By David Brenneman
"No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13.
"Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
In too many circles there's Christian people who are believing that God won't give you more than you can bear in this life.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort. For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many." 2 Corinthians 1:3-11.
What is happening are Believers mixing these two pieces up.
Being tempted and being in difficult situations aren't the same thing.
Our hearts and minds are where temptations run amuck. Situations, persecutions, are what we find ourselves in. Temptations will be those things that attempt to steer us away from the righteous life that God desires for us. Situations, persecutions, are either due to our attempts to live life without following the Word of God or of our Savior bringing about our sanctification.
Never are the things that we face in our day-to-day life 'problems' to Almighty God. They are merely situations.
Some situations are there to grow us in Christ. Some have come about because we failed to seek the Lord Jesus Christ when they came up.
Persecutions are called as such because they are the result of Godly living. Of doing life in the way that honors God, honors our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father.
Situations can be persecutions but not necessarily. When faced with something significant and we don't pray about it in that moment we create a situation that isn't necessarily a persecution although it might turn into one.
Temptations are about sin and about enticing us to permit something that is not going to grow us in Christ. Something that will potentially become a practiced sin that Paul wrote extensively about avoiding and not participating in.
Scripture says that in Christ we overwhelmingly conquer through Him over sin. This agrees with the passage that we read about no temptation overtaking us that isn't common to man.
Throughout Church history we see countless people who were persecuted to the point of death. Death, for only the Believer in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, is merely changing addresses to their home in Heaven.
If historical information is accurate all but one Apostle was persecuted unto death. The Apostle John is perhaps the only exception. A Roman Emporer tried to kill him and he wasn't able to so John was banished to the island of Patmos.
You will go through this life with countless attempts by Satan's minions to tempt you. Standing firm in Christ you can defeat every single one.
You may go through this life encountering persecutions...while possibly complex or difficult...in Christ you will get through them to the glory of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
You will face situations every single day. How you choose to look at them is how well and how far you've come in your walk with Jesus and a testament towards how much you've grown in Christ.
As a Believer look at your life through the lense of the Word of God. Don't trust your eyes or ears.
Look at life the way that Jesus did and wants you to do as well.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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