I believe in God, even when he doesn’t speak.

On the wall of a concentration camp, a prisoner had carved these words:

I believe in the sun, even though it does not shine.
I believe in love, even when it isn’t shown.
I believe in God, even when he doesn’t speak.

Wow. I find that incredible. Imagine the person that wrote that. Imagine the conviction and faith that he/she possessed. Someone who had lost friends and most likely family to unspeakable deaths. And had seen humans do to humans unimaginable things. But he/she still carved that. It wasn't simply written it was engraved! Can you envision the emaciated hand chipping away at the wall that served as his/her prison? In the dark squinting their eyes just so they can picture the letters?
When I sit and think of that person all of a sudden everything that I am tempted to worry about and often do worry about seems silly... If that person could trust completely in God in the midst of those kind of circumstances then I have absolutely NO excuse not to.

I like to think that this person memorized this verse and thought of it often.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Count it all joy.....all joy.. I wonder if they knew this verse as well.
James 1: 2-4 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
I find that ohhhh so very very hard at times... Most of of the time when faced with a trial I'm like "GOD! Why me?!? Why now?!?" instead of "Thank you God for this wonderful opportunity trust in you and develop faith and maturity!"
Pure joy in the midst of trials=faith=steadfastness=perfect and complete and not lacking anything.
Thats a good formula to remember.

Complete and not lacking in anything. If someone told me "Well if you climb this mountain you will be perfect, complete, and not lacking in anything." I would probably most likely say "Where's the mountain?" But when God has told me that all I have to do is have pure joy and faith in the midst of trials and I will be perfect, complete, and not lacking in anything. I go "Umm sorry but I don't think that is possible." WHY????? It isn't as if God was asking me to do something horrid like eat a bunch of snails or something He just asks for my JOY. That's it He wants me to be happy! Sometimes the person that I find most annoying and aggrevating is myself.

But thanks to His everlasting and evergrowing grace it is possible for me to change. Now that's a wonderful thought.

^^^^^
I posted that on my xanga a while ago... I found it last night and thought it was cool....plus I need to keep being reminded of it....