Marriner’s Moment: Restoration: Balm in Gilead – Part 4

By Pastor Melvin O. Marriner
Grove Church

When we think of the Balm in Gilead, we should think of Christ. He is the salve (or balm) that soothes, heals and restores. Everyone has problems, difficulties, and concerns that overwhelm and sometimes even defeat us, but the key to overcoming these obstacles is acknowledging that they exist and focusing on ways to resolve or eliminate them. M. Scott Peck, author of The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth said, “Problems do not go away. They must be worked through or else they remain, forever a barrier to the growth and development of the spirit.”

Seek Christ for answers, strength, peace, power and restoration. We can do this through prayer and studying the Word of God. We must also understand that God is not obligated to give us what we ask for, and He will never give us more than we can bear. And, remember, God’s ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:89)
• God is infinite. We are finite.
• He knows the end from the beginning while we see just a short part of the now.
• He knows the whys, while we grasp for wisdom.

Understand that there are times when God will not take us out of situations or deliver us from them, but He will stay with us through them. Ultimately, the presence and closeness that we experience with Him brings us the comfort and peace that we desire. It’s that deeper relationship with Christ – the balm in Gilead – that restores us, heals us and enables us to trust Him – just as our ancestors did.
Peace and power,

© Dr. Melvin O. Marriner,
October 2016

We invite you to join us at Grove Church, 5910 West Norfolk Road, Portsmouth, Virginia, Sundays at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., Tuesdays at noon and Wednesdays at 7 p.m.