"Some people complain because God put thorns on roses, while others praise Him for putting roses among thorns." (found in a little devotional book at my work desk)
How true is this...we roam in our Christian walks and look at life full of rainbows and blessings only. We accept Christ and fall into the frame of mind that life can't get any better. We live each day thinking "God is so going to bless me today" or "My life is going to be so great because God is in my life!" As true as this can be, it's not THE ONLY way we should think. Please don't think I am saying that this thinking is terrible and oh so deceitful...but understand the other side. We are all born into sin. We are tempted by Satan and torn down to weaken our defenses. Our weaknesses are used against us because Satan is scared of what God is going to accomplish with us. Satan wanted to foil God's perfect world, so as a snake he came and deceived man. He does it to us. He thrives in stealing God's glory and ruining perfection. Not to sound really crazy here...but how cool is that? How interesting is that!? Satan is threatened by the Holy Spirit in me, so he tries to thwart those plans. I am a threat! So I am being attacked and taken down....what drive I get realizing this! How much more do I want to crush Satan under my feet in the coming time! I want to fight all the more! Being attacked makes me more determined to accomplish God's plans. To fight. To resist the devil. To use the Holy Spirit's gifts within me and let God win!
How many examples in the Bible do we come across where Satan works to destroy, but God turns it around? Satan took everything from Job, and he stays faithful to God. Abraham and others in the Bible lied to save their own skin...and among those lies more of the crucial parts of biblical history come about. Joseph's brothers abandoning him...and Joseph became second in command. Jonah's prideful and selfish attitude toward Ninevah saved the city. Judas betraying Jesus to save everyone. All these things brought about amazing results...so what makes you think God can't do the same thing in your life?
It took time too for the good to come about...Jacob labored for years to get the woman we wanted. Joseph was in slavery and prison before he acquired his position. Jonah in the belly of a whale for 3 days (long enough for me!) Moses wandered the wilderness with the Israelites. Joshua's march around Jericho was that of a drawn-out, patient performance. Even the people the Jesus healed had to live a life of difficulty and persecution before their deliverance occurred. It took Jesus His whole life before the ultimate good occurred.
Enough of my words...let God tell you the rest.
Philippians 4:8
I Corinthians 13:7-8
Proverbs 12:3
Proverbs 14:35
Romans 8:31b
Prepare for the thorns and delight in the roses today.
No comments:
Post a Comment