When I was younger, I thought that if life wasn’t perfect and fairly easy, then I was doing something wrong. I observed those I knew, the ones who I felt were living right, and felt their lives were so much easier than mine. They must be doing it right, I thought.
I’ve seen some people take a step of faith, then face the growing pains that produces, turn and run back to every familiar thing to avoid the discomfort of change and sacrifice…oh, how that grieves my spirit…I can only imagine how God feels about that lack of trust and confidence in Him.
I heard it preached that if someone “heard” God speak and made a move based on that, then faced trouble, that they had missed God’s voice. That the trouble meant they had made the wrong choice.
I wonder what Bible these people were reading because in mine it says.
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
And
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4
These verses have become a sort of mantra over my life. when I say “Yes” to God, then I can also know that there will be times that my “yes” is tested. That testing is a privilege.
Yes, you heard me. The testing is a privilege because it produces perseverance and the fruit of that is maturity and being complete. Not lacking anything is tied to allowing perseverance to complete its work in your life.
If you want to live in abundance, then you must be willing to face whatever may come. Not only face it but allow God to use it to complete the work in your life.
Quite frequently, I ask God, “What work have we not completed here in Oklahoma? Please show me so we can finish it and move to our farm.” When you are in a long period that feels like a stalling out, undoubtedly, God is doing a deep breaking inside your life. He loves us far too much to leave us broken and disconnected. He wants it all. All of us. All our family. All our dreams and desires. All our hearts.
The question I will leave you with is this…
Are you willing to give it all to God in return for the fruit of maturity? Have you withheld because of discomfort? If so, I encourage you to embrace whatever God desires to use to deepen your walk with Him and bless you with character and maturity. The decision is completely yours.
365 Days in the Presence 