For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4:17
Our church has been reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. I can remember reading this book early in my Christian walk and not fully understanding or grasping everything he was saying. As I read through it a second time, I’m blown away at the times God speaks to me.
Today, I read the chapter “Transformed by Trouble”. This chapter really hit home with me. I feel like when live in a culture today where we measure other people’s godliness by how much stuff they have equating that to God’s blessings. But that is such a distorted view of God’s Word.
Joni Eareckson Tada said, “When life is rosy, we may slide by with knowing about Jesus, with imitating him and quoting him and speaking of him. But only in suffering will we know Jesus.” If everything is always good, why would we need a Savior? It in the pain and suffering that grow.
Rick Warren uses an example of a jeweler to illustrate how His use’s circumstances to hammer away at our impurities. Now, I’ve never been hit with a hammer, but it can’t feel too great. The Bible uses the term “refiner’s fire” to show how God makes us like Him. This is another example of how pain forms and molds us.
We can’t rely on prosperity gospel in our Christian walk. When we think of the people in the Bible who were highly favored, they were nobody in the world’s eyes. There’s even a prostitute in the lineage of Jesus! God will use our past, our sins, our hurts, and our regrets to transform us if we will let Him.
James 1:2-3 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” So, today I’m going to look at my circumstances differently. I’m going to trust God’s plan and purpose for my life. I know He is working all things out.
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