Throughout the course of our lives we all encounter circumstances that seem to take a turn in a direction that we weren't expecting. Sometimes this turn can be for the better bringing prosperity, joy and blessing, or it can be for the worse bringing challenge and difficulty.
Very often we are tempted to believe that we're all "victims of circumstance" or just simply swallowed up in the normal rhythm of life that leads us down a path that we weren't expecting.
However, anyone who believes in the Lord knows that "the Lord guides our steps" and that everything is designed by Him to providentially bring about growth in our love and character as well as fruitfulness and blessing in our lives.
Even in writing this, I recognize that it can be difficult for people who are suffering to believe this, especially if that situation has gone on for a long period of time. (This has been my personal experience regarding my chronic back condition.) However, it still remains the only positive anchor upon which to build my faith in the goodness of God because, ultimately, I've seen Him take every circumstance in my life and use it in a way that has somehow benefitted me but, more importantly, glorified His name.
It's my willingness to cooperate with what's going on by trusting in His word rather than believe my own circumstance that ultimately determines how long I have to wait for Him to bring about the breakthrough.
So you decide, is it accidental or providential? If you can affirm with great faith that God's hand is at work then you're well on you way to seeing His blessing!
Expectantly,
Dr. Jay
Jay - I need to be reminded of this several times a day.....I just finished chemotherapy and will be undergoing surgery in three weeks for breast cancer. I am only 43 years-old with a great husband and three beautiful children! I have never said "why me", but rather "why not me". Through my darkest moments since my diagnosis, I have asked God....what it is you want me to do? I'm not sure why this burden has been laid on me, but I know that I will TRUST in him, no matter how long I battle this ugly disease....I pray that He wants me here on Earth for a long time......Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJay - Your daughter passed your blog on to me and I've enjoyed reading this post. I appreciate the way that you did not over-simplify one of the greastest challenges in living out our faith - or at least one of the greatest challenges I have in living out my faith.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I would add is an expansion to your statement, "...ultimately, I've seen Him take every circumstance in my life and use it in a way that has somehow benefitted me..."
I believe that sometimes the things that benefit us can only be seen as a benefit when we have both an eternal perspective and a community perspective - two perspectives that, I believe, Christ had and, therefore, He desires for us to have as well.
What I mean is that, as I watched my best friend die a painful, too-hard-to-think-about death, I cannot in honesty state that her death was to her personal benefit. No one will ever convince me that the way in which she died (which, because of honoring her privacy, I won't expand on)was of individual benefit to her.
However, because I believe that, as we are transformed into the likeness of Christ, we are blessed with a deeper understanding of the eternal perspective and blessed with a deeper, more sacrificial love for others, I can more easily see the benefit to my friend in this way: It is to her benefit to have participated in great suffering because she can know - as she is now face-to-face in Heaven with God - that her death has brought forth much fruit among those she loves.
She can take great joy in knowing that both her life and her death provided a faith-building window into the character of God. It was through her testimony of the truth of Her Savior that many grew closer to Him.
And that is of benefit to her personally.
So I appreciate that you approached this topic. And, more importantly, I appreciate that you did it without using simple, cliche statments that fall flat because they over-simplify something that is, in all reality, complex and messy.
Perhaps that is one of the great gifts of walking through difficult circumstances...you earn the right to comment on it.
Thanks