Stuff happens!

Well I feel like I really going through it at the moment. But something I try and do is see these trials as a means to learn and develop my character in line with scripture. That doesn't me I develop my character but that I trust what the Bible says that trials are a means for God to develop a Godly character in us. We just have to keep on trusting Him and if we simply cling onto Him in the midst of the trials He will, through His grace, develop character in us.

There is a lot of talk about breakthrough, blessings and rewards. It is easy to flick the switch and not expect rewards in this lifetime because Jesus once said that we should store up treasure in heaven. But there are two things to say about that, 1, we are made for heaven. When we get there we will only be waiting for the millennium and the new Earth. 2, Jesus also mentioned the idea of reward in this lifetime. Again just because we are storing treasure in heaven doesn't tell us about when it will be released for us. In the same way a bank may say, "Don't stick your money under the mattress where there is no interest, stick it in a bank account!" Does that mean you can't have your money? Of course not.

This is something I have noticed that people do. I probably do it too, I haven't noticed a specific example yet. We do something that someone tells us, but when they tell us to do something different we don't. A recent example I saw was I had a team meeting with the family before a meeting with someone to make sure we were all on the same page. I explained what I wanted our approach to be. They all agreed. During the meeting with the other person I realised I had made the wrong assumption so decided to change strategy, thinking my wife would come with me, but she stuck to her guns on the preprogrammed course! It wasn't that critical, but she found it hard to understand that if I had preprogrammed her as to what we would say that the same person who had given the original instruction was now giving a different instruction.

That is just an example of how we stick rigidly to an original thought and don't like change. Jesus is constantly changing us. We are living sacrifices, that means that we are continually being put to death. Our assumptions are usually arrived at by our world view before we are changed. So, after we are changed we should have a new perspective. But there are a lot of Christians in the world who hold onto their worldview. Does that mean they haven't been changed?

Anyway, I am digressing. The past couple of days God has rescued my attitude with some wonderful reminders. One day I heard the words, "It may not be being done to you but for you." The next day was, "It isn't your fault, it's for your good."

James 1:2-4 says, "2Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Romans 5:3-5 says, "we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Jesus said, in Matthew 5:11-12, "11"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Sometimes it is those who are closest to us who the devil uses to persecute us. Sometimes they are restored and sometimes they aren't. Jesus had Judas, Samson had Delilah, Isaac had Rebekah. By persecute I mean the broader sense of working against us. David had Michel. In fact David had lots of people, his brothers, Saul and his own son. Joseph had his brothers.

So, we have our instruction, "Count it all joy!" "Exult in it!" and "Be blessed!" I was listening to something last night about depression. It said that our conscious mind, which in general terms he referred to as containing logic and emotions, drives the subconscious. We are told to make decisions by our will. Not by logic or by emotions. And he was saying the same thing. We have the power to choose and the conscious mind will lead the subconscious. Therefore if we choose to be depressed and negative then the subconscious will look at our decision and obey it, and cause all the necessary reactions in us. Whereas, if we choose joy, then the subconscious will obey that and cause all the necessary reactions.

1 Corinthians 10:13, says, "13No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it"

That is possibly the hardest passage to comprehend at times. If God thinks we are not tempted beyond what we are able, He has a far bigger belief in me than I do! I would almost say that God really doesn't know me if He thinks I am not tested beyond what I am able! But the word says we are not. So, therefore we aren't! We give in far sooner than we give ourselves credit for. The people in this world think that this life is about living a happy life until we die. God tells us that it is about endurance, trials, perseverance, hardships and having our eyes beyond this world and on the heavenly perspective. We are to praise God and give Him thanks in all situations. We are to make good righteous decisions when everyone around us is making wrong decisions. Jesus made the decision to go to the cross, even though it wasn't logical for Him, it wasn't what He "felt" like doing. It was a matter of the will. I have to choose the good path. God has not bought me this far to perish.