… a thought for prayer and quiet meditation. Think and listen:
PEACE IN THE VALLEY
No circumstance of life is greater than the Plan of God for the believer’s life.
God’s Word in us, and sustains us under pressure.
Our function as believers is spiritual growth through the inhale and the exhale of God’s Word (studying and meditating upon His truths, then applying what we learn when challenges arise) and it’s constant application to the details of life. When hardships, difficulties and even suffering cause us undue pressure or pain, we are to draw upon God’s inner resource — Bible Doctrine memorized, stored, processed (meditated upon) in the soul, ready to be put to use in our lives.
In the circumstances of life when life doesn’t seem fair, spiritual growth can be accelerated, and intimacy with the Lord increased to notable proportion. Undeserved suffering comes to us from God for our benefit, for the benefit of unbelievers. It is during our trials and tribulations that the lost see Christ through the darkness. It is how God is glorified and people get saved.
Life threatening experiences can give us unexpected peace, a calmness, like words of assurance spoken in absolute silence … and we find ourselves giving no resistance as we seem to be carried along to eternity. Somehow, long after our close encounter, we still deeply desire those moments of quiet solitude with God. Isn’t that really where every child of God wants to be? Isn’t that really where God wants us to stay?
When seriously ill, prosperity somehow doesn’t seem to have any value (in the grand scheme of spiritual things, prosperity really doesn’t have any value), and worldly possessions seem meaningless (because they are).
In suffering, we realize that there is a greater calling and we somehow find ourselves comparing overt prosperity to intimacy with the Lord, only to find there is no comparison. Intimacy with the Lord, at the threshold of eternity, is incomparable.
The contrasting extremes of suffering and prosperity, demonstrate our capacity, stability, faith and confidence in the Lord, or lack thereof. Our spiritual maturity is determined by our inner ability to handle extreme circumstances.
God’s Plan for His children is that we be constantly ‘occupied with Christ!’
In closing, just as salvation through faith in Christ redeems the soul, resurrection at the Rapture redeems the body. Until that occurs, periodic suffering is designed to remind us of our eternal home. Suffering in time enables us to appreciate what our Savior went through for us. Christ in his humanity during his walk on earth always knew the horrible sufferings he must endure if we were to be saved, and yet He paid our redemption price, despising the shame.
Christ is the epitome of courage. Occupation with Jesus Christ is a privilege and an honor … it is a foretaste of Glory Divine — the Eternal State with God. You may want to listen to the Lord by reading Revelation 21:1-7.
Saturate your soul with God’s Word and be assured that “the sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be compared to the Glory that shall be revealed in us” when we see Christ face to face. Please turn in your own Bible and read Romans 8:18. Then, please turn to: 2 Corinthians chapter 4, and read through chapter 6 verse 10. Then close with 1 Peter 4:13.
Hope is the touchstone for confidence in this life as we wait for our great King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ. In suffering, God truly reaches down and touches us with Divine Inspiration and gives us peace just as He did when the Apostles witnessed to the world and wrote by Divine Inspiration — the Holy Scriptures.
We are here to live God’s Word so the world can see Jesus Christ through us.
Let’s all “get with it” then, and get out there and live a happy, fulfilled life, filled with gratitude and humble thankfulness, regardless of life’s current circumstances — good or bad.
Today could be your last day on earth, or it could be so for someone you love. Where do you stand in your personal relationships? Have you said everything there is to say to the people in your life? Are they aware of how much you love and appreciate them? Do they see God in you?
Happy Studying.