Sorrow and Joy are the Lord's Warp and Woof

UV 427/10,000 Pain and pleasure are the Lord’s warp and woof Psa 90:15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Gladness and sadness, pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow are both equally used by the Lord like an expert weaver uses a shuttle to weave the warp and the woof of a garment. Our nervous system is made so that we feel both pain and pleasure. We are so wired that we seek pleasure and avoid pain. Our minds feel both sorrow and joy. The Lord does not crush us under the weight of sorrows. Our belief in Him will give us relief. He redeems us from our troubles and sends help our way through any of the angelic host or through any human or natural agency. He weaves a pattern of faith, of victory and of salvation through our positive as well as negative experiences. In this uni-verse, the Psalmist is praying, “ Lord , give me as many days to rejoice as the days I was troubled and hurt.” When we look back, we clearly see that the Lord has given us many more days of peace and joy than days when we were sick or depressed. He knows that we learn more from times of pain than from good times. Occasionally, He does send afflictions and troubles our way. During this time, we must sit up and ask ourselves and the Lord, “ What is the lesson You want me to learn from this situation?” Once I was so troubled after receiving one affliction close upon the heels of another, I made a covenant with the Lord, “ Lord whatever You have to teach me, just send me an early warning. I will be sensitive to Your move and message in my life. I will not wait till You have knocked me to the floor or broken me.” Even if my toe hits a stone, I will assume and enquire that the Lord wants me to take some warning or gain some learning or heed some wisdom in my life. Prateep V Philip