“And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide Himself any more, but your eyes will constantly behold your Teacher.
And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:20-21 (Amplified Bible)
I have gotten back into going to the Y to work out everyday after a summer of being a couch potato. It is downright embarrassing how much stamina I have lost and flab I have gained over the months of not being in the gym working out these muscles. What used to be relatively easy for me now seems unbelievably hard. And it doesn’t help that there are floor-to-ceiling mirrors on the length of the wall in each workout area. I try my best to avoid looking at my reflection in those unforgiving panels of glass. I came home today wondering out loud why it is so hard to stay fit. I have found that what used to work just five years ago doesn’t do the job anymore. Oh, the joy of being forty!
One of my dearest friends and I were discussing our weeks yesterday. We had both had pretty lousy weeks–the kind in which the fight to hold on to the ground we have gained is just that–a fight. One of the tactics that the enemy pulls on me over and over again is to tell me that this life with Jesus should be easy. I can get so discouraged so easily. I am typical of my generation–I want instant gratification and a quick fix. If I have to wait for something longer than my patience for it, I can quickly lose sight of the goal. I have decided that my spiritual stamina is a lot like my physical stamina. If I do not work out, I will not gain strength and endurance physically. The same applies to my spiritual endurance.
Yes, through Christ I am an overcomer, but He expects me to fight the battle. He doesn’t just give me the victory. He wants me to see what I am made of. He also wants me to see what He is made of. I would be a terrible parent if I always fought my children’s battles for them. They would never mature. And frankly, they would be the biggest brats on earth. I can so easily forget that I don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but against forces that are unseen. Jesus never said that my life would be easy here on earth. In fact, this is what He said:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)
Then [Jesus] said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23 (NIV)
Trouble and denial of myself are two things I run from. But to live this life for Christ well, I must expect both to be part of my experience with my God. I will never be happy doing this life my way without Him.
So what is our trouble today? What has us in the dumps? Could we ask God for His eyes? Perhaps He is growing us up, getting ready to give us new blessings from new levels of responsibility. Or maybe that sinful habit just will not go any other way than through the furnace of trouble. Do we trust Him even when have a lousy week, full of discouragement, that He is always at work on our behalf? Can we actually say thank you for this rough spot He has us going through because we know that He is our Daddy who knows what is best for us?
Jesus, forgive me for my attitude this week. Forgive me for not trusting You. Give me eyes to see that You are as present with me in the good as in the bad of life. And give me the eyes to see that You use both to make me more like You. Help me to run this race with perseverance.
Shawn,
You hit the nail on the head. Last week I kept saying something big is going to happen. Something is coming. I don’t know if its a spiritual break through for myself or if it is something even bigger but I knew something was about to happen. I felt wonderful and had that sence of urgency for a few days and then BAM it was gone. Nothing was going right everything was changing and not for the best. Money wasn’t where we needed it to be and all of a sudden we had over $1500 in unexpected bills that are not budgeted for just show up. Where do these stupid things come from? But anyways. We had revival at church this past weekend and I am still in shock. We saw a woman dying from breastcancer actually DIE in her husbands arms while sitting in the pew and through prayer and petition she came back to us. She shocked the ambulance people and the police. They now think we are all luniticks that just stand around praying and waving our arms and singing and what not. BUT I know one day when they need God they will remember the church where the little old lady WALKED out the door once they said she was dead. We also sowed a seed in faith and continue to pray over that seed every single night together as husband and wife and we have watched as the Lord is bringing us different avenues of income. (I am now caring for 5 kids under the age of 4 BUT it is extra). The Lord never ceases to amaze me. He is so wonderful and even though we don’t deserve anything He still gives it. You can’t out give God!
There is so much more that is required of me and I am so thankful the He is so faithful to me and waits.
I hope you are having a great day. Child number 3 and 4 are fighting over toys so I gotta go 🙂
Love Megan
Megan, I don’t know you, but I had to smile when you said that you felt like something was going to happen, and then what did happen wasn’t exactly fun. It was hard (the financial “hit”.)
But I think that’s exactly what Shawn is saying. We’re like the toddler who’s learning how to walk who keeps trying to stand up under the table only to keep banging his head on it, not realizing he has to come out from under the table in order to truly stand.
I’m under that table right now, wondering why my head hurts so much!
Thanks Shawn and Megan for reminding me that growth isn’t always nice or fun. Sometimes it just hurts!
-karen l.