10/14/13:

TFTD: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.” –Psalm 51:12-13

I just spent a weekend at our fall retreat with our Sr. High youth. We did so many awesome things and grew closer to each other and to Christ through it all, but one thing really stuck out to me and it was our last event. Repelling. We spent two hours or so just doing different kinds of repelling like normal or walking down the wall facing the sky, aussie or walking down the wall facing the ground, and free repelling which was just lowering yourself down without a wall to walk on. It was awesome to see how adventuresome the youth (and leaders) were being, but I couldn’t help but think that if the staff that was running the event didn’t have any experience with all of these forms of repelling and teambuilding activities we wouldn’t have survived on our own.

            The same goes for pain and suffering if you really think about it. When we go through trials and tribulations, regardless of what they are, it is really difficult to do it all by yourself. When you do it can seem lonely and like no one actually cares about what you are going with. Something that makes it easier is when someone who has gone through it before is there to help you through it step by step. When people are there to walk alongside of us during our troubles that have already gone through something similar we can believe that they know the pain and suffering that we are going through. Thankfully we never have to feel alone in all troubles and trials. Our God has gone through a lot of what everyone has gone through. Loss, disappointment, physical pain, you name it He has been through it which means that He knows what you are going through. He has been there and can be the One who walks with you through the storms of life no matter how scary or difficult. Our God is greater than the world because He has overcome the world! I’m so glad I can revel in that comfort.

“Brokenness is not a revival. It is a vital and indispensable step toward it.” –Arthur Wallis