Sometimes you know very clearly when God is teaching you something... yesterday was one of those times.
Suffering.
In class yesterday we studied the portion of 1 Peter about suffering... specifically the suffering of the believer. In our notes the text is split up into various sections, each one emphasizing something significant about the believers journey of suffering. Things like the conduct of suffering, Christ's suffering, and the commands of suffering. The part of the text that specifically stuck out to me is the conduct of suffering, 1 Peter 3:13-17. The author, Peter, writes in verses 13 and 14 about how one needs to remain confident during suffering... and that was really just kind of interesting.
Prior to class I had a Bible study in the morning, someone read this really profound thing out of a daily devotional... and I just really can't quite shake it. I feel like it relates to where I'm at right now.
She read … “If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a multitude of experiences that are not meant for you at all, they are meant to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what transpires in other souls so that you will never be surprised at what you come across.”
I translate that to mean... Sometimes we suffer through experiences, but we need to realize that it's not really about us. God uses crappy situations (or experiences) to equip us with the righteous tools we need to better serve the Kingdom.
And how often do we think that? I mean really... I've never looked at the fact that I suffer as a benefit to the Kingdom – or a benefit to really anything actually. But how neat... and relieving... to know that we are suffering with reason and purpose.
I've always been taught to be thankful for experience... not just for my own knowledge, but for the sake of passing my wisdom on to others who are dealing with similar situations. And now, I feel like I have more reason to be thankful for every experience – even suffering.
I know it's hard for me to see a point in suffering, especially in times like right now when I feel like hard times just keep piling on. But yesterday really made me stop and think...
If I plan to serve in ministry... which I think there is like a call to every believer to be ministering in some capacity, so I feel like this is relevant to everyone... I need to take every experience in and soak it all up, so that I can never miss out on an opportunity to minister to someone.
So suffering...
Yeah. Suffering.
Its good for you, ya know. And I really feel like God is teaching me this lesson. A little bit of pain, a little bit of suffering... in the long run its a benefit – to everyone.
November 07, 2009
November 06, 2009
Through the looking glass...
Every person lives life on a journey of self-discovery... it is an inevitable walk of life. Each day you wake up, put on your clothes, and exchange words, glances, and occurrences with others who are on their own personal journey. There are certain things everyone looks for on their personal journey. Like... purpose, identity, love, peace... and for every person that looks like something else. Personally I'm not sure I know my purpose, or who I am, and I certainly am not sure I know what love is, or if I'll ever feel peace.
However... I have learned something really important on this journey of self-discovery. That one thing I've realized is a significant part of finding yourself, is finding God in all the things you do.
It is easy to forget that God is always with you... especially in the hazy times.
Right now is a really unclear, uncertain, confusing time in my life... where am I going? Am I taking the right steps to get the right places? Am I listening hard enough? Am I reacting appropriately? Am I fulfilling my purpose?
It really stresses me out to think that I could be taking action, making steps... going places that I shouldn't be or don't need to be. I pray every day, without fail, that God just make things clear to me and allow me to not stray in ways that will lead me away from him and his will for my life
Then I read this blog post of a girl who is barely an acquaintance of mine... I only read it cause I was being nosy honestly. And she talked about all the deep breathes she has to take... how her life isn't where she pictured it being, but that it's okay... cause she knows God is in her every step.
Then it hit me... God is here. God is leading me.... it's just not in ways I expected.
I'm finding God in places I didn't expect... and... it's breathe taking. God is here. God is leading me... it's just not in ways I expected.
It's a good feeling to know that even though I'm unsure that God is sure... and it's a good feeling to know that even though my vision is blurry that God can see straight... and it's a good feeling to know that even though I'm confused that God knows what he is doing.
I'm always afraid of messing up God's working... I over think and stress things until I know clearly what I'm suppose to do. But right now, at this point in my life... it just doesn't work like that. But... God is here. God is leading me... it's just not in ways I expected.
So as I lay my head against my old purple flower pillow, and thank God for life – and lift up the lives of those around me – I'll remember. God is here. God is leading... and I can find peace in that. And tomorrow, when I awake to start another day on my journey of self-discovery I'll remember... God is here. God is leading... it's just not always in ways I'd expect.
However... I have learned something really important on this journey of self-discovery. That one thing I've realized is a significant part of finding yourself, is finding God in all the things you do.
It is easy to forget that God is always with you... especially in the hazy times.
Right now is a really unclear, uncertain, confusing time in my life... where am I going? Am I taking the right steps to get the right places? Am I listening hard enough? Am I reacting appropriately? Am I fulfilling my purpose?
It really stresses me out to think that I could be taking action, making steps... going places that I shouldn't be or don't need to be. I pray every day, without fail, that God just make things clear to me and allow me to not stray in ways that will lead me away from him and his will for my life
Then I read this blog post of a girl who is barely an acquaintance of mine... I only read it cause I was being nosy honestly. And she talked about all the deep breathes she has to take... how her life isn't where she pictured it being, but that it's okay... cause she knows God is in her every step.
Then it hit me... God is here. God is leading me.... it's just not in ways I expected.
I'm finding God in places I didn't expect... and... it's breathe taking. God is here. God is leading me... it's just not in ways I expected.
It's a good feeling to know that even though I'm unsure that God is sure... and it's a good feeling to know that even though my vision is blurry that God can see straight... and it's a good feeling to know that even though I'm confused that God knows what he is doing.
I'm always afraid of messing up God's working... I over think and stress things until I know clearly what I'm suppose to do. But right now, at this point in my life... it just doesn't work like that. But... God is here. God is leading me... it's just not in ways I expected.
So as I lay my head against my old purple flower pillow, and thank God for life – and lift up the lives of those around me – I'll remember. God is here. God is leading... and I can find peace in that. And tomorrow, when I awake to start another day on my journey of self-discovery I'll remember... God is here. God is leading... it's just not always in ways I'd expect.
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