Words of Encouragement

I enjoyed the book so much that I had to take some notes from "Same Kind of Different as Me."

When Ron's wife died, Denver said to him "I know when somebody you love is gone that's the last time you feel like thanking God, but sometimes we has to be thankful for the things that hurt us 'cause sometimes God does things that hurt us but they help somebody else."

I thought "isn't that what happened on the cross?"

Later on Ron wrote: "I remember what CS Lewis said about the clash between grief and faith 'the tortures occur,' he wrote, 'if they are unnecessary then there is no God, or a bad one. If there is a good God, then these tortures are necessary, for no even moderately good Being could possibly inflict them or permit them if they weren't'"

This, plus the other quote, reminded me of Paul's "sharing in the sufferings of Christ." Out of Christ's pain, others are made whole. In God's redemptive plan, any pain can make other's whole. That's how we share in the sufferings of Christ, by allowing our pain to heal others.

As Jesus Christ brings me healing through His Holy Spirit, I am transformed into a more compassionate person. Lord, help my compassion spread your mercy to others, for, as Paul said in Romans, it is the kindness of God that leads a man to repentance. The path to God is strewn with His acts of mercy. As written in James, mercy triumphs over judgment.