It seems a common theme in scripture to find people under great pressure and up against tough challenges. Through these situations it appears that these are the people who are closest to God. They are the ones who are most centered around His will for their lives. Interesting when you consider what is common in the world today. It seems we are allergic to being in such positions of difficulty. We work hard to not find ourselves stretched out of our comfort zones. We think poorly of these situations. We are even counseled by religious rhetoric that if we are in such positions, we are actually out of the will of God and/or have sinned ourselves into a poor position. They would say that things have to look as if they were prosperous and thriving to be called "blessed". How dare them! It is as if they stand in the face of God, and mock His orchestrations of the miraculous, the incredible, the life changing.
I remember from school how in Geology we studied metamorphic rocks. Buried deep beneath the Earth's surface, a rock undergoes intense pressure, heat, and movement, until it is completely changed in nature. How bout that? I thing our Creator uses that same design for our lives and that is when we might find ourselves closest to God and right in the center of His will for Him to get the glory.
I also remember going through a great time of distress in dealing with my dad's illness. It was a time and a process of emptying me of myself until I was more totally dependent on God, living by active faith, and constantly crying out to God. When the pressure was lifted, I stood, as if looking back, and almost missed being in the storm! What? Yeah! It was in that time, that I truly engaged all of my strength, mind, and soul in faith for our Lord and Saviour, counting on Him to be all He said He is. That engagement of battle is one true thing we were created for. It makes worldly engagements of strength an abomination in comparison. I remember sex being taught as a picture of this. A man is designed to offer his strength to his wife as she invites him inside of her. When he offers his strength to someone outside of the marriage covenant, he is in the wrong. What other idolaterous acts do I engage my strength that are in the wrong? What things do I put above my relationship with the Lord?
How badly do I want to be a disciple? I think the Lord simply wants my devotion. He wants my heart in the right place. It's not about how successful I am or how masterful I am in certain areas. He will bring me along. He wants all of me. He wants me to give of myself completely. It is when I do that repeatedly, that I will continue to see Him slowly changing me, through pressure, and my success will look different next year, and the next, and the next...
How can someone say that this ministry is dead and not blessed by God? They base this judgment purely on numbers! How many people would it take for them to judge that we are in His will and God is in this? Seven? Twelve? Twenty two? Two hundred? It doesn't make sense. He started this ministry for the intent for His people to come into a more close relationship with Himself and to change them into all they can be, thus changing the world. We are about that for sure, and we will continue to take His messages out into the world, whether they attend the fellowship or not, for He is not bound by times, numbers, or places. We will continue to seek Him and help each other along that path, constantly reminding each other of how great a love the Father has for us. If it is the Lord's will, we will seek the study of Wayne Jacobsen's book, "He Loves Me" as a tool for writing this on our hearts. May God get the glory.
It seems a common theme in scripture to find people under great pressure and up against tough challenges. Through these situations it appears that these are the people who are closest to God. They are the ones who are most centered around His will for their lives. Interesting when you consider what is common in the world today. It seems we are allergic to being in such positions of difficulty. We work hard to not find ourselves stretched out of our comfort zones. We think poorly of these situations. We are even counseled by religious rhetoric that if we are in such positions, we are actually out of the will of God and/or have sinned ourselves into a poor position. They would say that things have to look as if they were prosperous and thriving to be called "blessed". How dare them! It is as if they stand in the face of God, and mock His orchestrations of the miraculous, the incredible, the life changing.