The last night

Well tonight is my last night in Chicago. I've been here since Saturday visiting my dear friend Erica. Being here in the beginning made old thoughts, and habits come back up in my heart. It was odd to feel those & remember, but the Lord is good & gracious to give me support through those rough patches! It was amazing because the very morning I was struggling, I sent a text to my accountability friend to pray for me. She was a good support to me that day to remember that it wasn't real & to pray. Then the sermon that morning was on Job 23:10 "He knows the way that I take; and when he was tried me, I shall come forth as gold!" amazing.
Some highlights were:
Gold is made by melting, then you bind it together, and then there is a separation process; Just like God wants to do to us. I learned that Every trial we face is allowed by God for our ultimate good! And that Good = all we need, not all we WANT! That was a huge reminder for me! Also, trials need not steal our joy, because they bring us to the power of God, because they prove that we are God's children, because they increase our ENDURANCE, and finally because they build our intimacy with Jesus! Another point was that until I embrace my trial in unwavering submission to God, I will not reap the good! And then the one thing that stuck out most to me was that our weakness opens the power to God's strength. God doesn't exist for our comfort! His goal is to make us HOLY.
I felt like I was supposed to be there at Harvest that morning. I felt like the Lord made that sermon for me! Our God is so good and gracious, and cares so much for us. Even in our weakness, he is STILL strong. He is still there! He still cares & wants to continue refining us over & over.
Lord, may I stay at your feet. Humbled and patient. May my heart be so near yours, may I be blameless. May I be a tool that you use for your ultimate good.
Thank you for teaching and loving in this way!