of heartbreaks and faith

I just had to share this.

Exactly 1 year ago; 13/10/2008 - My heart 'broke'. It felt as if it was shattered. The pain was unbearable back then. It was the one of the two lowest moments of my life. The other being weeks later. I didn't know where to go, didn't know what to do, didn't understand why God allowed such pain. Yet one thing I knew back then was that He had His purpose. All I did was hold on.

He said He would heal and that's what He did. Looking back, I still don't fully understand why He allowed such, but I've learnt so many valuable lessons that have allowed me to grow deeper and closer to Him. What could be better? The enemy would always like us to believe that He cannot be a good God since He could allow such pain into our lives. How false is that. Lies, all LIES. Don't ever give in to what the enemy tells you; that voice inside you that says things are never gonna get better; that's what he would like you to believe.

On this earth, suffering is inevitable. But we have a Living hope that is found in Him. For that reason alone we rejoice. Even if the pain never ceases, we know that when we see Him, all will be erased. Here's what I learnt (taken from Elisabeth Elliot's Quest for Love):

His glorious purpose in permitting heartbreak

• that we may be shaped to the likeness of Christ
  Romans 8:29 - For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the first born among many brothers and sisters.
• that we may learn to trust 2 Cor 1:8b-9 - We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.
• that we may learn to obey Psalm 119:67,71 - I used to wander off until you discipline me; but now I closely follow your word. My suffering was good for me, for it was taught to pay attention to your decrees.
• that we may bear fruit John 15:2 - He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.
• that we may reach spiritual maturity James 1:4 - So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Our sufferings are not for nothing; they're not in vain. Never.

1 Peter 1:7 - These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

(I would be glad to answer any questions even though I myself am imperfect and do not know much. It's all for Him.)