“Karen’s Notes!

Insights from a Glory-Bound Lady”

Selected Notes

Volume 6 Number 32

#276 “Well, Well, Well! Look at What is Growing!”

August 9th, 2023

Thank you for stopping by “Karen’s Notes” today. Many folks make her notes part of their weekly routine. You have many sources for spiritual encouragement. I do not take your friendship for granted.

May I make this observation?

It is easier to be joyful and give praise when everything is going well. The words “God is good” naturally flow from the lips of the believer whose prayers have been answered and life is good. On the other hand, it is precious and powerful when that same believer says “God is good” when life is hard, trials are great, and the body is growing weaker.

Some might wonder, “It’s been six years since Karen went to Heaven. Do you still miss her?”

To those who honestly wonder such a question, I would respond by saying, “YES, I MISS HER VERY MUCH!” I miss her affection. I miss her sense of humor. I miss her partnership. I miss our times of Bible reading and worship together.

I’ve been looking through Karen’s Bible. It’s pretty easy for me to start crying when I do this. I rehearse the things I remember she said to me about her personal Bible reading. In our daily couple’s devotions together, we would share with each other what we were reading and how that impacted our lives.

And then we traveled together on her cancer journey.

Truly it is easy to say “God is good” when everything is going well. However! It is in the difficult times of our lives that we truly come to know the Lord in special ways.

Throughout her cancer journey, she spoke often of how the Lord tenderly reminded   her to focus on eternity and the joys that awaited. She underlined part of 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 in her Bible. Let me share this with you.

“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

In her Bible study journal, she very briefly wrote the following concerning these verses.

My assurance is growing deeper.  My “outward man is perishing,” but my “inward man is being renewed.” Compared to eternity, my affliction is light and only for a moment.

God can be trusted to keep His promises.

He is working in mysterious ways to accomplish His purpose.

There is nothing too hard for God! (Luke 1:37)

She genuinely meant it.

“My assurance is growing even though my outer man is perishing.”

Those are powerful words coming from a person who knew that her cancer was terminal.

I have no idea what you are facing right now. Maybe you are having a wonderful day. Maybe you are having an incredibly difficult day. Never would Karen encourage us to ignore our problems and pretend they don’t exist. Rather, she reminded herself (and us, too!) to keep our focus on eternity and the Lord. What great advice for us. I need to be doing this. I need to frequently remind myself that God is good on the hard days, happy days and every day in between! How about you?