Is it well with your soul?

     What ever my lot is it well with my soul?  Not always the way my mind thinks about it.  When we choose to surrender our lives to God, we feel the joy of it being well with our soul! or do we?  When life is very real and painful are we really thinking 'it is well with our soul' applies?  How do we rest with excruciating pain and loss?  Do we not have to go through the motions of feeling it, walking through the experience?  We are told we will have trials and tribulations, not maybe you will, maybe you won't.  God has to hurt the things that must go, and yes we will struggle to understand.  Oh surely not! He is a God of love!  We must realize love, true love, will be tough as well as tender.  If we ignored having to do the tough stuff with our children we understand that would harm them more than help them.  I can remember as a child my father saying "you probably won't understand this right now, but this hurts me more than it hurts you"; then I would get a spanking or grounded for something I knew was wrong but did anyway.  I hear parents say that they don't ground their children because it punishes them, too! To that I say 'so what!'  If it will be beneficial for the child then do whatever it takes!  I once grounded my child from driving for a month as a Junior in high school.  Yes I had to get up every morning and drive her to school but I loved her so much it was not an imposition, it was tough love.  I am so thankful I had a father willing to teach me the hard stuff.  God is willing to teach us the hard stuff, too. The question is, is it well with our soul?  My father taught me he was willing to handle my anger and rebellion if I chose to do so in order to teach me right from wrong.  I do not want to express tough love and I do not know anyone who does.  Many people simply refuse to go there; but I believe there are times when we must put our big boy or big girl pants on and press through the tough stuff.  I decided long ago that I loved my children enough for them (to think) they hate me and yes, run the risk of them actually hating me.  I also believe God my Father when He commanded me to "bring up (my) children in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it.'   I also know to "Trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not unto my own understanding." So in the end the unpopular things I take stands on with my loved ones is because I love them, but more than that, because I love God!  God is not going to forsake me even if I don't understand my lot, or my children's and loved ones lot.  This too I must learn is well with my soul.  When we confess our faith, we gave our lives back to Christ.  "...  the life I now live, I live through Christ who died so I might live." Gal. 2:20  Our souls are His, they are not our own, what ever our lot, 'It is well it, is well with our soul'.  Doesn't say we get to understand it all right now, doesn't say it won't be hard at times and it won't hurt.  God's voice to the saints here is quiet but there is no mistaking it!  We know the right thing to do .  Our flesh so wants the voice to go away so we do not have to deal with the tough stuff;  but we will be miserable until we do.  Oswald Chambers sums this up like only he can " The checks of the spirit come in the most extraordinarily  gentle ways, and if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice, you will quench it, and your spiritual life will be impaired."  We must stop and do the right thing when we know it or we will grieve the heart of God and ourselves for we have a new heart which is being transformed into His.  Being well with our soul is not a promise of an easy life;  it is a promise of no matter our lot it is well with our soul. " Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death; I will fear no evil"!  Puts our crazy world in perspective for me and I for one want to hang on to the one thing that will never change for it is well, it is well with my soul!
  
Heavenly Father  We are a fearful people, we panic easily and want to take matters into our own hands. We do not want our loved ones to suffer, grant us the wisdom and courage to get through the tough stuff. Give us Your peace that surpasses all understanding; let us be content just to know what ever our lot it is well with our soul.  Thank you for sending your Son to die for our sins so we might have eternal life with You. In Jesus your Son's name I pray. amen

Love to all in Christ Jesus C:)