Faith in the Trial

Against hope Abraham believed in hope with the result that he became the father of many nations according to the pronouncement, “so will your descendants be.” Without being weak in faith, he considered his own body as dead (because he was about one hundred years old) and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. — Rom 4:18-19

We shall never forget a remark that George Mueller once made to a gentleman who had asked him the best way to have strong faith.

“The only way,” replied the patriarch of faith, “to learn strong faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings.” This is very true. The time to trust is when all else fails.

Dear one, you scarcely realize the value of your present opportunity; if you are passing through great afflictions you are in the very soul of the strongest faith, and if you will only let go, He will teach you in these hours the mightiest hold upon His throne which you can ever know.

“Be not afraid, only believe.” And if you are afraid, just look up and say, “What time I am afraid I will trust in thee,” and you will yet thank God for the school of sorrow which was to you the school of faith. --A. B. Simpson

“Great faith must have great trials.”

“God’s greatest gifts come through travail. Whether we look into the spiritual or temporal sphere, can we discover anything, any great reform, any beneficent discovery, any soul-awakening revival, which did not come through the toils and tears, the vigils and blood-shedding of men and women whose sufferings were the pangs of its birth? If the temple of God is raised, David must bear sore afflictions; if the Gospel of the grace of God is to be disentangled from Jewish tradition, Paul’s life must be one long agony.”

“Take heart, O weary, burdened one, bowed down  Beneath thy cross; Remember that thy greatest gain may come  Through greatest loss. Thy life is nobler for a sacrifice,  And more divine. Acres of bloom are crushed to make a drop  Of perfume fine.

“Because of storms that lash the ocean waves,  The waters there Keep purer than if the heavens o’erhead  Were always fair. The brightest banner of the skies floats not  At noonday warm; The rainbow traileth after thunder-clouds,  And after storm.”

(From Streams in the Desert, June 2)

Oh Lord, Come Quickly

🌿When it seems that truth is hiding behind a cloud of fear and pride, and hope is being suffocated by selfish worldviews, it can be hard to know what to believe, much less what to do. But regardless of the most bitter of circumstances there are tennants of understanding that must always be remembered.

🌿Know that all life must be guarded, as all humans were created in the image of God. Know that Truth is immovable and unwavering, and Justice and Right Living must be the standards of community. And know that Love and Unity are essential.

🌿In light of that foundation we as Christians are called to a role of uncompromising diligence in upholding the sanctity of life—from the womb to the final natural breath of all mankind. We are called to the pursuit of justice for any deviances from righteous, truthful living. And in the middle of those callings we are summoned to a life of love and unity, pursuing the hearts of others before our own comforts.

🌿As to what that should look like practically will depend upon which side of the millennial kingdom we reside.

🌿For now we give up our rights and comforts in order to preserve the rights of those who cannot defend themselves. For now we stand for truth through the lens of love and plead for justice through the bonds of unity. For now our chests heave with anguished tears as we brokenly cry out “Lord, come quickly.”

🌿But soon Jesus WILL come with victory and will reign in absolute recognized authority, upholding truth and immediate justice. 🎵And this our plea: forever be Lord Jesus our only Truth.

When You're Broken

Y’all. I snapped at kids before dinner last night. There were many factors including too much screen time, miscommunication, unmet expectations, and the natural wild noisy chaos of having children.

🌿But NONE of those aspects stripped me of that which Jesus has created me for. None of those stole my salvation, or even my sanctification. Absolutely none of those aspects had any bearing on my worth and value, or my ultimate purpose to glorify God.

🌿And yet I allowed momentary inconveniences to overshadow my eternal calling.

🌿I’m no longer #OnlyHuman. I have been infused by the Holy Spirit, covered in the power of Christ, and I have the absolute promise that God is faithful, and will not let me be tempted beyond my ability, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape. (1Cor 10:13).

🌿But 𝐈 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 “𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭,” pushed aside the ever-ready offer of heavenly peace, and caused the image bearers of God—whom He has commissioned me to safeguard—to be wounded by my frustrated words, rather than for them to see Jesus in me.

🌿Yes, all mothers get frustrated. All children can be annoying at times. People get tired and respond irrationally. I understand that. Yet if I use those aspects of humanity as excuses for why my old self suffocated my reflection of Christ, I have in effect crucified Jesus all over again for that which He already paid.

🌿𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐠𝐨 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞? 𝐓𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬. 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬. Not for forgiveness, as my sins were paid for long ago. But to confess, expressing sorrow over my sin, with my heart’s prayer agreeing with God about who I am, who He is, and who He has called me to be.

🌿And then to the little ones I sinned against. To reflect Jesus to them in the way I pursue unity, and peace with humility.

🌿And then I go to my circumstances and make some changes. I must re-order my day to negate similar contexts in which it is so easy to fall into this sin again. I must communicate clearly the areas in which I need assistance. And I must pray all the more fiercely for the preemptive grace to see a the route of escape alongside the coming temptation, and humility to take the righteous path.

🌿And right now that looks like a mommy timeout, and extra kisses at bedtime.

🌿𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐎𝐊 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧, 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞.

🌿And so, my friends, I wish to share my brokenness with you, in hopes that it would lead you to know God more, as that is what His sovereignty has done for me.❤️