CHFWeb: Becoming Instruments of His Peace-Quotes to Ponder

Becoming Instruments of His Peace

The day had been a full one. It was late, too late to still be up. She settled into her favorite chair and reached for the book on the floor. It was Elisabeth Elliot's Loneliness. Now how did that get there? She flipped the book over and read the paragraph on the back cover ...

Loneliness comes over us sometimes as a sudden tide. It is one of the terms of our humanness, and, in a sense, therefore, incurable. Yet I have found peace in my loneliest times not only through acceptance of the situation, but through making it an offering to God, who can transfigure it into something for the good of others.

A tear trickled down her face, followed by many others. She was lonely for her sister. They normally communicated daily, but they had both been so busy lately. If only she had been able to meet up with her sister for a quick chat at lunchtime. She read Mrs. Elliot's description of loneliness ...

Loneliness is much worse than being stuck in a traffic jam or having to do without cheesecake. Perhaps we hardly think of its calling for courage, because we hardly think of it as real suffering, yet it fits the simplest definition I know: having what you don't want, or wanting what you don't have. Loneliness we don't want. It comes from wanting what we don't have.

Yes, she understood this too well. Life was good right now. It was busy, but good. She was being pulled in directions that were new to her and very challenging. Her marriage, family, home and home school were all doing well. She was even taking care of herself, watching what she was eating, exercising, and, except for this evening, getting enough sleep. It was hard to call what she was feeling "suffering," but missing her sister gave her a lonely, painful feeling. She read the words Elisabeth Elliot wrote ...

I had nothing in the house. Nothing except this pain. Pain--an offering? What could the Lord possibly make of that? ... "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." So, as best I could, I offered it up.

She put the book down. She fell on her knees with her head bowed to the ground and offered up the pain of loneliness to the Lord remembering that we are called to be thankful whatever our circumstances are. "Thank You, Lord, for the gift of friendship you have given my sister and me."

Wiping the tears away, she sat down at the computer and tried to put her feelings into words. It was way too late for anything well-written, but she tried. Thankful and joyful and hopeful, she read one more quote from Mrs. Elliot's book ...

Out of suffering comes holiness--in these forms: comfort, consolation, the fellowship of Christ's suffering, salvation, strength, fortitude, endurance. This is what is meant by redemptive suffering. The greater the measure allotted to us, the greater is our material for sacrifice. As we make it a joyful offering to God, our potential is enhanced for becoming "instruments of His peace"--being "broken bread and poured-out wine," overflowing with consolation for the lonely and the suffering of the world.

I pray that whatever you may be suffering through, whether it is emotional or physical, that you will make it an offering to God and receive His peace and comfort and hope.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. - Galatians 6:9

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. - James 1:17

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. - John 15:4,5

September 8, 2000
© 2000 by Kathy Ridpath
Please ask for permission to reprint this article, ridpath@chfweb.com. Thank you!

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Loneliness
by Elisabeth Elliot
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Web site: http://www.gatewaytojoy.org/


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"And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord;
and great shall be the peace of thy children."
Isaiah 54:13