Tag Archive | Isaiah 55:8

Who Is It About, Jesus or Me?

Sep11

I don’t think I like that question. After all, I am a Christian and Christ is the center of my life. Right? 

But way too often the reality is we crowd Jesus out. How?

Well, let’s just think on that for a moment. We get into an argument with someone but the driving force becomes more about being understood, rather than trying to understand. 

We are charged, as a Christian, to read our Bibles daily and spend time with God in prayer. However, it becomes too inconvenient to make time for such things. 

Perhaps the most telling that we are making it all about me is when trials come our way. How often when trials present themselves do we turn inward and ask God, “What is lacking in my life that this trial will supply? Do we even know what God’s thoughts might be in relation to our trials?

Yes, we know about the struggle between our flesh and our spirit. But without the lessons learned through trials and/or becoming familiar with the directives supplied in Scripture, we simply don’t possess the awareness needed to discern who’s thoughts we are entertaining.

Therefore, as thoughts are formed in our minds they must be filtered through God’s word. It’s revealing to ask ourselves this question, “Do the thoughts I’m considering reflect my thoughts or God’s thoughts?” If there is little knowledge of God’s thoughts on the situation, then we will default to the flesh. We will make it all about me!

Moving forward though trials persist

Apr13

   

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Trials and Temptations

     2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

    Once we grasp the truth that God has a plan for our lives, (and that hopefully happens early on) we begin to move forward in that plan. As we exercise our faith muscles, our faith increases in strength. The more mature our faith grows, the wiser we become.  The expectation is that we would move forward consistently as our faith develops. 

     Our new nature, given to us at our spiritual birth, desires to please God. Yet, we will always struggle with our old nature always wanting its way.  Trials come and trials go, but with every one our character is improved upon. 

     But what about those trials that refuse to ‘go away’? They perhaps contain the strongest of life lessons.  You know, those every day trials that prevent us from living life victoriously. 

     Trials of this nature usually involve learning how to get along with others.  Nothing we say or do brings improvement in them or the relationship. Instead of growing wiser and resolving the situation, despair sets in. Satan manipulates and deceives our flesh, our old nature. Lying to us about what is wrong and setting our focus on ourselves. 

     We are primed to become distracted by human reasoning and false assumptions. Without realizing it, we have become influenced by Satan to do his will.   We get mired down in these kinds of trials with every lie cast upon us by the enemy. We take on the attitude that nothing is going to change and spiritual growth and/or pleasing God fades into the mist. Blindness rules on both sides of the equation.

     Perhaps accepting things the way they are in these situations may be the best way to move forward through them. By moving on we leave it up to God to make changes in His timing and will. Forgiving and accepting permits us to throw off the shackles of judgement and condemnation. The liberty to breathe free is ours to claim by the power of God’s word. This sort of example, is a lifeline for those  searching for comfort in their own stubborn trials .

     So, when trials persist without bringing the desired solution, there is still a way to move forward. Moving forward is possible but it takes a mindset that requires a high level of trust in God. A trust that even though the desired solution has not been realized, our confidence that God is in control and is working out His plan remains steadfast.

 Remember: God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts are higher than ours.

He ALWAYS knows what is best.