Looking for love in all the wrong places?

No, I’m not talking about the song. But, can you tell what era I grew up in?

What I really mean is that we have a tendency to only see God’s love in the “blessings” that fit OUR definition of blessings. However, Jesus specifically states that we are truly blessed when we suffer for the sake of righteousness (Matt. 5:10).

Is it crazy to think that God’s love could be expressed to us through the struggles we face every day? As a matter of fact, I think God’s love may be best expressed to us through our struggles. The times in our lives that are smooth just slip by without much notice. But, those times that involve struggles certainly leave a lasting impression and seem to be deeply involved in shaping who we are.

What are the events that shaped who you are? Were they mostly quiet and relatively uneventful? Or, were they loud, difficult struggles? Is your relationship with God quiet and uneventful? Or, is it loud, boisterous and filled with struggles?

Jacob spent a night wrestling with God and finally walked away the next morning with a limp that would remind him of that night for the rest of his life. I suspect he would rather have that life-long pain-filled limp than to have never encountered God on that fateful night. How about you? Would you rather have a pain-filled reminder of God’s love or a pain-free emptiness?