OK, have you ever had one of those days? Weeks? Month? YEAR?
One where your thinking "OK, what is going on and WHY is it happening to ME?"
When you are faced with these situations what do you do? Do you whine and complain, wear your friends and family out with what is going on, become bitter and angry or do you turn to the Lord and thank him??
Yes.......you heard me correctly, I said THANK HIM?
Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad - for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 1 Peter 4:12
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is Gods will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thes 5:18
There are many more, but they are all clear, VERY clear...............
Many times the Lord sends things in our life to strengthen our relationship with Him. He is pruning us. Pruning sound nice....it makes me think of roses.
Can you get the visual, you are a beautiful rose bush in an overgrown flower bed. A bed that has not been tended to in a while. You have great potential but the "weeds and other stuff" are suffocating you and you are SOOOO thirsty. The Lord is the Master Gardener, pruning and watering, pulling the weeds....................and TAADAAA you are able to blossom into all that your were intended! :) But it is not a one time thing either....as new weeds grow, they need to be pulled, dead limbs and buds must be removed and you will need to be watered daily!
I mean look at the suffering Jesus endured...and he did not go around grumbling or complaining, instead he cried out "Abba, Father everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." Mark 14:36
The Lord knows what is going on with us, He knows what has happened and what is going to happen. I mean he knows EVERYTHING, He made you! And sometimes he uses those circumstances to show YOU who you really are, with the desire to make you more like HIM!
Now I know (from 1st hand experience) it is not easy. Some people are thinking..."yeah right, you just don't even know the HALF of it and there is NO WAY I can be glad or thankful."
But there is!
The Lord loves us so much and He wants to be glorified in all situations..... from Him finding you that perfect parking spot at the mall to having someone dedicate their life to Him.
These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold - though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 1 Peter 1:7
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28
Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you did not know. Jer 33:3
So when your feet are being held in the fire or your "bed" is overgrown with weeds seek the Lord and REJOICE and know that it is for a reason!
It is the "valley" experiences that lead us to the "mountaintop" experiences and it is the mountaintops where you want to shout "PRAISE GOD!"
One where your thinking "OK, what is going on and WHY is it happening to ME?"
When you are faced with these situations what do you do? Do you whine and complain, wear your friends and family out with what is going on, become bitter and angry or do you turn to the Lord and thank him??
Yes.......you heard me correctly, I said THANK HIM?
Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad - for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 1 Peter 4:12
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is Gods will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thes 5:18
There are many more, but they are all clear, VERY clear...............
Many times the Lord sends things in our life to strengthen our relationship with Him. He is pruning us. Pruning sound nice....it makes me think of roses.
Can you get the visual, you are a beautiful rose bush in an overgrown flower bed. A bed that has not been tended to in a while. You have great potential but the "weeds and other stuff" are suffocating you and you are SOOOO thirsty. The Lord is the Master Gardener, pruning and watering, pulling the weeds....................and TAADAAA you are able to blossom into all that your were intended! :) But it is not a one time thing either....as new weeds grow, they need to be pulled, dead limbs and buds must be removed and you will need to be watered daily!
I mean look at the suffering Jesus endured...and he did not go around grumbling or complaining, instead he cried out "Abba, Father everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." Mark 14:36
The Lord knows what is going on with us, He knows what has happened and what is going to happen. I mean he knows EVERYTHING, He made you! And sometimes he uses those circumstances to show YOU who you really are, with the desire to make you more like HIM!
Now I know (from 1st hand experience) it is not easy. Some people are thinking..."yeah right, you just don't even know the HALF of it and there is NO WAY I can be glad or thankful."
But there is!
The Lord loves us so much and He wants to be glorified in all situations..... from Him finding you that perfect parking spot at the mall to having someone dedicate their life to Him.
These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold - though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 1 Peter 1:7
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28
Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you did not know. Jer 33:3
So when your feet are being held in the fire or your "bed" is overgrown with weeds seek the Lord and REJOICE and know that it is for a reason!
It is the "valley" experiences that lead us to the "mountaintop" experiences and it is the mountaintops where you want to shout "PRAISE GOD!"
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