things are not always as they appear...

A restless heart... aggravated by various difficulties... and challenges...

None really serious... just feeling their weight...

My spirit most upset with me... and the restlessness... tired of me... struggling to rest... wanting to trust... but feeling out of sorts...

That's when I grab up the Bonhoeffer devotional... Lord... speak to me...

 We all know that there are times in life when we grow tired of ourselves, when we become disgusted with ourselves, when we see all the wretchedness and weakness of our way of life... And it is the blessing of such times that in them there breaks through a longing for the face of God, for seeing God.

---Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I Want to Live These Days with You 

Yes... I know those times... right in the middle of fleshing them out...

God... He says to my restlessness... It's a blessing...

Thoughts go to my morning quiet... praising Him as the One who refines... removes impurities... unwanted material... coarseness...

I have refined you, but not as silver is refined.

Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.

Isaiah 48:10 NLT

 suffering... also translated by others as... affliction... adversity...

Refining... it's what I desire... the blessing I seek... a pure heart...

Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

Matthew 5:8

What I see... as a weakness... an aggravation... God... He says... is a blessing... a sign that He's at work... in and through... my life... 

Thank You... Lord... for the aggravation... the restless heart... that drives me to seek Your face... thank You... for revealing Yourself... in a way... that assures... and brings peace...