A few months ago I wrote a post I called For when it is hard remember this. This was about the time I truly began to understand letting God have his way in our lives whatever way He chooses, for all His plans are good. It is so amazing how interested God is in our character development. There is always room for improvement in us in each and every area so He doesn't stop with the lessons. As you pass one test, the levels get upgraded and He reveals more that you need to learn in whatever area He sees lacking in you.
Unfortunately a lot of us sometimes misunderstand or misinterpret some fundamentals of what coming to Christ is all about. I see, hear, notice people expecting life to become 'easy', them getting what they want because they have prayed for it, a trouble free problem free life, that they have done what God wanted now He should do what they want or ask for.... but is this what God promises when one comes to Him? A trouble free problem free life? On the contratry! And the bible is loaded with examples of people having to go through crazy unimaginable things because they chose Him.
Matthew 5:45 says He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
I learn from this that it is even or uneven playing ground depending on how you look at it to both the believer and non believer. Both can experience immense wealth or poverty, great working conditions or otherwise, tragic conditions, sickness or health, loss of loved ones... But why would He have it this way you might wonder? Shouldn't good be repayed with good and bad with bad on the spot. He tells us that His ways and this thoughts are not yours and mine, they are higher ways and higher thoughts. (Isaiah 55 :8-9).
He makes accessible and known to us some of His higher thinking. And where suffering ( in whatever form you consider it or however you may describe it) as a believer in life is concerned, these are a few of my thoughts from the lessons I've been learning on this matter....
1. It is to help us grow! It is to build our character! And I am reminded in an older post I shared that " We truly don't grow and become better when things are easy. There is no challenge when it's easy, hence no room for growth. I am learning that pain is not a trial, it is an initiation, it is not meant to be a battle, it is supposed to define us. It moulds us, it betters us. Do not pray for an easy life, do not ask God to make the hardships go away, pray instead that He gives you strength and wisdom and guides and walks with you through it all. What you are going through may not feel good to you, but it is good for you."
2. To be able to go through the same things those who don't know Jesus are going through but have a different way of handling it all, that reflects Christ and brings God glory! Your life begins to reflect that your identity is in Christ, not in what you have or what you don't have. Everything about how you handle everything is simply different. Because you have the distinguishing factor - the J factor *wink wink*... and are you using it? You have Jesus!! Your hope ought not to be in the things of this world. You are set apart! Are you reflecting the hope you say you have to others? Is your life truly living out that Christ is enough for you? Do others look at you and wonder how you have abcd but they are simply resources sent your way to use for God's work OR how you don't have abcd but you are alive and thriving even better than those who have 'lifes essentials' ?
3. Christ is concerned about our eternity. Our life on earth is the foundation and the tempo setter of our forever life and all we are going through is all reflecting and being credited into our eternal accounts. We are foreigners, strangers, aliens, pilgrims here on this earth ( 1 Peter 2:11, Hebrews 11:8-10 ). We need to keep reminding ourselves that we ought to be living our daily lives in light of eternity, in light of a billion years from now, in light of 100 years from now. Eternity and heaven are so very much real.
Matthew 6:19-20 remind us which account we ought to be crediting “ Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
There is so much more to share on this but I'll close with this today.
Faith that perseveres through suffering is the kind of faith that reveals Jesus to a broken world.
God is calling us to a place where we begin to understand that He is not interested in deleting the struggle, but rather to empower our endurance.
He wants to develop our character. He wants our faith to grow and not be shaken no matter the circumstance. He wants our faith to be in Him and not in man or stature or property or family or anything else that is not Him.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He has given us an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you. Though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:3-9)
Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:3)
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:16-17)
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
I really love the Romans 5: 3-5 reminder... It tells us to also rejoice when you run into problems and trials ( in the same way we rejoice when things are good) for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. Also because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope !
It is my prayer that we may go to and sit before God with whatever part of us that is still struggling to understand this and ask Him to have His way with us and open our eyes to see life through His eyes.
Help us Jesus.
Love Ree.
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Ps: If you are ever in Nairobi and are looking for a church family to visit with, during your short or long stay. My church Eagle's Faith Christian Centre ( EFCC) would be privileged to host you! OR if you live in Nairobi and are looking for a church family or if you simply want to visit and send our love back to your home church family, get in touch with me for directions, or Get Directions Here !
