Wednesday, September 2, 2015

The Do Exist!


This summer was the perfect storm of stressful circumstances.  I believe the trials and pressures of life don’t cause our actions, but reveal what is inside.  For some, pressure results in a diamond.  For me…it was more ugly than beautiful.  What should have been an amazing summer, turned out to be more like living in the midst of the “fire swamp”, and I was the R.O.U.S. 

Now that the summer is coming to a close, I am looking back on it with eyes of faith and wishing I had been doing that all along.  I let the enemy distract me from enjoying the blessings God was giving.  I saw only stress and anxiety, because I saw only myself.  “Heavens joy is self-forgetfulness…it is the secret of joy on earth as well as in heaven.” (Peter Kreeft)  How does one forget self?  You forget self because you are too busy looking at the source.  “Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of your faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of God.”  (Hebrew 12:2)

The truth is we cannot serve two masters.  “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” (Matthew 6:24)  When we love the right one, God, we find all joy.  God turns all things for our good, the devil turns all good things for our bad.  Peter Kreeft puts it this way, “All things are created by God and therefore good.  All that is desirable in things is an image of the supremely desirable God.  Evil is not desiring evil things, but desiring lesser goods and desiring in wrong ways (selfishly).”  I was serving the wrong master.

Some would say I was justified because of my circumstances.  A little irritability (okay let's  be honest, a LOT) is to be expected…right?  But I don’t want excuses.  I want grace, yes, but grace is not an excuse, it is a second chance.  “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:1-4)  Jesus didn’t come to make us “good enough”, He came so we would die, and rise to live abundantly.

We desire many things, but when we find the “one necessary thing”; the truth of Matthew 6:33, we find peace and joy.  For God’s single gift that fulfills all our desires is Christ.  In Him, God offers us the only thing He has…Himself.  And He is the only thing we need.  And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) 

How different my summer could have been if I had seen this sooner!  If I had only followed Paul’s advice from Philippians 4:4-9 which says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.   Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

It was there all along.  How did I miss it?  Well, praise to Him, for His grace is sufficient and nothing is in vain.  Will all be perfect in me now?  Hardly, but there is hope.  "the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed...God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:26)  God will refine my character…” so that the proven genuineness of my faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:7)