Wasn't Your Fault?
by David Brenneman
How Do I Handle a Difficult Trial Not Of My Own Doing? 1 Peter 1:6-7.
Even those who maintain close, intimate fellowship with the Lord are not immune to disappointments, obstacles, challenges, struggles, and feelings of hopelessness. In fact, at times, God allows us to face impossible circumstances in order to test and us try our faith. It is the adversity that motivates us to seek Him, and when we do, He faithfully strengthens and refreshes us.
God knows every emotion, need, and desire we have. He cares when we face difficult situations and grow weary. He hears our cries and understands exactly what it will take to bring us into a more intimate relationship with Him.
The apostle Peter addressed his two letters "to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia. Asia, and Bithynia" (1 Pet 1:1; see also 2 Pet 3:1). If he were choosing a modern title for his letters, he might consider "Encouragement for Times of Suffering" or "Hope for the Hurting," because encouragement and hope are exactly what Peter conveyed to these distressed believers.
These Christians faced all kinds of persecution. They were beaten, slandered, and assaulted, and in many cases lost their lives for their faith in Jesus Christ. Peter called them "aliens" because their citizenship was not of this world but of the kingdom of God. Still, they faced times of great discouragement and loss and needed the courage only available through Christ. Peter explained that they could rejoice even in times of trial because Jesus-their risen Savior and Lord--would always be the living hope within them (see 1 Pet 1:3). So long as we have the Lord Jesus Christ, no situation is hopeless.
Would you like to have eternal hope? Then focus your heart on Jesus (see 1 Tim 4:6). He wants to bring His will and good pleasure to fruition in your life. Even if you find yourself in a seemingly impossible situation, remember that He has an entirely different view of the details. And if you will let Him, He will take your life, no matter how bruised and broken, and make something beautiful out of it.
Isn't this what hope is all about--beauty for ashes, gladness instead of sorrow, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness (see Is 61:1-3)? This is the ongoing ministry of Jesus Christ in your life. Therefore, bring to Him your afflictions and disappointments. Tell Him your sorrows, and He will restore your hope.
---from the Life Prinicples Study Bible NASB by Dr. Charles Stanley.
God's timing is all the time perfect. Several months ago now I was let go from where I had been working since before we moved to our new home town. After their investigation the State concluded that I did get discharged without cause. I didn't do anything wrong and my now former employer didn't contest their findings. What did I do? It's not for posting here or anywhere else online really. Suffice to say I was innocent of what I was accused of and God saw to it that the verdict was in my favor.
Perhaps you too have been falsely accused of doing, saying, or acting in some way that left you stunned. To be honest...I was very very stunned. I had never before in my life been fired from a job. I had dozens of questions as to what to do next and had no idea where to start. The beginning of the road that I'm currently on was certainly bumpy until all the things about unemployment were worked out.
God has been faithful. Not just in this season of my life but throughout my life. While I get some minor anxieties about this (the Apostle Paul did too for that matter) I know that God's got this problem too of where to work next. What's deafening at times is the silence. Silence from friends, silence sometimes from now former co-workers. Silence from potenial employers. Was I blacklisted? I did nothing wrong but you never know. Then came the harsh realization that what worked in the past to look for a job isn't what happens now. Now, and I had this confirmed by someone at a temp agency, you have to prove to a computer that you are interesting enough to pass on to potential employers. Your old-school resume writing isn't what is considered approved these days to even get your foot in the door. You can't go directly to many employers because they don't have an HR staff on-site. You can't go to a manager or supervisor directly because they have little to no say in who is going to be new to their staff.
Life changed in a lot of ways in the last 5 years since the pandemic.
But none of these are insurmountable for my Savior. As we are reminded to do in many books of the New Testament...remember your roots. Remember those times you can distinctly recall when Jesus saved the day. When answers to prayers came and from where they came. As Dr. Stanley wrote, so did Pastor Alistair Begg, so did Dr. David Jeremiah, so did Pastor John MacArther and many other men of God in my life: Remember your faith history. Hebrews Chapter 11 is devoted to people who's faith saw them through. Remembering when we were blessed, when we were saved, when we even were in what we thought were the lowest valleys. Remember.
What we do with those memories will shape how we look at the present. Another one of Dr. Stanley's Life Principles is that adversity will only last as long as is necessary for God to accomplish His will for us. I saw a video from Billy Graham earlier today where he said basically the same things.
We are aliens in a foreign land. No matter where in this world we as Believers find ourselves that's where we are. Behind enemy lines. Surrounded at times. Needing to keep the full armor of God on, and to be ready. To stand firm. To take every thought captive. I tell you it's difficult when you just got walked out to capture your thoughts. But we are to do that towards the obedience of our life in Christ.
As has been said in many other posts...Pray On, Pray Over, Pray Through what you are going through.
I read some notes last night on 1 Peter chapter 1. Prayers were best intended to be book ends of thanksgiving. Be thankful when you start your prayer to God and thankful before you end it.
Life follows a pattern alright and the more I look back over mine...it follows Psalm 23. The life of a sheep is the life of one in Christ. We are going to grow in Christ at different paces than others but we will grow in Christ. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them.
While we may never understand the why's to our predicament it's not singularly our predicament. It's a situation that Jesus has well in hand and will see us through. Just as the Psalmist wrote so it always shall be. Job didn't know possibly in his lifetime the why's of his life but he had the rest of his life to remember where his faith in the Lord Jesus took him.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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