I remember as a kid hearing, coming to Jesus and walking with Him was like heaven on earth. In many ways it is, but the problem lies in the fact that we still live in a corrupt and fallen world, with people that are corrupt and fallen. Even Christians are corrupt and fallen but hopefully they are overcoming that nature every day.
I go through things at times that rattle me a bit. When I am rattled, I know I have a choice to grow or to fail. The great thing about God’s grace is if I fail, He will still hold me up and allow me to go through it a second, third, fourth, or however many times I need to walk through it. This is one of the ways we learn what we need, to become whom we are to become.
Luke tells us this in the book of Acts
“When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:21,22
Through many tribulations???? You won’t hear that preached too often to encourage the Body. It is actually an encouraging word. In Romans chapter 5 Paul writes, “Trials and tribulations bring perseverance, and perseverance, proven character and proven character, hope which does not disappoint”. You see, if everything is always going our way there is no need to walk by faith, there is no need for God, there is no need to develop that relationship with our heavenly Father that we will have for eternity. If we are not challenged to use faith then we will never see the miracles or the lives changed that we need to see. We can’t change anyone, save anyone, or heal anyone! It is only God working through us as we move in faith that lives are changed.
The tribulations we walk through enable us, if we choose, to win every time. It doesn’t mean that the outcome we want happens, but we have the peace to know that God has accomplished His purpose His way. Add to that, “without faith it is impossible to please God” so when we walk through these trials and these times of rattling we see them as opportunities to come into a place of peace despite the storms in our lives.
Faith comes as we walk through our daily devotions, testimonies, prayer, and trials. Don’t be afraid of the difficulties that arise. They make great testimonies that you can hang onto as the Lord directs your path. Remember David? He slew Goliath by remembering another trial he had gone through killing both a lion and a bear. Those trials helped to give him the faith to believe that the same Lord who preserved his life facing those trials would do the same thing now!
Our lives are not always a picnic, but they are always guided by His hand. Don’t fret over or curse the trials you are facing. Ask the Lord for wisdom on how to overcome by faith and maintain His peace as you walk through them.
No comments:
Post a Comment