There are days when nothing goes right. I stub my toe getting out of bed, the toast burns, I'm late for work and customers are royal pains. These are the days that try me and I admit I don't always live up to the title Christian. It's like I'm watching myself in slow-motion and see I am about to stumble and fall, yet am powerless to stop it all from happening. Or am I?
Awhile back I watched the movie "Evan Almighty." It's a cute feel-good movie about a modern day Noah. Tucked in among all the silliness was a nugget of truth. In one scene, God (Morgan Freeman) is talking to the wife of "Noah" and listens as she pours out her frustrations and fears. In response, he tells her that when we pray for courage God doesn't just give us courage, rather he gives us opportunity to be courageous. When we ask for patience, the chance comes to demostrate patience. That scene made me cry because he spoke it so kindly and I realized how true the words were. We cannot live by the strength of Holy Spirit or demonstrate his nature without trials.
Days like today were tailor made for the Holy Spirit to reveal himself to the world through us. It is when demands increase and stress abounds that we have opportunity to let him show his character through us. Do we get it right every time? No, at least I don't, but eventually we do. He keeps giving us chances to grow. James 1:2-4 says, "My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing."
Some trials are life and death issues, like a cancer diagnosis, a lost job, the death of a loved one, and others are simply everyday stresses that have worn us down. But the words of James applies equally in all trials. While we are in the world, God grants opportunites for us to learn to be like Jesus everyday of our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. He also grants us the companionship and fellowship of other believers who walk with us through the trials that come our way.
Regardless of how our days/lives are going, God has promised to uphold us and extend his grace so we may bear the burdens and show ourselves children of our Father. We are not alone. Praise God for his great mercy and wisdom! May you know the love and grace of God that surpasses all understanding in all your trials today.
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2 comments:
This is so fitting with what I have been dealing with. My class is heading off to Ireland on Wednesday. I have been thinking a lot about the way that the Holy Spirit leads us. In a way I feel very inadiquit about my ablities. The day to day trials are often the ones in which our gaurd is down. Slowly it wears away at our being, to the point where we look back and realize how far away and cut off we are from God. Then we cry for grace, mercy and ultimatly what our soul longs for: unity with the Light of the World. He then always welcomes us back with open arms. How wonderful is our God?
em
He is wonderful indeed!
I pray that your trip to Ireland go well and that you will encounter God in unexpected ways and places. Know that he understands what wears you down and will undergird you with the strength you need to live your life fully for him in all you do.
Amen!
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