Good morning to everyone. Grace and peace be with you.
Have you ever heard a message that you just had to share? Whether it be from your pastor, a pastor you heard on television or the radio, a motivational speaker, a teacher…someone that truly spoke to you words that you had to share. Have you ever read a book with such good points that you let others know it was such a good read? Perhaps you watched a show that was so well performed, and the message was so clear that you told the world.
That is where I am.
Yesterday I shared about a statement my pastor shared with us that struck a chord of absolute truth with me. A statement that I live by. (If I lie for you…I will lie to you.)
Today I want to share another piece of wisdom from his sermon on Sunday. “The testing of your faith creates perseverance.”
I have a young friend who is quite wise for her age. She helped us in a struggling time with an avenue we had no idea how to travel, but she had already … on multiple occasions … walked this path and was a great navigator. She called me, not too long ago, because she now needed a navigator.
As she disclosed her struggle bus adventure, I listened intently to every morsel of pain and confusion and felt betrayal that she rendered. The anguish in her eyes of having this doubt that God had left her or was hiding around the corner watching for amusement. The sight was real.
Her little one joined us outside on several occasions. His energy and love poured out in total fullness, perfuming the air with unconditional godliness on complete display.
While we talked and he played, I reminded her that very statement I quoted before: “The testing of your faith creates perseverance.” I reminded her of Job. I reminded her of the apostles. Then I asked her why she thought that her journey should be smoother than theirs?
The enemy has created this dynamic that when you commit to being a Christian that you will have the easiest of easy lives. That once you become a Christian that the world will cease to have evil in it. The enemy has created such a theatrical scene, that many Christians…even strong ones…faithful ones… begin to doubt if there is a God because none of that happens. In fact, when you become a Christian … you see the evil all so much clearer. The shroud is removed from your ‘normal’ eyes and now you see the world with His eyes. Because you now can see with His eyes, you need to allow yourself to see the hearts of people with his eyes as well.
The testing of your faith is a daily activity that will fortify your godly stronghold of love, joy, peace, and faith. With the consistent test of your faith, your fortress of and for God grows. Even when you are at your lowest, He is bringing you through. Even when you do not feel like He cares or is watching, He is there.
When we are teaching our kids to ride a bike, we run along side for awhile but then we let go. We do this so that they will learn balance. They will fall. They will get scraped knees and elbows. They will get jarred around. However, they will learn to ride the bike on their own. Each new trial is us learning how to ride a bike. God runs beside us, but then he lets go so we can learn to balance. When we fall, he is right there to pick us up, clean our wounds, hug away our pain, and then set us back on the bike to try again.
Do not give up. He is with you. This trial is just a new bike with new toys and gadgets that you must master. You got this.
Be blessed today my friends.
***Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed . –1 Peter 4:12-13
Have you ever heard a message that you just had to share? Whether it be from your pastor, a pastor you heard on television or the radio, a motivational speaker, a teacher…someone that truly spoke to you words that you had to share. Have you ever read a book with such good points that you let others know it was such a good read? Perhaps you watched a show that was so well performed, and the message was so clear that you told the world.
That is where I am.
Yesterday I shared about a statement my pastor shared with us that struck a chord of absolute truth with me. A statement that I live by. (If I lie for you…I will lie to you.)
Today I want to share another piece of wisdom from his sermon on Sunday. “The testing of your faith creates perseverance.”
I have a young friend who is quite wise for her age. She helped us in a struggling time with an avenue we had no idea how to travel, but she had already … on multiple occasions … walked this path and was a great navigator. She called me, not too long ago, because she now needed a navigator.
As she disclosed her struggle bus adventure, I listened intently to every morsel of pain and confusion and felt betrayal that she rendered. The anguish in her eyes of having this doubt that God had left her or was hiding around the corner watching for amusement. The sight was real.
Her little one joined us outside on several occasions. His energy and love poured out in total fullness, perfuming the air with unconditional godliness on complete display.
While we talked and he played, I reminded her that very statement I quoted before: “The testing of your faith creates perseverance.” I reminded her of Job. I reminded her of the apostles. Then I asked her why she thought that her journey should be smoother than theirs?
The enemy has created this dynamic that when you commit to being a Christian that you will have the easiest of easy lives. That once you become a Christian that the world will cease to have evil in it. The enemy has created such a theatrical scene, that many Christians…even strong ones…faithful ones… begin to doubt if there is a God because none of that happens. In fact, when you become a Christian … you see the evil all so much clearer. The shroud is removed from your ‘normal’ eyes and now you see the world with His eyes. Because you now can see with His eyes, you need to allow yourself to see the hearts of people with his eyes as well.
The testing of your faith is a daily activity that will fortify your godly stronghold of love, joy, peace, and faith. With the consistent test of your faith, your fortress of and for God grows. Even when you are at your lowest, He is bringing you through. Even when you do not feel like He cares or is watching, He is there.
When we are teaching our kids to ride a bike, we run along side for awhile but then we let go. We do this so that they will learn balance. They will fall. They will get scraped knees and elbows. They will get jarred around. However, they will learn to ride the bike on their own. Each new trial is us learning how to ride a bike. God runs beside us, but then he lets go so we can learn to balance. When we fall, he is right there to pick us up, clean our wounds, hug away our pain, and then set us back on the bike to try again.
Do not give up. He is with you. This trial is just a new bike with new toys and gadgets that you must master. You got this.
Be blessed today my friends.
***Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed . –1 Peter 4:12-13
Good morning to everyone. Grace and peace be with you.
Have you ever heard a message that you just had to share? Whether it be from your pastor, a pastor you heard on television or the radio, a motivational speaker, a teacher…someone that truly spoke to you words that you had to share. Have you ever read a book with such good points that you let others know it was such a good read? Perhaps you watched a show that was so well performed, and the message was so clear that you told the world.
That is where I am.
Yesterday I shared about a statement my pastor shared with us that struck a chord of absolute truth with me. A statement that I live by. (If I lie for you…I will lie to you.)
Today I want to share another piece of wisdom from his sermon on Sunday. “The testing of your faith creates perseverance.”
I have a young friend who is quite wise for her age. She helped us in a struggling time with an avenue we had no idea how to travel, but she had already … on multiple occasions … walked this path and was a great navigator. She called me, not too long ago, because she now needed a navigator.
As she disclosed her struggle bus adventure, I listened intently to every morsel of pain and confusion and felt betrayal that she rendered. The anguish in her eyes of having this doubt that God had left her or was hiding around the corner watching for amusement. The sight was real.
Her little one joined us outside on several occasions. His energy and love poured out in total fullness, perfuming the air with unconditional godliness on complete display.
While we talked and he played, I reminded her that very statement I quoted before: “The testing of your faith creates perseverance.” I reminded her of Job. I reminded her of the apostles. Then I asked her why she thought that her journey should be smoother than theirs?
The enemy has created this dynamic that when you commit to being a Christian that you will have the easiest of easy lives. That once you become a Christian that the world will cease to have evil in it. The enemy has created such a theatrical scene, that many Christians…even strong ones…faithful ones… begin to doubt if there is a God because none of that happens. In fact, when you become a Christian … you see the evil all so much clearer. The shroud is removed from your ‘normal’ eyes and now you see the world with His eyes. Because you now can see with His eyes, you need to allow yourself to see the hearts of people with his eyes as well.
The testing of your faith is a daily activity that will fortify your godly stronghold of love, joy, peace, and faith. With the consistent test of your faith, your fortress of and for God grows. Even when you are at your lowest, He is bringing you through. Even when you do not feel like He cares or is watching, He is there.
When we are teaching our kids to ride a bike, we run along side for awhile but then we let go. We do this so that they will learn balance. They will fall. They will get scraped knees and elbows. They will get jarred around. However, they will learn to ride the bike on their own. Each new trial is us learning how to ride a bike. God runs beside us, but then he lets go so we can learn to balance. When we fall, he is right there to pick us up, clean our wounds, hug away our pain, and then set us back on the bike to try again.
Do not give up. He is with you. This trial is just a new bike with new toys and gadgets that you must master. You got this.
Be blessed today my friends.
***Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed . –1 Peter 4:12-13
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