Here I am Lord, send me

The Lord called Samuel a third time; he got up, went to Eli, and said, “You called me, and here I am.”Then Eli realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy, 9 so he said to him, “Go back to bed; and if he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. 10 The Lord came and stood there, and called as he had before, “Samuel! Samuel!”Samuel answered, “Speak; your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3

We helped several families, yesterday, to celebrate the high school graduations of their children. It was a joy filled day as we looked at pictures of their child, their child's accomplishments, and hearing about their future plans. At one open house I had a short, but good conversation with a retired Pastor. Through his story I was reminded how important it is to hear God's voice.

He had been retired for some time after years of teaching and doing carpentry work when one of his daughters came to him and mentioned that she wished he would be happy again. He took those words to heart and the next thing he knew he was going where the Lord sent him. He talked about being a Pastor to a baptist congregation in Howard Lake, Minnesota and then ministering in the upper Michigan. I got the sense that his joy filled happiness return to him because the Lord was once again using him. 

For those of us in grief it is easy to feel defeated and unplug ourselves from the Lord's power supply because of the pain we feel in the moment. We believe the false lie that we are no good to God because of the loss we suffered. We believe the prosperity gospel lie that our loved one wouldn't have died had we done a better job looking after them. 

We cope with that pain by sleeping too much, eating too much, eating the wrong foods, and avoiding the activities that would lead to a joy filled life. I learned through this brief conversation with this pastor that no matter what we have been through God wants to use you as part of his bigger picture.  The pain you are feeling today will become part of your faith story that will bring salvation and joy to a life of a person who knows no such hope tomorrow.

 Often I think we try to engage God in a tug of war contest. It is doing what I want to do verses doing what God desires us to do. We can tug all day long and have nothing to show for it but sore hands, calluses and a tired out body, or we can listen to God's voice and do what he desires for our life. The latter will often lead to a happier joy filled life! 

So, embrace your pain you are feeling today and trust God by leaning into him because God will one day use that pain to lead others to the free gift of salvation.