GRATEFULNESS IN THE MIDST OF CIRCUMSTANCES
Sakkie Parsons
Dear friend,
I would like to share with you this answer to someone who wrote to me, sharing the very difficult circumstances she is going through.
I read your letter and I thought; Wow! Here is someone who also experiences great pressure from satan, just as I have over the last 7 years as well as so many other people who are tormented by him.
Fortunately – and I say ‘fortunately’ because it helps us; I know because that's what it did for me and still do – because I know this:
The first thing I remember myself every time things are going difficult for me, is that I know: satan wants these things to overcome me, so he is harassing me. With that knowledge, I say to myself: "Well, I will not be trapped."
I keep my eyes on Jesus – and when I look at Him in the spirit, I see and appreciate all the miracles in my own life.
I’ll just share with you how I see the hardship in my own life:
I sometimes think of Cornelia (my wife who is now with our Lord) and then comes that, so familiar, inner shuddering of deep sadness about what had happened to her in her life – and what I went through with her these past 7 years – but then, as a child of God, I remember what our Lord has done for her and where she is now at this very moment – and then a lovely grateful peace and joy fills my heart.
Sometimes I’m busy with something, like washing the dishes, and then my personal circumstances arise in my heart but then I remember:
"Here I am now perfectly healthy, and there are people lying in a bed who cannot even turn themselves from one side to the other – and then I thank yet again in gratitude my God for what He does for me."
Sometimes at night I sit here in my apartment and I feel so intensively lonely but then I remember that; firstly, I am not alone – our Lord is here with me and secondly, I have all these wonderful friends such as you, with whom I have the privilege to communicate.
You see my friend, satan wants the same thing to happen to us that happened to Peter when he was walking on the water – and what do I mean in saying that?
Jesus told Peter that he had to walk on the water towards Jesus – and indeed he does it! – The only person who ever did such a thing.
There Peter was walking towards Jesus, keeping his eyes on Jesus – but then – as sly as satan is, he pointed out to Peter those vicious waves that came rolling behind Jesus' back and you might say, Peter literally frightens himself out of his faith and sinks like a stone.
If satan wants to catch me with that same scam, I focus in the spirit my eyes upon Jesus and then comes the awareness of how wonderful it is to walk on water.
In other words to begin with:
Just to experience the marvel of getting out of bed this morning and all the wonderful things in my life – but above all, that I am a child of God, and like my wife and millions before her, who are already there – I am also on my way to heaven.
Then, because I look in the right perspective towards life and everything there in and around it, I experience the peace which Jesus tells us about:
JOH 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.
In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
JOH 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Therefor, and I say this with a heart full of compassion and love:
Let's keep our eyes only on Jesus and as far as this life with all its difficulties concerns;
Let’s walk on the water.
HEB 12:1-3
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Greetings,
Sakkie