Chrysostom
Beloved of All
You pour out your heart with many words, and rightly so, for our need is great and our God is merciful. Yet consider what the Apostle says: "If we neglect so great salvation, how shall we escape?" Not a small salvation from poverty or human foes, but the dissolution of death, the destruction of the devil, the kingdom of Heaven. This is the deliverance you must cling to above all, and it is already yours in Christ if you do not abandon Him. Do not let present troubles obscure the magnitude of what He has already done: He has snatched you from the lion's mouth, from the power of darkness, and made you a son. That is no small thing.
You plead the blood of Christ and ask for a wall of fire and warrior angels. This is good, for such trust honors God. But do not think that protection means the absence of trials. Was not Paul himself delivered from the lion's mouth, yet he expected further deliverance from every evil work, not necessarily from suffering, but from falling away, from yielding to sin. True protection is that you remain steadfast, that your faith does not fail. The devil would have you believe that unless your circumstances change swiftly, God has forgotten you. This is a lie from the one who denies that God can create from nothing, who whispers that your brokenness is beyond repair. But our God makes all things new; He raises the dead. Is it harder to heal a wounded soul than to make the world from nothing? Trust Him.
You ask for salvation, deliverance, and healing for your whole family. Remember the blind man from birth. The disciples asked, "Who sinned?" They thought suffering must be traced to some guilt. But the Lord answered that this man was blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him. Not all pain is punishment; sometimes it is the stage for God's glory. Wait upon Him with patience. In the meantime, do not merely ask, but also strive. You must not only be freed from worldly anxieties but also cultivate fortitude, attentive hearing of the word, and the childlike humility that Christ set before us. That little child in the midst of the disciples was free from pride, envy, and vainglory. Such simplicity possesses many virtues and is not puffed up about them. Cultivate this; be small in your own eyes, and you will find supernatural trust.
You long for reconciliation and unity. This is a noble desire, for we are called to the harmony of sons. But how does this come? By each one seeking not his own advantage, but what pleases God, and by serving one another in love. You speak of conflicts and feeling overlooked. Do not be surprised: the Lord Himself was despised. You ask forgiveness for venting; be comforted, but also amend your life. True liberty is not being free from all human friction, but being set free from bondage to sin and the opinions of men. Give thanks in all things, as Paul did even for his chains, for they advanced the Gospel. So you, when you suffer misunderstanding or rejection, give thanks that you are counted worthy to be identified with Christ.
Do not lose heart while you wait. The High Priest Caiaphas, wicked as he was, prophesied that one man should die for the nation. If God can draw prophecy from an evil heart, how much more can He bring good from your struggles? Let your continual prayer be this: "Lord, increase my faith; give me the trust of a child that does not lean on its own understanding." Pour out your requests, yes; but end always with the surrender of the Son: "Not my will, but Thine be done." He has already done so much; He will complete what He has begun. The arm of the Lord is not shortened, and nothing is too hard for Him, even the salvation of those you love, the healing of deep wounds, the breaking of destructive patterns. Only believe, and do not neglect the great salvation by placing your hope in relief rather than in the Redeemer. Stand fast, then, and watch for the deliverance of the Lord.
You plead the blood of Christ and ask for a wall of fire and warrior angels. This is good, for such trust honors God. But do not think that protection means the absence of trials. Was not Paul himself delivered from the lion's mouth, yet he expected further deliverance from every evil work, not necessarily from suffering, but from falling away, from yielding to sin. True protection is that you remain steadfast, that your faith does not fail. The devil would have you believe that unless your circumstances change swiftly, God has forgotten you. This is a lie from the one who denies that God can create from nothing, who whispers that your brokenness is beyond repair. But our God makes all things new; He raises the dead. Is it harder to heal a wounded soul than to make the world from nothing? Trust Him.
You ask for salvation, deliverance, and healing for your whole family. Remember the blind man from birth. The disciples asked, "Who sinned?" They thought suffering must be traced to some guilt. But the Lord answered that this man was blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him. Not all pain is punishment; sometimes it is the stage for God's glory. Wait upon Him with patience. In the meantime, do not merely ask, but also strive. You must not only be freed from worldly anxieties but also cultivate fortitude, attentive hearing of the word, and the childlike humility that Christ set before us. That little child in the midst of the disciples was free from pride, envy, and vainglory. Such simplicity possesses many virtues and is not puffed up about them. Cultivate this; be small in your own eyes, and you will find supernatural trust.
You long for reconciliation and unity. This is a noble desire, for we are called to the harmony of sons. But how does this come? By each one seeking not his own advantage, but what pleases God, and by serving one another in love. You speak of conflicts and feeling overlooked. Do not be surprised: the Lord Himself was despised. You ask forgiveness for venting; be comforted, but also amend your life. True liberty is not being free from all human friction, but being set free from bondage to sin and the opinions of men. Give thanks in all things, as Paul did even for his chains, for they advanced the Gospel. So you, when you suffer misunderstanding or rejection, give thanks that you are counted worthy to be identified with Christ.
Do not lose heart while you wait. The High Priest Caiaphas, wicked as he was, prophesied that one man should die for the nation. If God can draw prophecy from an evil heart, how much more can He bring good from your struggles? Let your continual prayer be this: "Lord, increase my faith; give me the trust of a child that does not lean on its own understanding." Pour out your requests, yes; but end always with the surrender of the Son: "Not my will, but Thine be done." He has already done so much; He will complete what He has begun. The arm of the Lord is not shortened, and nothing is too hard for Him, even the salvation of those you love, the healing of deep wounds, the breaking of destructive patterns. Only believe, and do not neglect the great salvation by placing your hope in relief rather than in the Redeemer. Stand fast, then, and watch for the deliverance of the Lord.
