To get started, let's jump right into the Word and establish a few things
Reading from the NIV
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Its joyful when you know the outcome. Like a baseball game that you've taped to watch over and over.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trail, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him.
We trust him because we love him and he loves us. We can stay focused on the prize.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide the way out so that you can stand up under it.
He doesn't always remove it. Sometimes, but not always. Like Paul's thorne, sometimes he gives grace to bear it [or to stand under it]. So that one day the glory can be his in a way we never would have imagined.
God can and will come up with creative solutions the things that achieve His End and meet our needs to. His methods are far, far better than anything we can come up with and always a better fit.
So let's break this down a little. The word trial and the word temptation can often be used interchangeably. For our purposes though let's think of trails as the event or situation and the temptation to be the our response to life's trials.
What kind of trails does God allow into our lives and why…. Well the variations are endless, right… But often they can be broken down to one of these.
Trial of Discipline – To nudge us back to paths of rightousness
Trial of Consequences for Sin – The sin is forgiven when we confess it (1 John 1:9), but sometimes there's a price to be paid after the fact Ouch!
Trial of Display – To enable us to show (or display) something to him through our trauma. Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son as a burnt offering would be a good example of this.
Trial of Broken Expectations – We just don't get what we expected.
What are some of the feelings or temptations that we face when we're in the mist of a Trail?
Shout one out if something has come to mind…
Despair &nb sp; Anger &nb sp; &nb sp; becoming manipulative
Hopelessness &nb sp; Guilt (Regret)
Bitterness, &nb sp; questioning your faith
Simply put, responding in a manner that God would not approve of.
Let's pull one out of this list and kick it around a little
Regret, Guilt
How does the Spirit-filled Believer in Jesus Christ deal with Guilt and Regret… What's our appropriate response?
Establish the truth
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (Paraphrased)
I am not worthy to be called an apostle… But by the grace of God I am what I am.
Why was he not worthy…
The fact is none of us are worthy. What are we… UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
Or in most cases Re-Construction
I want to read something from Our Daily Bread - Read 'Handling Regret' form ODB Day 14
It's only through Christ Blood on the cross that we worthy anyway even without the temptation of the things that we mentioned.
Preparation and Response
Ok, Now we prepare for nearly everything in life. School, Work, Careers, Sports and yes of course we mange the risk of injury (physical or otherwise) by applying protection.
Take, riding a motorcycle for an example. 100's sometimes 1000's of dollars are spent after you buy a bike to protect you in the event of a fall.
Helmet, Boots, Gloves, Over Pants, Jacket, Rain Gear. Reflective Gadgets, the list goes on and on.
How do we prepare for the inevitable trails and temptations that we will face?
We need to understanding a few things.
We live in a broken place and we're a broken race. Don't be so surprised.
If our purpose in life is to be comfortable, well liked, happy, and accumulating enough money to buy the things we want, then we will never find hope in trouble. These are not God's driving agendas for our existence.
Character is more important to God, then cash, convenience, or comfort. Our competency is of greater value to him than simply going through life blissfully, yet unprepared and functionally unable to make a contribuation to people's lives and to the cause of eternity.
Timining, Depth, Complexity and Duration of trouble are for the most part beyond our control. What we control is our response.
Everything that comes into our lives comes by the sovereign permission of God. He must authorize it… Just like he did with Job.
That's been a hard one for me. BUT I did prepare alittle…
To illustrate that.. 2 quick stories.
Move from 245 to
223 Foster Ave.
Navigators 2:7 Series
What defines Us?
Know and choose what defines you… I was choosing even than as a young believer 14 or 15 to thank God for trials that were bound to come into my life.
Should a Career define you?
A Car, A House, A Lifesyle, A job, A Talent or Skill, A Spouse? (Yikes)
Involvement in Sports (especially at 40, ouch)
[Side-Bar: A buddy of mine at work told me this.. You know you're getting old when you hurt yourself in bed.. Alone. ] I've done that, really
Anyway… I digress….
What defines us? Christ, himself defines us… He validates us.
We can respond correctly to life trials BIG and small because of who we are in him.
Romans 8:37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Ephesians 2:19
You are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints.
That's how we control our response.
Slow to Anger, Shed Bitterness, & Forgive
James 4:2 says
You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
James 4:3
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (Check your motives)
Now Leave It Alone….
Now, don't be mess'in with what God is doing… Know that he will always keep you safe and sane as you respond properly to Him and to the trial. Sometimes there's very little evidence of the work of His power. Yet His power is busy at work in many dimensions.
Even when there's no light at the end of the tunnel, when your in the deepening darkness and your heart is broken, these promises are true and will provide your source of stability.
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[j] who[k] have been called according to his purpose.
Focus on Who, not What… (Who=God, What=The Circumstances)
So let's review for a moment.
Trails will come, in a broken world it's inevitable. It's our response that's key
How do we do that? Remember who you are… A Child of the King. Know what defines you.
Check your Heart Bring it to God in Prayer. Seek the counsel of Brothers and Sisters in Christ and leave it alone.
Look for the good (God's Peace, Grace, Forgiveness) and ask him to help you to remain content.
And finally… Focus on Who, not What… (Who=God, What=The Circumstances)
That brings me to the Pineapple Upside Down Cake…
Life will invariably bring us trails, temptations and traumas. Bumps and bruises and bellyaches. And it may seem like our whole world has been turned upside down.
But when we focus on WHO, and not the WHAT, and know that he is in control even when its not clearly evident. God's sweetness will always be there. It may look alittle different then when we first set out.. But its always there…
Sources for this Blog are:
The Upside Of Down, Finding HOPE When It Hurts, By Joseph M. Stowell
Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries - 60 Day Introductory
Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries - December 2007 Saturday December 1st
Dealing with Difficult Trials - DelveIntoJesus.com 2007
Your comments are always welcome !
