The Box

May 2009 I walked into a small room with 12 people sitting in a circle.  My instructions were to go sit in the chair in the middle.  I was asked if I had anything specific I wanted a word from the Lord on, ‘No’, I answered.  And I sat silently.

That wasn’t the truth though, I knew exactly the situation I wanted the Lord to speak HIS WORDS to me about.  He and I had chatted about it for a while now and by faith I waited to hear His words given to these people and spoken through their mouths.  Would you speak Lord?

He did….each and every word that the people spoke was a prophetic word from God.  I wrote about The Bridge 4 years ago, it was as if they knew the secret places that only God and I had been struggling with together.  They spoke to the specifics of my situation, they gave direction to where I was going and they gave hope in the suffering I was drowning in.  Each and every word, except one.

A Box.  I see a box.

No, Lord that doesn’t fit, I will file that away for now, I have no idea what a box is or what God would be saying to me.  It didn’t fit, it wasn’t right.  Set it aside.

But it gnawed and gnawed at me for 4 years, almost to THE DAY….today. 

Tonight, I sat in a room that I wasn’t intending to be in until less then 36 hours ago.  The Well Conference.  My dear friend Bo Stern was the speaker tonight and I’m just always thrilled to hear her speak.  Plus, tomorrow she is teaching “Preach like a girl” and if that doesn’t grab you, I don’t know what would. 

The Box.

THE FIRST thing she talks about tonight is The Box.  “The way you deal with what’s in the box will determine the success of your ministry”. 

The Box. 

I know what is in the box!  The Box was indeed in that room 4 years ago, it was purposefully spoken in that moment and God meant to reveal the meaning of it to me today because…His timing is perfect.

Suffering is in the box.  External pressure causes internal friction to produce something better.  Suffering was in the box.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

What has your suffering qualified you to do? 

That is what Bo asked me tonight and I believe I know my answer.  But what is your answer?  What has YOUR suffering qualified you to do?  God did not design that box for any other reason but to bring HIM Glory. 

What has your suffering qualified you to do?