The Bread of Adversity and the Water of Affliction

<sup>Isaiah 30 (Amplified Bible)

15</sup>For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength.     ¹⁸And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!
    ¹⁹            He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you.
    ²⁰And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide Himself any more, but your eyes will constantly behold your Teacher.
 
These are my thoughts this morning.....  God does not separate His love, His victory, His favor, His companionship from the bread of adversity and the water of affliction.  We, as humans, want those things to be in two clearly delineated, mutually exclusive categories, but in God's eyes, they are not. He is there in the hurting. He is there in the healing. He is there is the waiting. In fact, His greatest glory and the closest companionship often comes when we choose Him even in adversity. 
 
I am tired today--physically (good, hard 5: 45 a.m. Group Power class taught by my amazing Mom) and emotionally, so I will return to the Lord this morning and rest in Him and find my strength for this day in quiet, trusting confidence in Jesus.  I am looking forward to next week's vacation with all of my extended family--for rest and relaxation on the beach, by the pool, in a rocking chair or swing, with those I love all around me.