Thanking Him....again

I'm back with Jeremiah Burroughs this morning.  His writings challenge me not only in the truths he highlights but in his writing style.  Since he lived in the 1600s his use of words is obviously going to differ from today's writing style, but that's part of the fun of reading his stuff.

Burroughs reminds me of another of God's mysteries; how He often brings His people into a low condition before He drops a great mercy on them.  I can testify to the truth of this.  I would never have known the degree of God's goodness today had I not been brought into a low condition. But how does this work?

"Usually when God intends the greatest mercy to any of His people He brings them into the lowest condition.  God seems to go quite across and work in a contrary way.......If it is a bodily mercy, an outward mercy, that He intends to bestow, He brings them physically low, and outwardly low.....Usually the people of God, before the greatest comforts, have the greatest afflictions and sorrows."-Jeremiah Burroughs (Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment).  And as examples he uses Joseph and David, two key figures of the Old Testament:

"When He intended to raise Joseph to be second in the kingdom, God cast him into a dungeon a little before."  And, "So when God intended to raise David and set him upon the throne, He made him to be hunted as a partridge in the mountains."

It appears that I'm in good company even if I'll never be "second in the kingdom" or "set upon the throne", but I have been brought physically low and I thank God often for this.  Life has become even more precious than before and I can attest to the goodness of God in every step of our journey through cancer.  I might have missed so many blessings had God not worked in His seemingly contrary way.

On the health front:

Blood draw this morning and I will be watching those numbers carefully as I inch my way back to good health😊