Trial Season

I recall years ago I was in the middle of my first year in law school. I saw an old Sociology professor of mine and she asked me " how is law school?"

I said "ugh! This is the most intellectually challenging time of my life, it's so hard!!"

She responded, "Good to hear!
That's wonderful news!"

I'll never forget that moment. I thought this woman is crazy. My brain is fried and she thinks it's a good thing?

But now I get it....

Trials and tests are good for us.

Gulp.

We want blessings and favor and happiness.
But what we really want in those "easy" seasons is to be left alone.
God you are good in that safe little box. Sure, I'll thank you for that pay increase or giving me an upfront parking spot, and I'll thank you for new friends at church, but other than that, I'm on cruise control and please don't allow any detours, bumps in the road, new construction or other hiccups.

I'm doing fine.

God allows trials so we may realize :
1. who God is
2. We are not God nor were we ever in control.

Count it all joy.

Oh boy. How can I count this all joy?

You might say "I'm suffering, my life is a mess, I can barely hold on, and I'm supposed to be joyful?"

Yes.
Why?
Because we are partaking of the fellowship of His suffering.

Phil 3:10
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; (KJV)

Phil 3:8
More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

1 Peter 4:13
Instead, be very glad--for these trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world.

I think we have an incorrect view of the word "joy."

My professor became joyful when I told her I was being challenged.
Why?
Because challenges produce growth.
She became joyful, because in her experience, she knew my current intellectual pain (the "challenge") was sure to produce exciting results....
She knew....
I was learning.
That caused her to smile.

Every trial and failure I have faced ...God used it. It was like "boot camp" for the battle I would later face.

Just look at David:

1 Samuel 17:34-37
But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

David and the Lord had history. God helped David conquer the bear, then the lion. God built David's faith, one trial (one mini-Goliath) at a time.

So when the BIG ONE came, David was ready. He was not reliant on His own abilities -but God's. That's the key---may I decrease and may You increase Lord.

This is my encouragement- don't think God hates you, or is mad at you, or delights to keep you in this trial.
No.
That is not the character of our God.
Look at your trial as "boot camp."
You want to be a warrior don't you?
You want to be used by God don't you?
Then count this trial as joy- because God is preparing you for something bigger.
Pray big and bold-  because Satan wants to kick you while you're down...
But remember God wants us to partake of the fellowship of His suffering to answer our very own prayer:
" LORD MAKE ME LIKE YOU! "

Waiting for "NEW"

Rev 21:1-5
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John,[a] saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me,[b] “Write, for these words are true and faithful.

Do we really believe that God will make all things new?

Are you stuck in a rut are you living a life of mundane routine?

It certainly feels like that at times for all of us.

I am longing for the day when we will be in a new place.

A place where the crushed of spirit find peace, a place where those who are exhausted from crying find relief.
A place where Jesus is forever King.

Matt 11:28 says come to me all who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest.

People tell me all the time "I'm a good mom"

I certainly don't feel like it.

I feel like I'm failing- like there is more work to be done. More praying ...more seeking help for Isaac... more enjoying nature with him... more seeking Gods face, more encouragement to my daughter that it's ok if she gets frustrated with Isaac- he's different.....more explaining myself to people over and over and over ...explaining to strangers that I'm sorry Isaac touched them or looked in their purse or behaved oddly he has autism.

I feel completely 100% inadequate to raise Isaac and you know what?

God says "good"!

That might seem mean or rude, but it's not.

I used to wake up full of a lot of joy. I would say a quick prayer "good morning Lord thank you for this day" and go about my merry way...

Now I wake up tired.

I wake up asking for mercy, for strength for the armor of God to be fastened upon me, because I haven't the strength to put it on myself. I ask God for his Spirit because I don't have any energy in me to be the Godly woman he desires me to be.

I ask for wisdom and insight from his Word and I clammer like a deprived child in a candy store to gain any new nuggets of honey and encouragement as I read through the Bible.

I'm tired.

I have a special needs child.
You have special needs too.
Maybe it's your marriage, or family, or depression, or body image/self image, or lack of excitement for life, or work, or feeling broke- financially and emotionally, or maybe you too feel like a failing parent.
You long for peace but it appears fleeting, like the dandelion blowing in the wind.
Peace is not a state of mind- peace is God incarnate. (See John 14:27)
If you have hard times, tell God how inadequate you are. Cry out in prayer like you would to your very best friend. Then after you cry out then dust yourself off, and praise Him.
For as you were crying out to him and praying ....it's already been done! the new heaven and new earth is already formed and every day we are closer to it...

Psalm 141:8
But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge--do not give me over to death (NIV)

But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. (KJV)

He NEVER fails and He is the Alpha and Omega. Rev 22:13

In His presence is fullness of joy. Psalm 16:11 If you feel down, get out of your head and press into His presence.

AW Tozier "...the righteous shall shine forth in the kingdom of their father. He [The meek man] is willing to wait for that day"