K.J. Nally's blog, Answers of Truth
Oct. 6, 2011

When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 

Every month was a physical reminder of what happened. Every month my emotions warred against my heart of what I knew to be Truth. Why wasn’t this easier? And why did each month seem to force me on an emotional roller coaster? I felt God’s presence in midst of the storm…why did He seem so far off now? Yet, I know He is beside me, guiding me, holding me up by my right arm. His Word promises He will never leave. He always seeks His glory and the good of those who love Him. Yes, I know that is Truth…help me Lord to believe it.

 These words from Psalm 73 are salve to the broken soul. Honestly, it’s been a tough year. My flesh failed me and then my heart was broken in a million pieces. 

On Sunday, October 2^nd it would have been our little baby's due date. Lil’ Bean we called him. I was 9 weeks pregnant when I had a miscarriage—my flesh failed. 

The Story of Lil’ Bean

Nine weeks went by and I was feeling so good. We joked that maybe there wasn’t a baby in my “belly” because I didn’t feel pregnant. Sure, I was tired and ate everything in sight, but I felt great. Excitedly, we arrived at the doctor…it would be Lil’ Bean’s First Picture (ultrasound). As we sat in the room waiting for the doctor, we gave each other a high five and then pumped the air three times toward Heaven, giving God three high fives because this was His perfect work, not ours. We had determined from the first day God blessed us with our baby to have “open hands.” This was God’s little one, entrusted to us to raise Him to be a worshiper of God. The doctor came in and talked for awhile about what to expect and hospital protocol—then it was time for “Baby’s First Picture.”

Silence. This isn’t what an ultrasound was supposed to look like, I thought. Where was my baby? The picture was white with only a small black circle. No heart beat. The doctor didn’t need to say anything, we knew. And our hearts broke. The doctor left the room after a short explanation of what would happen over the next few days. She told me not to blame myself. But, in that moment as my world spun out of control I couldn’t stop the thoughts. I wept in my husband’s strong arms. Slowly I met his gaze and said, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” He knew what I meant and grabbed my tear stained face. “Don’t you dare go there,” he sternly warned. “Don’t you dare take credit for what God is doing.” I knew the truth…God was in control, He was faithful, and He was good. But, could I believe that in this moment?

Yes. I could.

When we lost our baby, we cried to the point of exhaustion. It was so sweet falling in love with our first child. It gave us a small glimpse of how God loves us and how His heart must break when people die before knowing their Father; miscarried for eternity. The day after we lost our baby, I prayed to God for strength to praise Him even when I hurt so deeply. I have never felt the nearness of my Lord like I did in the midst of this pain. And even when I felt emotionally drained and spiritually broken the months that followed, He gave me the strength to praise Him even through the pain. You can read the prayer I wrote to God after the miscarriage here.

We still have moments of sadness of what could have been, but we must remind ourselves of truth; preach to ourselves. The truth is that God is good. He is in absolute control for His glory and our best.

What do we do with pain and trials…When God seems far, how do we continue holding onto our faith? 

We must TRUST.

“Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal” (Isaiah 24:6).

Trust that God is true and His Word is Truth (Ps. 53:1; Col. 1:15-23; 1 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12).

Trust that God loves his children more than we can fathom (1 Jn 3:1; 1 Jn. 4:19; Rom. 8:38-39).

Trust that God wants the best for us, just as any parent does on earth…though He is much wiser (Rom. 8:28-30; 2 Pt. 1:2-10; Jer. 17:8).

Trust that God’s way brings Him the most glory (Ps. 19:1; Ps. 108:4-6; Lk. 2:14).

Trust that God never leaves us alone in pain, but holds our hand and walks with us (Ps. 90:10; Deut. 31:6; Heb. 13:5).
Trust that God will one day take all pain away when we are with Him in eternity (Jn. 16:33; Jn. 10:10; Rev. 21:4).

Trust that God is good…ALL the time! (Ps. 84; Ps. 73:1; Mk. 10:18).

My pain-filled emotions were good, just not trustworthy. I had to constantly go back to Truth - that these trials are making me more like Jesus for the glory of God!

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1

Know God intimately…before a trial hits. Do not blame God or turn from Him in anger, but cling to the one who died for you so that He could comfort you forever in eternity. David said in Psalm 90:10, “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

Seek Him friends…Trust Him…see that He is good, even (and especially) in times of pain.

These words from J. C. Ryle have brought me much encouragement:

“Reader, if God has given you His only begotten Son, beware of doubting His kindness and love, in any painful providence of your daily life! Never allow yourself to think hard thoughts of God. Never suppose that He can give you anything which is not really for your good. Remember the words of Paul: ‘He who spared not His own Son—but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things’ (Romans 8:32).

See in every sorrow and trouble of your earthly pilgrimage the hand of Him who gave Christ to die for your sins! That hand can never smite you except in love! He who gave His only begotten Son for you, will never withhold anything from you which is really for your good. Lean back on this thought and be content. Say to yourself in the darkest hour of trial, ‘This also is ordered by Him who gave Christ to die for my sins. It cannot be wrong. It is done in love. It must be well.’"

John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Amen!

K.J. Nally is a writer, teacher, and counselor. She is pursuing her master’s degree in Biblical Counseling, concentrating in women's ministry from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. K.J. and her husband, Dustin, have a passion to fight for Godly marriages, spur on teens to seek purity, and encourage men and women to live obediently to their Creator God.

K.J. and Dustin are marriage and individual counselors at Hope Counseling Center through their church, North Wake. They also work with Converting Hearts Ministries,’ a Christ-centered addictions ministry.

K.J. is also a freelance journalist. Check out more about Christian Living at K.J.’s blog, Answers of Truth.

Why is He Worthy of Trust? James 1

James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of you faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

James 1:5-6 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and if will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”

A recent Bible study on the book of James divided chapter one into these two passages. A week was given to each of these sets of verses. As we slow down to make detailed observations of this chapter, we must be careful to notice that these two passages are not separate from each other. They flow coherently together. 

The first passage challenged me to consider hard situations as joy and told me that it will test my faith and produce steadfastness until I am complete, lacking nothing. That sounds great and is true! But as those especially difficult situations come to our minds, it leaves us asking how these things are possible in this situation? How could I count this for joy? It seems impossible for good to come out of it and seems ridiculous to consider it joy!

Well James knew we would ask these questions. So immediately in verse 5, he says, “If any of you lack wisdom…” If you are like me, buzzers are going off in your head saying, “That’s me! That’s me! I lack wisdom in this situation that is supposed to be considered as joy. I want to be made steadfast and complete. But how?”

Ask God for wisdom in the face of trials! Ask with trust and with no doubt at all. Once again how can we ask without any doubt at all? A better question is—Do we realize Who we are asking? James 1:5 says this God is one who “gives generously and without reproach.” Do you know what without reproach means? It means without scolding me for asking and without naming all my deficiencies in wisdom or faith. How can this be? I know my faults but He knows my heart better than I do! How then can He view me without faults and deficiencies? The answer is justice and mercy.

God’s wrath is satisfied in Jesus’ death. God did not forgive my sin by saying, “Oh, just forget it” and then erase it. He did not deny His own character by forsaking justice. Justice was carried out until the consequence was fulfilled completely in Jesus and I walk out free from my sin. I am free of fault and deficiency in the eyes of God, who gives generously without reproach, because of Jesus.  BECAUSE of His great justice and mercy.

So in light of this great gospel, do you think this God is worthy of asking for wisdom? Worthy of trust? Do you think He may really be generous? Think of the way He carried out that justice! Do you think this God of justice and mercy is one you can place confident trust in that He will respond?

Sometime trials overpower my mind and cloud my vision. How can I trust God in those times? James 1:6 says to ask for wisdom in the face of your trials with faith and without doubting. But how can I get to that place through the clouds? Return to His justice. Recognize that it should have been me receiving that cup of wrath, not Jesus. Return to His mercy. Reflect on WHO He is and WHAT He has done! Then the truth of the gospel turns us to a deep, safe trust. How can I NOT trust this God to give wisdom generously without reproach?

 Katie Kasey is a 2+2 (International Church Planting M-Div) student at Southeastern. God has given Katie the privilege of serving Him in Ecuador on several occasions, as well as Ukraine and East Asia. Katie serves at North Henderson Baptist Church in Henderson, NC, with her family.  She is excitedly preparing to serve God both at home and overseas. Katie’s greatest joys in life are her two sisters Britney & Meredith and their wonderful husbands- John Marks & Ricky, and her parents Brent & Teresa. She also loves using photography and writing to encourage others and promote God’s glory among all people.