“How Did You Know I Was Going Through Hell?”
Yesterday I went to get a haircut. I had only had this lady cut it once before, a while back. As she led me to the chair she asked,” How have you been, since I saw you last? I said “Praising the LORD, and I’ve been thinking on lamentations 3:21, ”This I RECALL to MIND and I have HOPE.” I said as I was thinking about it I removed the word “hope,” and placed other words in that may describe what happens when we latch on to thoughts more than others that come to and through our mind every day and so we might say,”This I recall to mind therefore I have anxiety. Therefore I recall to mind therefore I gave despair. Therefore I recall to mind therefore I have fears. Therefore I recall to mind therefore I have bitterness. Therefore I recall to mind I have resentment! Etc… and with that, she said “HOW DID YOU KNOW I WAS GOING THROUGH HELL?” With that she told me she was having to decide on a life-altering decision … so we began to talk… {She obviously used the phrase to sum up the great difficulty and distress she was in, but as bad as it ws it was not Hell, as that is unspeakable torment.}
Here’s the sovereignty of God, His PROVIDENCE where we see HIS involvement in bringing people, and circumstances together to arrange a meeting, and meet a need.
Providence is in part God who is always in control… intimately and actively taking circumstances and people, using the elements, events, and circumstances and bringing them together, crisscrossing people’s lives to accomplish His purposes in our lives, seeing God working in ways for His people as they walk by faith through life, fulfilling His purposes in their lives. He has prevision and makes provision! Every day we can look back and see His providence…circumstances, people whose path we crossed, the note of encouragement, the kind word, the opportunity to share, the gift, seeing His provision, and realizing such as when Jesus says in Matthew 6:8 He sees our NEED before we even pray-” Your Father knows your need before you even ASK Him…”
… and always whether we understand or not “working ALL THINGS together for good to those wh love Him and are te called…” and the ultimate “good,” is conforming us to the “image of Christ.”-{Please Read Romans 8:28-29}
But often only after we have passed through a situation do we often see His Hand of Providence in events and our lives.
We see the example of Joseph, Daniel, The Three Hebrew youths, Jesus on the Cross, Paul was prohibited and instead ended up at Philippi where a woman, Lydia was saved…Paul and Silas are in prison and the suicidal jailor and family are saved as a result. And ten years later approximately the church of Philippians we are introduced to!
For example…I had felt some pain relief due to some meds I had started so I decided the day before to go get a haircut. When I went to get it that lady was not working so I said I would come back the following day when she was there! Now, getting my haircut is no big deal to me, what’s the worse that can happen? It will grow back but for some reason, I said I’d come back when she was there yesterday!
A little after 2:30 am earlier that morning I was jolted awake with severe pain…..eventually, I took some meds to help and then around 3:30 am I started a four-hour infusion since I could not sleep. Eventually, I drifted in and out of sleep. I didn’t want to get up and go for a haircut but decided I would… all that to say how the LORD is involved and directing our steps providentially even when we at the time are unaware. It is often as we look back we see His providence. Such as when I decided to leave the hairdressers and return on the following day when she would be there I found out it was one of only two days she is there a week… deciding to get up and go even though I craved sleep… and how He earlier that week had me thinking on lamentations 3:21-24 in the midst of destruction Jeremiah chooses what he will latch onto and recall to his mind namely
”I will recall to mind the STEADFASTNESS LOVE of the LORD.
I will recall to mind the Mercies of the LORD which are new every morning.
I will recall to mind the FAITHFULNESS of the LORD.”
- In the midst of devastation, sorrow, pain he chose what he would latch onto and think and recall to his mind and the result? HOPE- confident expectation in the eternal certainty of The LORD , His character, promises, will, ways, to bring good …
And so all that to say, share and encourage you. The LORD is involved in what we might see as our “mundane” stops in life and they are opportunities when someone answers a throwaway question such as “How have you been?”
At that moment you can share and then SHARE what have you read about the LORD, what do you recall about the LORD… you never know you just might have the opportunity to share with some suffering soul. Trust Him.. and share what you RECALL TO MIND of Him..,
If you look back and ask Him to remind you of how He has shown His providence to you it will bless and encourage you and by His grace strengthen you to know your life is not random, where God made you, saved you, and departed you! Oh no, He is intimately involved caringly so in your life to bring about His purposes…using circumstances, events, people…
Look out for His Hand of Providence in your life…in the circumstances and people He brings to mind or in person… It may even be a Hairdresser who comes across your path and asks “How Have you been since I saw you last?” Share something that you have read, and been thinking about Him… and see where the conversation goes. Sometimes nothing may appear to come from it, but we know something always comes forth as His Word will not return void … and sometimes for “SUCH A TIME AS THIS” He has you there to share or receive from someone…:}
God bless
Aidan