A few months ago a reader wrote to tell me how devastated she’d been by the breakup of her marriage. One day her husband simply told her he no longer loved her and wasn’t interested in working things out. The marriage was ended.
At times her pain was physical. She felt as though she were having a heart attack. But through the pain and chaos, she refused to doubt God, telling him she knew he was faithful and good. During the months that followed, this heartbroken woman kept seeking him, yielding her life again and again.
Now a year later, after living through what she describes as the darkest time of her life, she speaks about healing and a new freedom to love God that she never imagined possible. Her hope is palpable as she tells of her confidence that the best is yet to come.
Her story illustrates how God works in the lives of those who trust him. Though times of darkness can produce tremendous pain, they can also produce lasting treasure. Like the Israelites returning home after their long exile laden with silver and gold, we come through our own times of difficulty bearing treasures.
The funny thing is, these riches are plundered from the enemy. Often the very things we thought would destroy us end up blessing us and giving us what we need to live with greater joy and freedom.
One of the hardest parts of suffering is feeling that it might never end. When you feel that way, remember this woman’s story and the wonderful verse from Isaiah that speaks of God bringing his people home, not beaten and crushed as one might expect, but laden with silver and gold.
(Image courtesy of glen edelsonat flickr.com.)
