But that’s not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us! Romans 5:3-5 TPT
We’ve all been there, a place where we are feeling overwhelmed and well, hopeless. And our first prayer is, Lord, do something, get me out of this, or change this circumstance or person! Please tell me I’m not the only one who’s prayed like that. We react to the pain, loss, lack, etc by trying to pray whatever it is away. We never think that perhaps God sees this place we’re in altogether different than we do. We just want the lack, discomfort and pain to stop, as quickly as possible. After all isn’t that what God is supposed to do for Believers?
Although this is a common belief, the Bible is full of accounts that tell us different. There’s Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, the entire nation of Israel, David, the disciples, Paul and Jospeh just to name a few. They all went “through” things, hurtful, uncomfortable, faith testing, things and sometimes for decades! God wasn’t punishing them, He was perfecting them. Now you may say well, He did punish Israel and they deserved it. True but the Hebrew word for punishment means to scourge, actual physical beating. The word most often used in the Scriptures is mussar, which means to instruct, correct, reprove, reform, repent, change direction or behavior. Although sometimes God’s mussar caused painful situations and led the person to a place they didn’t want to be in; God actually was taking out of them very mindsets, destructive behaviors and actions, so they could live the blessed life God wanted for them.
God hasn’t changed, He still wants what is best for His children, the abundant life Jesus His Son came and died to provide for us. So once again, God gives us a choice, we can embrace the circumstance we’re in and work with God to do a mighty work in us, or we can fight it and rebel to stay in a place that ultimately will destroy us. This happened to me today. I had an issue with my exhaust, so I took it to the dealership, and they said what it was and a “part” would need to be replaced. Later in the day, they called, normally they would just replace the damaged part, but on my car they couldn’t. They would have to replace the entire section, which included the catalytic converter. As soon as they said that I left out a heavy sigh. I knew what that meant and I was right to the tune of $1437.00 repair. Then to top it off, it will take over a week to get the parts.
To say I wasn’t prepared was an understatement. But although a bit startled, I remembered what I shared with you. God wasn’t mad at me, he wasn’t punishing me for something, He wasn’t answering my prayer for a quick, cheap fix. NO, none of that. So I began to praise myself away from the path the enemy wanted to take me down. As I praised the Lord, I heard Him speak through my spirit, my prayer to keep it a quick, cheap fix was too small, I needed to pray for His provision to meet the need instead! How awesome is this! He’s helping me grow in my trust and faith in Him, because I’m going to need it in the days ahead to where He’s leading me. The peace and clam only He can give came over me. He led me to hear a sermon by Samuel Rodriquez, who by the way is a Bethlehem native that encouraged and lit a fire in me!
People, God loves us so much, even when it looks like He’s forgotten us and He doesn’t. Work with Him through Holy Spirit to walk you through the trial and come out better in every way than when you went in. How long will that take? I don’t know, notice, I’m still walking through it. But this I do know, His timing is always perfect, and even when it looks like He’s four days late like He did with Lazarus, He’s still right on time!
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