Tag: trials

scripture

Fruitful in Affliction

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“And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

Genesis 41:52 (KJV)

The story of Joseph is one of favorite Bible stories. Who can’t relate to someone throwing you in a pit? We can do that to ourselves by the poor choices we make. But when someone else throws you in a pit… I mean come on, how unfair is that? Which makes me want to be more aware of how I treat others.

If you aren’t familiar with Joseph’s story it can be found in Genesis 37- 47. Here is a quick synopsis. Joseph had eleven brothers who were jealous of him because his father Jacob, loved him best. Jacob had made Joseph a bright coat of many colors that didn’t sit well with his brothers and to make matters worse, Joseph had a dream that he would rule over his family one day. (Joseph was only seventeen at the time.) This angered his brothers even more.
So the brothers decided strip Joseph of his coat and throw him in a pit and kill him. But his brother Judah convinced his brothers to sell him to slavery. They killed a goat, dipped it in the goat’s blood and went to their father and lied saying that Joseph was killed by a wild beast.

Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. Potiphar’s wife was trying to get Joseph to sleep with her, Joseph refused to sleep with the Potiphar’s wife, Potiphar’s wife accused Joseph of rape. When he escaped Potiphar’s wife held on to his coat to “prove” he was with her. And once again, Joseph was thrown into prison. But the Lord was with Joseph. While in prison the prison keeper found favor in Joseph and put him in charge of other prisoners.

You really have to read this for yourself. Eventually Joseph was second to the Pharaoh. Joseph knew a famine was coming and began to store grain for the famine that would last seven years. Joseph’s family would need to go to Joseph for food, but when they see Joesph they don’t recognize him, BUT Joseph recognizes his brothers.

The point here is despite being thrown in multiple pits, the Lord was with Joseph and made him fruitful in his afflictions. There are a few things I have learned about Joseph. One, if you have something to share that God has given you, such as a vision like Joseph, be careful who you tell it to. Joseph was young and his father’s favorite. He probably may or may have not picked up on his brothers’ dislike for him. So being immature telling his dream about him ruling over them wasn’t going to be well received. A mature person would have been sensitive to this.

Another thing I have learned; there is going to be a time here on earth when God’s Word is going to be scarce, whether or not we will see this happen I don’t know. “Give us this day our daily bread …” Matthew 6:5-15. Just as Joseph stored up food for a famine perhaps the “food” could be applied today as God’s Word. Matthew 6:19 – 21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Perhaps we need to store spiritual food in our hearts and minds for days of “famine.” Treasures in this case being the Word of God. Having scripture tuck away in your heart can help you in any situation, not just a famine of God’s Word. It could be a time when you are thrown into a pit or going through a hardship.

The third thing I have learned is that since God asks us to come to Him with prayers and petitions, Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Why can’t we ask God to allow us to be fruitful in our affliction? We may not be rulers over people like Joseph but we can be fruitful in ways that we may never have imagined. Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Romans 12:12 says – “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

This could give us a new perspective on our afflictions or trials, to allow God to grow us, to use us to help someone else, to use us for His glory. The Kedge Anchor offers Memorize Monday to help with memorizing scripture with coloring pages. Perhaps there is another method or an app to help with scripture memorization share it here in the comments.

Stress

Got Stress?

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Recently I have been reading in 2 Corinthians from The Modern Life Study Bible. In 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 Paul talks about dealing with stress. There is a little commentary in the margin that I had to reread a few times. Let me just preface this by saying I am not disagreeing with the following, there were just some things that made me go hmmmm.

“Tension, conflict, weariness and suffering are common place in our world but some hold out that God will bring life struggles to an end. They assume that a relationship of Christ ushers us into peace, even prosperity… as long as we live on this earth we will experience the unbreakable connection between trouble and hope. It may not be pleasant but it brings lasting benefits… James challenges us to find joy in our various trials because they produce patients which in the end makes us mature (James 1:2-4).  As long as we attempted to obey Christ we can count on having to deal with stress but whatever strain we feel today reaps riches to enjoy for eternity.”

The Modern Life Study Bible, Thomas Nelson 2014

I agree with some of this, “Tension, conflict, weariness and suffering are common place in our world but some hold out that God will bring life struggles to an end.” Hmmm, well shouldn’t we hope that God will one day end all the strife in the world? Perhaps I am not reading that correctly. Maybe not this side of heaven but God will end all suffering when Jesus returns. I am looking forward to that day. Shouldn’t we hope that God will end our whatever current crisis we are enduring? Shouldn’t we hope that God will put an end to the chaos and craziness in our world? 

I also agree with, “They assume that a relationship of Christ ushers us into peace, even prosperity…” Regardless if we walk with or without God, if we are in a relationship with Him the rain, the stress falls on the just and the unjust. Being a believer, Christ follower, Child of God, a Christian doesn’t mean a life prosperity. So I’d rather have the stress with God then without Him which I believe there is a peace maybe not so much ease and prosperity but with God there is a peace, He is the Prince of Peace. John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Just because we have a relationship with God doesn’t mean we won’t encounter hardships here on earth. John 16:33 – “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Even Jesus encountered some rough times. I can think of one very rough day. 

“…the unbreakable connection between trouble and hope.”

The Modern Life Study Bible, Thomas Nelson 2014

Hmmm, not sure what is meant by that. The now and the not yet? That is a difficult place to be. But I believe there is always hope in any situation.

There are some benefits to following Christ.

Matthew 16:24,25 – If we lose our lives for His sake we will find them.

Hebrews 12:8-11 – We are God’s children and when He disciplines us that is evidence we belong to Him as His chlidren.

James 1:2-4 – James encourages us to find joy in our trials, for trials produce patience. We don’t need to ask for patience when we have enough trials in front of us to help us cultivate patience.

1 Peter 4:12,13 – Facing these trials can cause us to waiver in Christ. Trials in this life are pretty common but they can produce some great results. We can experience the suffering of Christ so that we can also experience His glory.

God never said it would be easy to follow Him, He never promised that. But He did promise that He would never leave us or forsake us. Deuteronomy 31:8 – “
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” He said in Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

The conflicts, tension, and weariness won’t come to a complete end until Jesus returns. There is always hope, Jesus is our only hope, He is  the only hope this world has. So if there is going to be conflict and stress in this world, I’d don’t want to take another step with out God by my side. After all He has overcome the world.  

Trust God

What Can You Handle?

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1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (NKJV)

Some people interpret this verse to say God will not give more than you can bear. That He won’t put you in a situation that is so overwhelming that you just can’t go through it. Others will say this verse is being taken out of context, that, that’s not what it means, that it pertains only to being tempted.

The Greek word for temptation; peirasmos: an experiment, a trial, temptation, can also mean test and tested. Well, I agree and kinda disagree. I may be splitting hairs here, but bear with me. Did God give Job more than he could handle? Did God give Mary and Joseph more they they could handle? Did God give Jesus more than He could handle? Job, “A man who so feared God and fled from evil at all costs. When he was 70 years old, God allowed terrible temptations brought by the devil to fall upon him.” Job was tempted, his fear in God and seeking to flee from evil at al costs, was Job’s way out. Joseph wanted to secretly divorce Mary, – Matthew 1:19, but he didn’t, God provided an angel to encourage Joseph to remain with Mary. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan. The night before His crucifixion and angle ministered to Jesus, -Luke 22:41-43. They all could have given into temptation at any time. But God provided a way out. Ok so Jesus being an example, He was fully God and fully human here on earth, so… He had a bigger advantage, none the less, He could have in His humanity not go to the cross.

In the midst of temptations and the trials in our lives we are tempted to take matters in our own hands, by either manipulating others or a situation in order to get out of it or get our way in order to just get through it or get what we want. We can be tempted to walk away from God or our faith because it just doesn’t seem to be working.

BUT GOD, is faithful! “The more than we can handle” in a trial or a bad season isn’t the season itself as some interpret. I tend to agree with that. I think “the more than we can handle” is the temptation to sin in that hard season. No one wants to go through hard times. I know I don’t and it’s so easy for me to complain and whine and get angry. And it gets me no where. I am learning to ask myself – what does God want me to learn from this? I still wrestle with God and that’s ok, because it can be an intimate way to get closer to Him. God is faithful. He will provide a way out, search Him, He is the Way, the Truth and the Life!

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Can We Find Hope in Perseverance?

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We could all use some encouragement and hope these days. Can we be encouraged and find hope through persevering?

As God’s children we should want to please our Heavenly Father. We can glorify God in what He asks of us and even in the midst of a trial. Jesus set that example for us. He glorified His Father by completing the work He was asked to do here on earth, even to the cross.- John 17:4. When God puts before us a task or places us in a situation that tests our faith we can find ourselves uncomfortable and want to quit. Sometimes we have no choice but to endure, yet we must persevere. Jesus set the example for us when He endured the cross to complete the task His Father asked of Him, to die for the sins of the world. – John 3:16

Perseverance is the ability to progress in spite of adversity.

Jerry Bridges

When our boss asks us do something, we can choose to do it or not to do it. But by choosing not to do it or do it poorly dishonors our boss. Whether or not we agree with the task or enjoy doing it, we complete the task to honor our boss. Luke 9:51 – “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” (NIV). Jesus was resolute in carrying out the task His Father set before Him. He endured the cross for us to glorify His Father.

So when God sets before us a task we need to resolve that we want to glorify and honor God. Even if given a list from our spouse, parent, or whomever, when we complete the task for them we are honoring God as well. By anchoring in Christ, we have this hope firm and secure – Hebrew 6:19, giving us the ability to persevere, especially through a trial. Knowing that Jesus endured the cross for us so that the Father would be glorified we can find encouraging because Jesus knows what it’s like to face a trial.

We can find encouragement as God provides what we need to endure and persevere. His provision gives us hope that we can accomplish what He has asked us to do.

When we see how God provides what we need, it gives us hope and encouragement that we will be able to accomplish the task or endure the trial so that God will be glorified.