When Life Isn't Fair
When we try to live our lives in our own strength, we ultimately fail. And if we don’t fail, we fall very short of God’s purposes for us. When we operate in the flesh, three things are always true: (1) we will always lack the power of the Spirit, and we’ll suffer from fatigue; (2) we will always lack the vision of the Spirit, so we’ll suffer from frustration; and (3) we will always lack the sustaining ministry of the Spirit, so we’ll suffer from failure. Do these consequences sound familiar? You will always suffer these results when you tackle life in your own strength. But when tragedy strikes—an illness, financial hardship, rebellious children—you turn to God. When you feel helpless, inadequate, and weak, the Spirit of God gives you strength. All of a sudden you realize something dynamic is going on that you have never experienced before. It’s not your power; it’s God’s power. The apostle Paul admits that if it takes weakness to get God’s power in his life, he’s better off weak than strong. Because when you are weak, then you are strong. - Dr. David Jeremiah Morning and Evening
Life isn't fair. As the movie quote goes on that subject: But that's not fair! Listen kid, are for tourists!
We often look for and strive for a peaceful life. We seek it on our terms. We look to create it based on our feelings and desires. We also are honestly very arrogant about it, claiming reasons like it's something we deserve!
The reality is finding rest is only found through the work of the Spirit. Rest isn't going to be found in anything or anywhere on Earth. Oh we can spend hundreds to thousands of dollars for a vacation but it doesn't always follow that peace and rest happened.
What Dr. Jeremiah mentioned above about something extraordinary happening when we find God's power at work in us. We can't readily explain it. We often just find ourselves on the other side of the situation looking back yet not knowing just how we got there.
In the nearly 60 days of this intense shift between Columbus to where we are now, on more than one occasion that was the case.
I believe that I saw 2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB "And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." happening before my eyes several times.
I went through one of the nastiest rains I had ever experienced. Went through much despair at times because of the separation of my Wife and I. The severe intensity of moving. What to keep, what to get rid of. Where to take it, the lack of sleep in the mix.
People spend countless hours and billions of dollars trying to find peace and happiness only to find the truth of the Bible in that all of our attempts are temporary. None of it will last.
In many posts we've read about how we are to be Disciples of Christ Jesus.
Let's call the truth of this kind of life "Christian Reality". In this reality look closely in the four Gospels. You're likely not seeing it but when you look you will find it. The lives of the 12 lived in denial of self...yet in the case of all but one...they learned the peace of God only came through denial of self. Denying the desires of this world in order to fulfill the desire of God. To seek and save the lost.
It's part of my conundrum if you will about my hobbies. I have once before given away or liquidated if you will much of my hobby stuff. It all came back and then some. Before me now I clearly see it on one side and the work of the ministry God's put in me on the other. For sure my hobbies are not to be a priority before my ministry that I have been called to do.
I ceased collecting useless things when God had me purge in this move.
Make no mistake it's been a very emotional thing. The struggles from where I used to work have been worse than I ever knew until I was no longer under them. When the reality finally hit me weeks after leaving it behind, I almost cried, the relief was that profound.
We struggle and often don't understand why. Yet if you are in Christ, get real, you more than likely know why but are really hoping it isn't that. If you were as honest with you as Jesus made His Disciples be with themselves you would acknowledge what He's doing in your life.
If you aren't learning to be more like Christ in the Church you attend, then quit dawdling, be upfront with your prayers and ask God where you should be going. If He already has answered and all you have are excuses not to go there, then aren't you disobeying God by not following through?
If you are indeed as Dr. Jeremiah said suffering from fatigue, frustration and failure, the chief reason is that's what striving after our will being done gets you. When it's His Will being done on Earth as it is in Heaven we see that peace of God that passes all understanding that the Bible speaks to.
The Christian life isn't complicated. Jesus said His load is easy and His burden light. He said to come to Him all who are weak and weary and you will find rest. Within this observation of the Disciples in the four Gospels we see denial of self, taking up their own cross and following Jesus.
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