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Monday Musing

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2_Cor_4_18

Living Above Your Circumstances

I was thinking about how to live above my circumstances. I know about Paul having learned how to be content in whatever circumstances he found himself in (Philippians 4:11). I am not there yet. I have 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” on my wall, I see it every day. I am there sometimes. How can I give thanks for all my afflictions when they are causing me pain, fatigue and weariness?

I asked the Lord that question and this verse came to me: 2 Corinthians 4:18 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal”. Ok Lord I got it, keep my eyes on You! Peter walked on water towards Jesus. When he started noticing the wind, he got fearful (circumstances) and he started going down (Matthew 14:28-30). How many times have I done exactly that very thing and gotten discouraged? Too many times to count!

So, how do you live above your circumstances?

First, thank the Lord for what He has allowed. In doing this you are acknowledging His Sovereign control.

Everything that you go through is a growth opportunity. It is up to you what you do with it. It is easy to choose to be bitter and resent your trial or you can choose to embrace your chance to grow. Ask the Lord what He desires that you learn. Remember what Lamentations 3:32-33 says “Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.” The Lord will show you what He wants you to work on. Trust He has your good in His plan because He does (Romans 8:28)! Grow in your understanding that the Lord loves you too much to leave you a baby in your faith. Grow in trusting Him, He won’t leave you alone to face your difficult circumstances. I can testify to all these things. Finally, keep your eyes, heart and mind on what is unseen…Jesus.

God’s Story… For My Life -The Joy of Trials

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Gods story

The Joy of Trials

Read James 1:2-18

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them.
(James 1:2-9)

Reflect

The book of James was one of the earliest letters, probably written before a.d. 50. After Stephen was martyred (Acts 7:55–8:3), persecution increased, and Christians in Jerusalem were scattered throughout the Roman world. There were thriving Jewish-Christian communities in Rome, Alexandria, Cyprus, and cities in Greece and Asia Minor. Because these early believers did not have the support of established Christian churches, James wrote to them as a concerned leader, to encourage them in their faith during those difficult times.

James doesn’t say if you face trials, but whenever you face them. He assumes that we will have trials and that it is possible to profit from them. The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face pain, but to have a positive outlook (“consider it an opportunity for great joy” James 1:2) because of what trials can produce in our lives. James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning.

Tough times can teach us perseverance. We can’t really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It is easy to be kind to others when everything is going well, but can we still be kind when others treat us unfairly? God wants to make us mature and complete, not to keep us from all pain.

Respond

Thank God for promising to be with you in rough times. See them as opportunities for growth. Ask God to help you solve your problems or to give you the strength to endure them. Then be patient. God will not leave you alone with your problems; he will stay close and help you grow.