entirely alone.

Grace and Peace be with you,
Bill

He Is Worthy of my Praise

08/25/2025

08/25/2025

08/16/2025

07/29/2025

07/24/2025

07/09/2025

06/23/2025

06/18/2025

06/10/2025

06/04/2025

05/03/2025

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share