Sunday, February 01, 2009

Distress, Comfort and Resolution

Hello All,

Sometimes it just feels better to not say or write anything! If I were honest, there are many times that I am unable to write about the truly exciting developments that are occurring around the orbit that is our life. I have been sworn to secrecy in some cases, and am waiting as patiently as possible for other pieces of news. At this time in my life, the life of my family, there is so much up in the air for people that we care about. I want to just write it right here. I just want to spew the details, but I can't and that is super frustrating. It seems that God keeps saying "wait and watch" which to me, takes the greatest discipline.

Maybe it's just me, but it seems that there is more of this in our lives than there is resolve. Is anything ever totally finished and settled? Can anything be done and completed?

Believe it or not, as I consider this feeling deep in my soul, I am comforted. It doesn't feel good as I watch so many "We'll See What The Lord Does" issues circulating, but the part that does feel good is that I still anticipate that He will move and He will do something! I still believe.

There are people who might lose their homes soon. Some battle with major health concerns. Some seek to embark upon new direction for their ministries. Some are still waiting for their family situation to even out. Some wonder what will happen next! With all my heart, I long for them all to experience the peace that comes with landing in a place of resolve, where more questions are answered than posed. It feels rare, but it does happen.

In my own life, I feel that right now, I am the one that gets to be somewhat stable. For a long time, it was the opposite. People were wondering what was going to happen with the Sanchez family. "Spain, no Spain!?" Lela and I wondered the loudest of course! But we were surrounded by great people who stood beside us. Wonderful people heard the ups and the downs, they prayed, listened and showed genuine Christian concern. I am so thankful for them. I pray that I'll be as faithful to them as they were and are to me.

I wish I had more to offer. I know that they thought the same thing when the roles were reversed. I wish I had their mortgage payment in my wallet. I wish I had the power to diagnose and bring the cure. I wish that I could discern and tell them the end of the story specifically, without defaulting to the usual, "God is going to work it out!" This is probably the most frustrating aspect of ministry. I feel utterly helpless somedays. When I stop to actually think about what I don't know and what I can't offer, it almost drives me insane!

The beauty is that I don't need to know all the answers. I was never meant to. This comforts me as well. I am helpless and so it drives me to the Lord, begging and pleading for His intervention. "It's all so big to me Lord, but it's not a problem for you!" I pray that so often, alone and with people in my lfe.

I'll admit that it wasn't helpful emotionally at the time of our distress, but we knew intellectually that these were the words we needed to hear again and again. We might have cried and wondered, but thanks to those friends, we were drawn back to a place of surrender and quiet before the Lord, knowing that if He slayed us, we would yet trust Him.

I love Jesus. I love God. Ultimately, I love His Spirit's work in even working this out in my heart tonight. He wants to lead our friends there too. I know that it's painful and hard. God knows better. I wish that I could relieve you of your pain. I can't. The Lord God can! He will bring purpose from your pain, no matter the depth and difficulty. It will take longer than you think. It will be deeper than you imagine. You will be stretched thin. But because He has never failed me, I know that He will not fail you!

The end of the story is worth enduring the tough chapters!

Friend, stand strong. We love you dearly!

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

1 comment:

Darren Porter said...

that was great frank. i love that our church, its congregants and its pastors, are so real. love ya. im fighting off illness and no sleep. wanted to be there this morning