psalm 46:1

God is our refuge and strength,a very present help in trouble. [psalm 46:1]

for whatever reason, God has deemed this season of my marriage as a growing one. and through the encouragment i have in close, godly frienships/mentorships, i am learning where to find purpose and strength through times of heartache and mis-steps. [i must pause here and state that i am immensely thankful for the community God has so graciously provided cody and i!]

in the christian life, a time of trial is bitter-sweet (biblically more sweet than bitter), as christians we know that God utilizes the struggles in our lives to point out and refine areas of weakness/lack of faith - we call this 'sanctification'. we know that being broken reminds us of our need for a Savior, that being humbled makes us more like Christ. and yet, at times, i can't help but want to unleash the human in me and go back in time to punch eve in the face for tasting that forbidden fruit. sigh.

most recently, i've found that an urgency to read and meditate on the Word comes all too often between the hours of 1am and 2am. [how i am going to manage this when i start working dayshift next week is beyond me] ;) i don't know what it is about curling up on the couch in the dead of night, most assuredly with tears in my eyes, a heavy heart, an open bible, a pen and paper nearby -that just satisfies the soul!

as i read the journal entries and prayers i've written in the last few days, it's clear that my heart is troubled. it's clear that the miscommunication, misinformation, mis-steps and mis-haps have taken their toll on me. it's clear that i'm stressed and anxious to the max. therefore, it's clear... that i'm not right with God - i'm not trusting His sovereignty.

trials and marriage. wow. i wish i could be an open book for all to see the shortcomings in cody and i, however, i believe, in respect of our marriage, and for both of our sakes - i ought not to air our dirty laundry. however, i will say this... perserverance has a new meaning to us. it's one thing to stand up on your wedding day with all the hopes and dreams in the world for your new life, and mutter the words 'for better or for worse' and not completely comprehend the weight of that covenant - it's another to feel crushed, broken, tramlped on... and still have the love to want to serve the one who has just thrown your heart, chained to a cinder block, into the deep. it is all too easy, when you feel wronged, to have the attitude of retaliation. however, Christ didn't take this same outlook. instead, Christ died and served those who hated him.

now, now, now... before you go judging the man i call husband [or myself, for that matter] - i want to be clear... cody is an amazing husband! he is one of the most God-fearing men i know! he models for me what it means to be patient and is an excellent communicator and hard worker. he has the drive to provide for our small family - and he does so sucessfully. the only thing i can really complain about with him... is that he's human. and so am i. oh, yes... and so are you. ;)

in times and seasons such as these, how does the application of psalm 46:1 play out? let me show you.. when you are helpless, seek Him - when you are troubled, seek Him - when you are hurt, seek Him - when you feel betrayed, seek Him - when you are weak, seek Him - and when you are hopeful, joyful, whole and strong... seek Him. PRAY PRAY PRAY beloved. pray.

old became new

tes·ti·mo·ny •evidence or proof provided by the existence or appearance of something.

growing up in a church, going to a private school, being an active member in youth group, and having an unwavering, God-fearing mother.. were collectively wonderful things that lead to my, now much more mature [yet, undeniably still elementary], foundation in my faith in Jesus as Christ. though when i hear others' testimonies, i tend to covet those who have had mind-blowing 180º turns [kinda like my hubby].. while i sit there and shy away from telling people my 'boring' testimony of

well.. i grew up in a church, never really strayed, always knew i needed Christ and here i am

lately i've been convicted to authentically self-examine and reflect on a testimony that seems rather superficial [if i do say so myself]. in the beginning of this evaluation, i told myself that even though i cannot conjure up pivotal supernatural events such as habitual drug use gone sober - or visions of Christ in vivid dreams, i needed to be transparent with myself [which, seemingly is a VERY challenging thing to do] and take a good look at, not only what Christ has delivered me from, but give praise to what He has also kept me from.

with a testimony that is supposedly void of these truly miraculous happenings that 'ought' to have been present with the change from old -> new, it is ridiculously [and shamefully] easy to down-play and over-look the glory that is due God.

to no surprise of mine, i would say that this plays into my BIGGEST struggle that i continuously need to surrender to the power of Christ.. which is pride... MY pride in a false reassurance that i am a forever faithful, non-wavering servant of Christ. what a crock!






even the most basic of the law calls me an idol worshiping, selfish, dishonorable, adulterous, jealous, murderer and liar. [exodus 20:2-17]
i SO desire the evidence of change... i guess, for me... it was slow - it was something i grew into [and am STILL growing into] - there is no 'one moment' that i can rant about that would make this any more interesting... i just was... and now i am.


JUSTIFICATION
in a nutshell
once upon a time, at vacation bible school (VBS) in 1994 [at age 7], i raised my hand to be 'saved'.. to this day, i use this as my 'day of salvation'... though, i'm about certain that i had no flipping clue what that really meant for me - all i knew... is that i would get one of those cool little Bibles [ya know... the cute new testament pocket-sized ones with psalms and proverbs]. like i mentioned previously, i grew up in church... so stating that i was a sinner and that Jesus died for my sins was as simple and route as stating the alphabet or 2+2=4... it just...was. ingrained.

as i got a bit older, i may read my bible here and there, listen to some christian jams, hang out with church friends... but i still am not convinced that i knew the weight of being a disciple of Christ.

does this mean i wasn't saved? not necessarily... however... there was just NO REAL CHANGE. i spoke to my parent's disrespectfully, thought of myself as important, cared way too much about what boys thought of me, & loved to show off my louis vuitton, fendi, prada, dooney & burke, coach, MAC, juicy couture, bebe, tiffany, chanel... i got SUCKERED into the oohs & ahhs of this culture. this dreadful pop culture.

speaking of this culture...
[stepping up onto my soap box for a quick min]
may i propose that satan has successfully fooled many 'christians' into believing they are saved due to an isle they walked down, a prayer they prayed, or a hand they raised... yet have produced no fruit.. oh the wolf in sheeps clothing, for i cannot wait for the day that he dreadfully burns in hell for all eternity.
if there is 'salvation' without change... is it possible there is NO SALVATION
[off the soap box now]

this is unbelievably convicting to me... all those people i ran in circles with in high school... college... previous work places.. and i can about lay my life down on the fact that they couldn't tell a difference between me and the next 'miss thang'. so i ask myself... why this conviction now? why not this strong conviction then? deep down [whatever that means], i knew.. just KNEW that i was different... that i was set apart.

SANCTIFICATION

i tell you the truth...

• there HAS been true/hard/heartbreaking/joyful sanctification within my relationship with Christ. i may have been justified in the eyes of God by the sacrifice of His Son a long, long time ago [can i get an AMEN?!].. but until i am glorified in the presence of God - there's still much to be learned here.
• i HAVE stumbled my way through the murky water, relying on myself, only to be caught in the abyss of the darkness of this world.
•  i have been the likes of peter in his denial, thomas in his doubting... judas in his betraying.

...and this is the most BEAUTIFUL thing. for without this... i have NO story. without this, i have NO change or growth in Him... without my failures, i am in need of NO savior.
through this, God has changed doubt to confidence and shame to joy!

an old, self-promoting, self-gratifying, slave to sin...

                                             

became a new, self-sacrificing, people-loving, servant of God

may i shout it from the mountaintops... 

i am NEW by NOTHING, BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!

count your blessings, name them one by one

if there is one thing you should be certain of throughout your life on this earth.... it's that God is faithful. with our move creeping up [what is it? a mere 14 days away?]. it's easy to be side-tracked and distracted by all the doubt that we self-talk our way into. cody and i have always [well... since 2012] said we felt led to take root in AL - and since that decision was made, we've had many a doubt as to whether or not we 'still' feel led.. if you are anything like me, this makes no sense! it's not like God has this plan for our lives and at any whim, He changes His mind as to say, 'ehh... I think I'll just utilize them here instead'. here's my proposition [so take it for what it's worth] - i propose that God's will and plan for our lives stays the same, and it is our desire to seek God's will for ourselves that leads us closer to fulfilling His will [which He has already told us, is to bring us joy and hope for the future]!!

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." jeremiah 29:11

as mr. darling writes about God's will, he mentions that most:

act as if God’s will is some sort of vague, hazy thing. A vapor that can’t be grasped. It’s almost as if they want God’s Will, but don’t ever think they’ll have a shot at actually finding it.

let's rationalize for a second... is God a God confusion? does He lead astray His own sheep? is He a God who thrives on our anxiety and want us to blindly scatter about just hoping we end up where He wants us? obviously not with that being said, where have these doubts that cody & i have been experiencing come into play in the big picture of our faith? well, for starters, we heard the call and felt the conviction to GO much stronger, louder and clearer when we were faithfully in His Word. when we were ACTIVELY SEEKING Him. this is all not to say that we aren't currently doing this - however, it is safe to say we've become much more complacent than we'd like to be [which is easily, yet wrongfully justifiable concerning the amount of 'stress' we are under as of late]. so there's issue numero uno:

if you feel far away from God... who do you think moved?

therefore, in order for us to make rational decisions as it pertains to us, God, and His will for our lives, we must open up the stage for Him to speak... and then... we must listen, and most importantly FOLLOW. so what does God's voice sound like?

from what we have experienced thus far... here are some 'tips' and 'tell-tale' signs you are in God's will [or at least headed in the right direction]:

be IN the Word - if you don't do your part in actively seeking God and His desires for your life, you WILL hinder your oppurtunity to hear Him more clearly if someone in the faith affirms that you are to do what you feel called to do [cody and i affirm eachother on this, as well as our pastor - though he hates to see us leave ;) ]

if you are under attack by satan and his hords more feverently [i can tell you many stories regarding this - one of my personal experiences being after an amazing 3 month african mission trip when i had a new-found joy in the person of Christ...and in return i got malaria, lost my job and my boyfriend of 3 years broke up with me all within my 1st week home]

if you begin to see God's provision - where have we not?! after reading in matthew 6 about all the things we shouldn't be concerned about, cody and i felt convicted to just pick up and head south without having jobs - this is HUGE and takes a TON of faith [not as much as i'm sure abraham had to have to take his son, isaac up on a hill with the thought of sacrificing him to God] - though i had applied to 1 hospital a few months ago, i decided not to actively look anymore... that we would just take a trip down, find a place to live, sign some papers and be on our way. GOD HAD OTHER PLANS. it's almost as if He wanted me to get to that place of total reliance on Him [which He loves, by the way], and out of nowhere, i received a phone call from the hospital from 2 months prior on the day before going to alabama to look for a place to live... i couldn't believe it! they wanted an interview! here we are.. 3 weeks later, and i have a job lined up down south, we have a place to live and do you want to see God's provision REALLY at work? i'm taking a pay cut with this new job... a 12.28% pay cut to be exact... and the cost of living in good 'ol alabama... exactley 12.28% lower than where we currently live. God's evident provision. [there is honestly so much more, but for the sake of your time, we'll leave it at that] you're welcome ;)

if it brings God the glory - what better way to bring God glory than to move to alabama?! right??? let me explain... cody is a country boy... a hunting, cool weather, open spaces, camo covered, country boy. he's always lived in the mid west and all of his friends and close family are here... so how would moving to alaska sound? [i pick alaska, only because that's where we thought we would be moving - great hunting out there!] - moving to alaska to us sounded like a great plan, out in the middle of nowhere, perfect scenery, not too many people, slower pace of life, away from the city, awesome wild game for cody to hunt his heart out... however, where is the self-denial in that? where's the sacrifice? YES God's plan for our lives is to give us joy.. but that's not saying He will give us the desires of our hearts, it's more or less the concept of us seeking God more readily, which would conclude in wherever He leads being the new-found desire of our hearts.

get it?? ehhh... if not, keep tuned to see what God has in store for us ;) we will see it unfold together !

embark

turning the pages of life seem to bring out anxiety, excitement, and a bit of adventuresome-ness... at least for me [especially here in the recent days]

it seems as if my bucket-list grows 3-5 tasks each week, and im fairly enthused that i will be able to cross off some major ones in the next few weeks/months [wedding, israel, moving...].

with all the 'new and exciting' changes taking place so suddenly for cody and i, it's a concious effort to remind ourselves that this life, though abundant at times with joy and blessings, is but a mere vapor.. fleeting as we know it. it's all too easy to get caught up in the loud noises, flashing lights, and big stages of this life and to forget our purpose.

if there's one thing that is an absolute turn off... it's contentment... even wo

rse, stagnation. when our lives become consumed with the flames of tedious 9-5's, social networking, coffee shop dates with acquaintances and reality television, we not only forget our purpose, but we tend to push it so far away that even if we try to seek it at a later time, it is so skewed from all the distraction that it is almost [if not completely] unrecognizable... and, in turn... seemingly unattainable.

we have all been made aware of how disappointing this life can be. how lonely, how cruel and how selfish. though the last 10 months have been a whirlwind of wedding propoganda and planning, there's something special about self-discipline and motivation to keep my relationship with God my number 1 priority. God called me His Bride before Cody ever thought to ask!

 i must remain faithful to the One who has always been and will always be faithful to me. I must let all know -  that above all else - ... is God.

if cody and i were to embrace this path that God has set before us with the intent of feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside, then we have got our priorities twisted, and it's my prayer that if this ever be the case, that God smack us into shape - however and with whatever He deems fit in order to ultimately and undeniably bring glory to Him.

now, you don't have to be 5 days out from a wedding, 2 weeks out from going to Jerusalem, or 3 months out from moving 4 states away in order to be renewed by the knowledge that each day is not only given to you with new mercies, but with new adventures, new trials, new joys and new oppurtunites, that may, infact, be God's call for you.... to EMBARK.

feet of clay

'prone to wonder, Lord i feel it... prone to leave the God I love. here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it, seal it for Thy throne above' [excerpt from one of my favorite hymns 'come thou fount of every blessing']

here's a little authenticity and transparency for you... one of my biggest [actually, i'd bet it is THE biggest] recurring weakness of mine... is my temper. and unfortunately, it shows it's nasty head to those closest to me... my family, and worse... my soon to be husband!

-shameful-

conflict doesn't build character... it reveals it!

since i feel i am pretty self-aware, i have pondered the core of what it is that makes my temper flare the way it does at times. from a secular-type wisdom, i can come to the conclusion that the main issue stems from pride... pride in the fact that i have specific expectations - and when they aren't met, people know. sounds pretty logical.. right?

if i delve deeper into it, in fact... if i search the Bible and see what it says regarding temper, i become enlightened!

first thing's first

you have to go to the foundation of it... how am i, as a woman, made and what are my tendencies?
in Genesis 3:16, [after adam and eve sinned], God indicts and convicts both adam and eve, giving them sentences that will affect all the men and women in the following generations. to eve, God says 'and though you will have a desire for your husband, he will rule over you'... the words desire for in this passage actually translates more so to 'control'... some translations actually state the verse this way 'and you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you'.

alright... so at this point i begin to realize that this problem is foundational.. it literally is a CURSE! i have a desire to control, which leads to having expectations, which lead to the possibility of those expectations not being met... which opens the door for my temper to shine. [no good charlie brown].

typically i am able to combat my frustrations if i actually take the two seconds to realize this fact, and release the grips on the reigns for a little bit. but when i fail to do this, my temper shows. and if im not quick to pick up on this, it's possible that it will be hours [yes... hours] of lashing out on my nearest victim.

*disclaimer: okay, im kinda making myself out to be one of those fire-breathing dragons you hear about in fairy-tales, but i assure you that i am not always like this... the scenarios i'm giving are when im at my absolute worst. and the following is what i do to debrief and try and make sure it doesn't happen again...

seek wisdom and insight

after i 'blow-up' at someone over something so trivial and minute [something i most assuredly wouldn't sacrifice a relationship over], i run through these bible verses to help reiterate the importance of self-control/forgiveness/grace... after all, i have been given much more grace than i could EVER make up for, so who am i to be so unforgiving and hot-tempered when i feel wronged?

'love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.' proverbs 17:9

               controlling your tongue
               proverbs 4:24 'avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech'
               proverbs 10:19 'too much talk leads to sin. be sensible and keep your mouth shut.'
               proverbs 15:28 'the heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the
                                      wicked overflows with evil words.'
               proverbs 16:32 'better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer
                                     a city.'
               proverbs 18:21 'the tongue can bring death and life; those who love to talk will reap with the
                                     consequences.'
               proverbs 20:3 'avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.'
               proverbs 21:23 'watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of
                                      trouble.'
               proverbs 26:20 'fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.'

               tempers flare
               psalms 4:4 'don't sin by letting anger control you. think about it overnight and remain silent.'
               proverbs 12:16 'a fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.'
               proverbs 13:3 'those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can    
                                    ruin everything.'
               proverbs 14:17 'short-tempered people do foolish thing, and schemers are hated.'
               proverbs 14:29 'people with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great
                                     foolishness.'
               proverbs 15:1 'a gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.'
               proverbs 15:18 'a hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them.'
               proverbs 17:27 'a truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-
                                      tempered.'
               proverbs 18:13: 'spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.'
               proverbs 19:11 'sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking
                                      wrongs.'
               proverbs 21:9 'it's better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife
                                    in a lovely home.'
               proverbs 21:19 'it's better to live alone in the desert than with a quarrelsome, complaining
                                      wife.'
               proverbs 22:24&25 'don't befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or
                                     you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.'
               proverbs 25:24 'it's better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife
                                     in a lovely home.' [the fact that this is repeated... over... and over... kinda
                                     makes me think i'm not the only one who struggles with this ;) ]
               proverbs 26:21 'a quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or
                                     fire lights wood.'
               proverbs 27:15&16 'a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day.
                                            stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind or trying to hold
                                            something with greased hands.'
               proverbs 29:11 'fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.'
               proverbs 29:22 'an angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of
                                      sin.'
               ecclesiastes 7:9 'control your temper, for anger labels you a fool.'

not easily overcome

i don't know if you are as discouraged as i am about seeing how much the bible actually does talk out against fools like me who are hot-tempered at times :(
hmm... where is there hope?! when i end up face to face with this weakness [mostly after i have failed to utilize my internal 'filter'] i am so humiliated before my God. honestly, who am i to act so haughty that i speak condescendingly to those around me [who, in all truthfulness, are much more wise than i for having control over their tongues?!] oh i frustrate myself to the fullest sometimes... and it's at these times... [you know... where you're so disgusted you can't even bring yourself to look up when in front of a mirror].. yes, it's at these times that i fall flat on my face in front of God's throne and weep.

and if you ever want a renewal of your soul... that's exactly where you should be.

'may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer' psalm 19:14 

random thought

with the wedding now less than 6 months away, i'm feeling a little bit like i should be doing something in order to prepare. my theory on this is that we did so much when we first got engaged that now theres not much to do for another couple months. in the mean-time... feeling a little unproductive.

upcoming wedding to-dos:

• engagement photos  - photog just had a baby, so will get this done sometime this month [fingers crossed]
• save the dates - executive decision says NOPE! ha, breaking free from the rest of society on this and saving the pretty penny and just sending out invites in late december/early november
• finalize the guestlist - this is SO hard! i have a list, but it keeps growing, may have to have an open ceremony and a closed reception... :( will see how this pans out
• wedding website - almost done with this.. love the fact that we chose to have one so that people can RSVP online and what not [saves us about $150 on stamps.. LOVE]
• premarital counseling - cody and i are super stoked about this, we start in november with the pastor of our church, whom we revere as being wise in authority that has been given to him by God

thats all that i really have energy to have on my plate right now - but im always keeping my eye open for decor and other odds and ends. 

with wedding updates aside, there are a few new things happening in the life of the future mr. & mrs... as far as my life, at work, i am going to be being trained later this month on level 2 nursery. those are babies too ill to be on the floor but too well to be in NICU. so we'll see how i like it! i foresee it being a challenge, but hopefully a challenge i will become equipped to take on.

cody's work life is a little unsettling right now, in the past 2 weeks they fired [yes fired, not laid off] 30-40 people as part of a down-sizing plan... so he said it feels like hes walking on egg shells, and no one likes that :/ so prayers for security in his position at this job, or for God to open another door would be appreciated.

on a much more uplifting note, cody just got back from the trip of his life! he was in alaska for 2 weeks with his father. honestly, the pictures he took were breathtaking, i can't imagine seeing it in real life. he can't wait to take me ;)

speaking of trips, i recently went to haiti for a relief mission trip. it was refreshing for me, however, i probably wouldn't go on a 1 week mission trip again. personally, it isnt long enough to really dive into someone else's life and bring Christ with you.

with traveling on the mind, i do have to say that i am absolutely ecstatic about going to israel for our honeymoon. i believe that it will be a life-changing trip. not only will i be sharing it with my new husband and best friend... but it will be something that i know will speak volumes to my soul. <3

back on the homefront, my friend sheila and i started a women's small group study on the book 'crazy love' by francis chan. it seems to be a pretty good read thus far and the fellowship has been much needed. <3

another good book that cody and i actually just started to read is 'love & respect'. i would recommend this book to anyone single, engaged, married, divorced... anyone who has any relationships with someone of the opposite sex... it really helps nail down the differences between men and women. how they think, act and react. great for improving communication and resolving conflict.

as much i have left to say, this is where my ramblings end for the night. sometimes it's almost medicinally soothing to just write. i should do it more often ;)

the glory of suffering

"why do bad things happen to good people..."

the common belief
we've all heard this before:

'since i [fill in with some good/nice/thoughtful deed], why did [fill in  with a terrible circumstance] happen to me? if there is a God, why would He ever let something so bad happen to me when i do good to others?'

 'im not going to believe in a God that let me go through [blank]'

'if God really wants me to believe in Him, He would have to take all the suffering/death/sickness/poverty/hunger out of the world'

this way of thinking is damning... i really have no idea where people get the notion that our God exists only to bring us happiness/fortune and a stress free life full of nothing but blessings.

if Christ had to suffer, how do we have the audacity to think that we don't have to

i hate to bring this to light, but it needs to be - sometimes people get these absolutely nonsensical ideologies from the church. for example, there is something out there called 'word of faith' or the 'prosperity gospel' also known as the 'health and wealth gospel'.

the prosperity gospel 


basically, the foundation for such a belief is that anyone who is right with God will have money and never be sick, and if you so happen to be poor or ill, that must mean that you are not a true believer.

lest i point out these verses:
'again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' - matthew 19:24

'Jesus answered, 'if you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. then come, follow Me.' - matthew 19:21

'no one can serve two masters. either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. you cannot serve both God and money.' - matthew 6:24

i had first heard of such beliefs while i was in africa summer of 2011 and was shown a sermon of justin peter's called 'a call for discernment'. you can watch the incredibly enlightening sermon here.




“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” (Romans 16:17-18)


tickling of the ears


there's a song that is being played on a few Christian radio stations that's called 'He said' [you can listen to it here] but the message of it is that no matter what hard thing you are going through, God knows your limits and won't give you anything that will break those limits.

the chorus goes something like this :

"...remember what He said- 'I won't give you more, more than you can take, I might let you bend, but I won't let you break'..."

..and as positive and uplifting as that sounds, you will not find anywhere in the Bible where God says He won't give you more than you can handle as it refers to trials and tribulations. in contrast you will find that we are to be the clay in His hands and often we pray for Him to break us in order to make us who we ought to be in order to bring Him glory.

the passage that is all too often misquoted is 1 Corinthians 10:13:

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 

what we should get from this when we read it is that we will never be tempted beyond our ability, not that we wouldn't ever be tried beyond our capabilities.

When Paul writes that God will not tempt us beyond our ability, he means that we will never be in a situation where we have no other choice but to sin.

this is entirely separate from the issue of trials... where God WANTS us to break - bc this is when we come to the realization that we are vulnerable and in need of Him. 

through our trials is how we figure out if God is our portion - if without anything/anyone else, He is enough. this is when, if we choose to worship Him, we are glorifying Him.

the truth
if you are a follower of Christ... YOU WILL SUFFER.  and the reason you will suffer is this... to bring glory to God.


what we, as humans want:

•  to bring glory to God ['so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.'  - 1 corinthians 10:31]

how we do it:

•  by worshiping Him

what satan wants:

•  to decrease our worship to God

how he does it:

• by trying us with temptations/suffering [since at those times we are LEAST LIKELY to worship God]

what God wants:

• FAITHFUL/AUTHENTIC followers, no matter your circumstance  [give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.' - 1 thessalonians 5:18]

how He does it:

• By ALLOWING satan to bring on hard times in order to test our faith, ultimately leading us to seek Him

got it? the first thing we need to understand is this simple truth: behind our tribulation is satan, but behind satan is God - NOTHING gets to us without passing through the hands of God first.

we are to worship God for WHO He is, not WHAT He does.


weep, why, & worship 

'therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His name.' - hebrews 13:15

i LOVE that this verse says to offer a 'sacrifice' of praise-  this tells us that sometimes when we offer praise, it hurts - yet we are to do so, continually.

now where can we see this manifest in the bible? the WHOLE BOOK of JOB!

lately at church, we've been in Job, it's quickly becoming one of my favorite books of the bible. it shows the omnipresence of God, the vulnerability of man and the dependence of satan on God for anything he does.

if you are at all familiar with the story of job, a few things should gain your attention - when satan is in the presence of God in Job 1, GOD points job out - almost as to offer that satan mess with him.

let's take a look at the dialect that occurs between God and satan in job 1:

'then the Lord asked satan, 'have you noticed my servant job? he is the finest man in all the earth. he is blameless - a man of complete integrity. he fears God and stays away  from evil' - job 1:8     

job's faith didn't keep him safe from suffering, it INSTIGATED it!

'satan replied to the Lord, 'yes, but job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. look how rich he is! but reach out and take away everything he has and he will surely curse to Your face!' - job 1:9-11

here, satan tries to say that job's faith is contingent on his possessions/money/health/blessings...

'all right, you may test him,' the Lord said to satan. 'do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don't harm him physically.' so satan left the Lord's presence. - job 1:12

i won't drag you through the rest of the first chapter [you may read it at your leisure], however, it's imparative that i draw your attention to job's reaction, after satan leaves the presence of God, he is 'let loose' if you will, on job's life [minus his health - at this point, but later in chapter 1, God allows satan to attack his health as well]... in the 39 seconds [literally] that it takes for job to lose all his oxen, donkeys, farmhands, sheep, shepherds, camels, servants, sons and daughters... job's response was this:

'job stood up and tore his robe in grief. then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. he said 'i came naked from my mother's womb, and i will be naked when i leave. the Lord gave me what i had, and the Lord has taken it away. praise the name of the Lord!' - job 1:20-21

what we learn from this is that human nature prompts us to grieve when we take a loss... and it is even human nature that we ask 'why' - however, it is the mindset and willfullness of the devout follower of Christ to quickly transition to worhsip - IN ALL SITUATIONS.

therefore, the conclusion that i draw is this: the closer you are to God, the more vulnerable you are to suffering, NOT the closer you are to God, the less your suffering...

my experience

i can tell you first hand, i spent a lot of time growing in my relationship with God when i was in africa - the almost 3 months i spent over there drew me closer to Him than ever, the last week i was there, i got malaria as well as a nasty case of strep throat and when i got home, i was so entirely sold out to Him, that something else to try my faith was bound to happen.. within the 1st 24 hours back in the U.S., i was told that my position at my job was no longer available and my boyfriend of 3 yrs broke up with me. WITHIN THE FIRST 24 HOURS! ....so i got on my knees.

my challenge for you ... is to do the same. 

resources:
Justin Peter's Website