Nothing’s Too Difficult!

It’s been exactly two months today since my beloved Piper moved on to heaven.  In many respects I feel like I have made great strides in processing the myriad of emotional, spiritual and even physical reactions that I have had with her passing.  Then on the other hand… there are days… in fact many of them… when I feel like things have gotten worse instead of better!

From everything I have been reading as well as with the knowledgably individuals that I have been talking with, none of my experiences are unusual though.  It is just a very strange time of life for me!  Most everything around me is in upheaval.  I also realized that since we left our home in California to go to Bible College in Oklahoma in the summer of 2006, that everything that we had depended on to be the norm in our lives changed!

The books and articles on the Grief process that I have been devouring also talk a lot about what it takes to re-enter your old normal life after the loss of a special loved one.  But it dawned on me that I don’t have an “old normal” life to go back to!  So, everything since two months ago, is going to be “something new”* for me!  Talk about upheavals!

As I was about to turn the light out last night, I got out of bed and walked the five feet to the wall by the bathroom door and with a deep pain in my heart, quietly stared at the approximately 40 pictures that I stapled to the wall a few years back that depict Piper from our dating days into the 2000’s.  When I began to get overwhelmed with emotions, I turned back to the bed, took a step and suddenly thought that instead of being sad, that I need to be thanking God for the 48 wonderful years that I had with her!  I couldn’t help to cry aloud as I plopped down on the bed that “I’ve got to be one of the most blest men in the whole world because of the time the Lord gave me with her!

Another thought that caught my attention in that moment of reminiscing, is that Piper and I started our relationship during the first week of school in September of 1970 and ended it (at least on this earth!) during the first week of September in 2018.  I thought that was pretty special… what do you think?

With all these thoughts and many others along those same lines bubbling up in me, the Lord has been encouraging me for the last few days with a scripture promise found in the book of Isaiah, chapter 43, verse 19.  Speaking through the Prophet a few thousand yeas ago, the Lord keeps telling me that: *“I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Don't you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land.” (God’s Word ©)

The word “recognize” in this version is written in the Greek translation of the Old Testament as “ginosko” which describes a very intimate knowing of someone or something.  Therefore, it would seem that the Lord keeps impressing on me the need in this most unsettling time, to stay intimately connected with Him through His Word and prayer.

The phrase “clear a way” speaks of making “progress” each day, little by little.  Another way to define it is that He is building a new “road” for me with gradual “progress” being made each day, as the old landmarks that defined my past life are removed and new ones are being built.

That tells me that this is not going to happen overnight… or in a few months… or even in a few years.  But His Word does assure me that IT IS HAPPENING!  And that gives me a strong support to hold on to as my world continues to shake, while new firm foundations are being constructed for my new world and my new identity in that world.

I also continue to know that if He is doing all that for me… that He’s most likely doing it for you as well… no matter how difficult the need or situation may be!  Remember, according to Genesis 18:14 the Lord Himself declared: “I am the LORD! There is nothing too difficult for me.” (CEV)

So, have a firm, well-founded-on-Him and His Word type of weekend!  That’s my aim and I hope it is yours as well!  And while you're at it, confess with me… “I am expecting my God to hold true to His promises for me!”