Our God . . . will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods. DANIEL 3:17–18
I don’t care how strong a Christian you are; peer pressure today is so intense that you cannot cope with it apart from the Lord. If you don’t depend on God with all of your heart, if you don’t ask God to give you the strength you need to stand up and be counted, and if you don’t realize that He is your ally and goes with you every day, you cannot possibly make it through these years without the risk of ruining your life. Three young men from the book of Daniel (chapter 3)—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego—are models for depending upon God when the heat is on. When everyone in Babylon was bowing down to the king’s idol (including, apparently, the rest of the Jewish captives), these three refused. One way to get noticed in a crowd is to remain standing when everyone else is bowing on their knees! Their dependence was on God alone, and He delivered them. Every person who walks with God must be prepared to depend on Him when the pressure comes to conform.
We are hard-pressed on every side. 2 CORINTHIANS 4:8
I don’t know why this is happening,” Jill cried. “Just a month ago I turned my life over to Christ. Now my car has died, my child has mononucleosis, and my promotion at work fell through.” While it seems logical that God would shield us from all pain, that isn’t the way He worked in the Bible. Study the great biblical heroes—Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Peter, Paul—and trace their trials and tribulations. Despite what certain false teachers say, the Christian life is not unbridled health and wealth. Jesus put it bluntly when He said, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). In other words, we shouldn’t be surprised when, in seeking to do God’s will, we find ourselves in painful, frightening, difficult, or impossible situations. God hasn’t promised us exemption from the trial but grace in the trial. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us, and to work all things together for our good. Peter said, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial . . . as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice . . . be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:12–13). The Lord will see you through. - Both parts are Dr. David Jeremiah Morning and Evening
Oh when God makes a hard left turn and it's unexpectedly, it's a hard left.
I am living this out in my life right now. I have been known as a problem solver. Computer problems, electrical problems, building problems and sometimes Spiritual problems. To some degree in any of those, and other problems, I have some form of data to begin with in looking for a solution.
What's going on in life right now is coming from a blank slate. No data to work with. Nothing. No man's land would have more going for it.
I won't go into details, it's mainly between God and I. He's decided change is necessary and I am being forced to learn something from scratch.
You too aren't always going to know nor understand why you are going through what you do either. Odds are it could be filled with pain or extreme discomfort. The unknown can scare the life out of you. Fear of the unknown can be paralyzing. I used to have a repetitive dream of driving on a road going over a hill. I never could see exactly where I was going, all I could see was that I was on the road. I had to move forward in the dream not knowing what was coming.
When we come to Christ there's always an opportunity for us to live through a Job type of experience. Job never knew nor understood why he went through what he did. Not until after he died. Honestly that in and of itself was something all of us needs to see and understand. We are going to face things in life we just will not understand in this life.
Job faced the worst parts of himself. Job also prayed, was heard, and the Lord responded. Yet it didn't change the facts of his condition until God's will was accomplished.
I will be the first to say that any wisdom that comes out of me isn't me. Regardless of if it's Spiritual or in fixing something in this world. Oftentimes I am baffled that some people will trust me with Spiritual questions and rarely trust me in the physical world's problems. Or they will in the physical world's problems but not in the Spiritual.
The only wisdom that I ever want people to see in me is that which comes from Jesus.
If my struggles and problems help even one person to come to Christ then it's obvious as to why I endured it.
My reality is irrelevant in light of what Jesus needs to do to make me more like Him.
This world is full of people with problems. Amazon and the health care system are not the answer to any of it. Nobody in this world has your back nor knows why you are going through what you are like Jesus. The Author and Perfecter of our Faith.
Jesus said that in this world we would have tribulations but to be of good cheer He has overcome the world.
Sooner or later my mind will have enough information to break the cycle of not understanding at least part of what's going on. But I have to do two things. Press on, and trust God. In time I will learn how to make it through things. But, like Nebuchadnezzar's dream in the book of Daniel, I might only begin to get it as He lifts the veil covering that understanding.
So if you are in a situation today where you are not understanding why you are going through what you are, you are in good company. Keep in prayer, be honest with yourself and God. Let Him know what you are feeling. You may be angry, afraid, fearful, alone, depressed, or any of a host of other emotions. It may not change your circumstances but it will change you. Jacob wasn't looking forward to a confrontation with his brother whom he wronged. Prayer changed everything. It changed Esau and it changed Jacob.
What God is doing in me and through me is between He and I. The same goes for any of you. Each of us in Christ are His workmanship. God deals with each according to His plan and purpose. We don't read of the bulk of the personal conversations between Moses and the Lord. Only those conversations that would help others for centuries to come. Moses became who he was from his lessons learned with Jesus. You and I will too.
2 Corinthians 3-7
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