Rejoice Always!

We had another appointment with the urologist this past week. It was basically the same news, his right kidney is multi-cystic and not working, the left is very swollen and not looking good, but it is still seeming to function. They have to wait until he's born to see if he will need surgery or not on that kidney. If it stops working before he is born, they will have to take him out early. They have me on a two week amniotic fluid check. It has been normal this far, praise the LORD! I have another check today and am praying it is still at a good level, but the LORD is in control.


  I was also reading in Hebrews and thinking about the discipline of God. We know from His word that He delights in blessing His children, but He also desires us to be holy as He is holy and uses the trials of this life to refine us and cause us to cling and to trust in Him. We would not know the depths of His love and compassion if we wen't poor and needy!


"For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
         “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,
         NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,
         AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”
It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whomhis father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but Hedisciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
      Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed" Heb. 


  There is so much also in His word about rejoicing in hardship, rejoicing and giving thanks and praying continually.
"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."- 1Thes. 5:16-18


"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12


"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:4-7


 And I was thinking the LORD is bringing us through this hard trial and using it in our lives because He has accepted us as His own that we may share in His Holiness!! That is definitely cause for rejoicing!! He has accepted us as sons and daughters!! We may be assured of His good intentions for us because of Christ. And He is perfecting His work in us NOW! I know He will carry us and strengthen us. Life brings trials and hardship, but as we rejoice, pray and give thanks in all things we draw more and more near the One who loves us more than we can comprehend.