S: "You therefore must endure hardships as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." 2 Tim. 2:3
O: The Bible doesn't say that if you become a Christian you will be healthy, wealthy, and wise.
A: Some days I just want life to be easy. I'm surprised by challenges and left discouraged when things don't go as I planned. God never said life would be easy when you follow Him, in fact it says the opposite. Yet, God can use hardship to mold us to be more like Him. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
In Genesis God used enslavement by brothers (Gen. 37:12-36), lies of a hateful and covetous woman (Gen. 39), and false imprisonment (Gen. 39 and 40) to prepare Joseph for being second in command of all Egypt (Gen. 41). In this position God was able to save Jacob and his family, more than sixty-six people, from starvation do to a seven year drought (Gen. 46:26). Joseph's brothers feared him since they had been so evil.
Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Gen. 50:19-21
P: Lord, help me to glorify you despite the hardships in life.
2 comments:
Hindsight is always 20/20. It is so hard to think while in the midst of trials that anything good can come out of it. How how frail we are to lose our focus on God who holds us in the crease of His hand. That's why I love Max Lucado's books about the Punchinello & The Wemmicks.
It is the trials of life that show us how much we really do need God, at least that is what I have learned. When things are easy we tend to rely more on ourselves, but through sadness and grief we learn to lean on Him. As Paul? tells us that's when "character" is built. Doing the right thing even when nobody is looking, because we have a heavenly Father who is always there
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