Facing Trials Part 1

Trials. This topic has been on my mind lately as I'm facing some biggies currently and it is a common word used in our Christian circles. We all go through them....big, small, medium....painful, not so painful, confusing....some are concrete, others more abstract....whatever it may be, as Christians we most likely know we'll face them at some point in time. Ugh. Just the thought of trials makes my heart feel heavy and stressed. But what does the Bible say about trials? Be stressed and upset? Cry and complain about them? Give up and feel sorry for yourself? Those of you that have read the Bible much at all should be almost laughing at this point, because that is definitely NOT what the Bible says about trials. The Bible actually takes a much different stance on trials:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." -James 1:2-3

PURE joy. Not just joy...not a little joy...not joy in a few things....but PURE joy. Other translations say "count it all joy" (ESV, KJV) or "great joy" (Holman Christian Standard) or "nothing but joy" (NET Bible). Furthermore, God is calling us to have complete joy when we are going through trials, of all sorts! It doesn't matter whether you failed a class, wrecked your car, are going through a breakup, lost a loved one, lost a job, are being persecuted for your faith, whatever! Ok wait, let me get this straight...you want me to have COMPLETE JOY when I'm SUFFERING?!? I don't get it...this just doesn't fit with my westernized way of thinking. Stephanie, I'm looking for the American dream, not sorrow. Well let's break this down...

1. Joy vs. Happiness

First things first, let's confront a common misconception. Many people, when they read that verse, mentally substitute happiness for joy. That seems harmless enough, right? I mean, in our culture we often use them interchangeably. But just because we do that does not mean we should. In fact, these two words have a slightly different meaning....and if God had wanted to refer to happiness, you better believe He would have done so. One source I found defined the difference well: "In order to understand the lifestyle God desires for us, we need to know the difference between joy and happiness. Both can be defined as gladness, delight, and pleasure in something, but happiness has an external cause. When circumstances are favorable and delightful, we are naturally happy, but when events take a downward turn, so do our spirits. Joy, on the other hand, has an internal cause and is not dependent upon outside conditions. As believers, we can keep our contentment in good times and bad because our delight is in the Lord, not in our fluctuating circumstances. (http://www.intouch.org/magazine/content/topic/the_empowering_emotion_of_joy#.VI5xGXufJWM)." Another source puts it this way: "Happiness tends to be fleeting and depends upon temporal factors like circumstances or other people. Joy, on the other hand, is true contentment that comes from internal factors like our faith in the Lord. True joy is everlasting and not dependent upon circumstances. (http://www.gotquestions.org/joy-happiness.html)." Very similar words....very different meanings.  

In James 1, God is calling us to have joy, not happiness. I believe He wants us to be happy, what father wouldn't want his children to be happy?? But that's not what He's asking from us in these verses. Instead, He's telling us to have 100% joy despite the circumstances, which is much deeper than a fleeting feeling of happiness. 

2. When?

Ok....I get the difference between joy and happiness, but God really wants me to have that pure, unadulterated joy when I'm facing trials?!? Yes! You got it!! It's easy to have joy when things are good...you know, when things seem perfect with that boyfriend/girlfriend, you get that promotion at work, you pass a certification exam...those things are great and make us feel good. But what happens when you break up with that boyfriend/girlfriend, or lose that job, or fail that exam? What then? That's right...have pure joy. All these things are trials....things that God uses to test our faith and ultimately bring us closer to Him. (*Disclaimer*: Some hard times in our lives are simply consequences for things we've done in our past or a result of sin in the world. However, God can use even those situations to help us grow in Him. So I think it's safe to say we should have joy in those circumstances as well. :) Furthermore, have you ever considered that God just MIGHT have something better for you in mind? Sure, that boyfriend/girlfriend may have been an amazing Godly person....but there are a lot of those individuals in the world! God may have a much better fit for you in store. Heck, I don't know, only God can see that bigger picture! Or what about that job or certification exam? Maybe He has a better job? Or a better career for you? Something in which you can better serve Him? Only He can see that bigger picture of His plan...the plan that He's working out for His glory. We just gotta have faith, trust Him, and follow His leading. 


Such a simple verse...but so much meat to it! It completely goes against much of our American culture. Next time you're going through a trial, step back, take a deep breath, and think on this verse. Yes, it might be a horribly awful situation...but our heavenly Father has called us to have joy, even in those circumstances. We've looked at verse 2 telling us the what and when, but next time we'll take a look at verse 3, the why. And no, the why is not just "because God said so"...although I'd say that's still a pretty good reason ;)

Alone?

Thank you Father for never leaving me or forsaking me!

Being an only child, there are many times I feel alone. Sure, I have friends, great friends! And my parents? Yea, they're pretty amazing too! While I know not every sibling relationship is strong...I find myself envying those with that intimate lasting sibling connection, especially when going through trials. Someone to be there for you in a way no one else can, or check in on you often. Friends get married or move away and my folks...well, who knows how long they'll be here. But is it right for me to envy? Of corse not! I am blessed with amazing friends and family, yet I still yearn for more.

 

Hmm....I wonder what God thinks of that yearning?? Exactly, His heart probably hurts to hear that...because only HE can fill that need. And He does!! Holy cow, does He ever. What a huge blessing and weight lifted from my shoulders to know that the God of the UNIVERSE is yearning to fill that need in my little insignificant life. No matter how far friends go, or busy they get with families....or my own family starts to fade...He is always with me, right by my side...no matter what obstacle I may be facing. Not only is He there, but He will be helping me through it! I don't know about you, but that gets me seriously excited!

I know I'm probably not alone (no pun intended) in feeling alone at times...especially during the holiday season. But we can all find hope in God's promises that He will always be with us..."Come near to God and He will come near to you (James 4:8)." Here's just a few Bible verses for encouragement:

Deuteronomy 31:8: The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

Joshua 1:9: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go

Matthew 28:20b:  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age

Isaiah 41:10-13: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you

Proverbs 1:33: But whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster

Genesis 28:15: Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you

Psalm 46:1: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Mosaic of life

Thank you Jesus for the freedom to openly attend church and for the blessing of a Christ centered, loving church.

My church is a little unique in that our first service is a time of open sharing. One man starts with a short devotional and then the floor is open to whoever wants to share what God has put on their hearts, Bible verses, prayer, encouraging words, or song requests. A theme that began the service today and then was intertwined throughout was that of trials. Now this perfectly fit a story I wanted to share! But as many people wanted to contribute and I am not a fan of the spotlight...the service came and went without any movement from my safe place in the church pew. Hmm....good thing I have plenty of time and courage to share here. :)

A few weeks ago I was listening to a Focus on the Family radio broadcast. The man speaking had been born with Cerebral Palsy. (For those that do not know much about this disorder, it is a non-progressive neurological disorder occurring at birth that can cause a varying degree of muscle coordination impairments, affecting both gross and fine motor movements. Thus, impairments may be barely visible or may result in an individual being completely unable to care for himself.) I do not remember the specifics of this man's impairments, but many "normal" daily activities were not so easy for him. While many kids had goals of making a sports team or being in a dance recital, he was working towards independently cleaning himself up after using the bathroom. He was made fun of daily, not only as a child, but even on his college campus. He never understood why he had to go through this, but he never gave up and continued to be the best he could be...not only for himself, but more so for God. Until one day he was at his wits end...unsure of the purpose of this life he had to lead. Looking over he saw a BEAUTIFUL mosaic. Wow, if only my life could look like that. Taking a closer look, the mosaic was made of hundreds of tiny pieces of material....hmm, each of those pieces really aren't that pretty, in fact, they are kinda ugly! But when pieced together by a talented artist, wow! All of a sudden a breath taking picture is revealed from those tiny ugly pieces of material. The speaker then realized that this was just like his life....lots of ugly stories being pieced together by an awesome (the BEST!) artist. He alone could take all those hideous stories, sins, trials, etc and put them together to create something amazing. One way (along with many others) God was doing that in this man's life, was giving him a touching story in which to encourage others. This was actually a blessing...not a curse.

Man did that speak to me!! Such a great tale and one that I could apply to my story. But as life would have it, that story inevitably went on the back burner of my mind. A week or two ago at church, while sitting in the first service and listening to all the encouraging words and prayers of my brothers and sisters....I sat there distraught. "God, I want to a clean slate! There are so many ugly parts of my life...times when I was far from you, blatantly ignored you, or was faced with some sort of trial....I want a fresh start, please Lord, take it all away!" Well, of course I knew my past could not be changed....but I was just so sick of the sins of my past and the trials I was currently facing, can't you just get rid of them?! And just like that I heard Him softly remind me "Stephanie, I am God! I can use all those hideously ugly pieces to make something beautiful. And I am doing that! Yes, there will be consequences to your sins, but I can (and will!) still use all those things (even the consequences) to make something beautiful." He went on to remind me of that radio broadcast....telling me He could make a gorgeous mosaic out of my much less than perfect life, taking those broken pieces and gently putting them together to create a whole masterpiece. 

My life is far....FAR...from perfect. In fact, there are many parts of my life I honestly wish I could forget, as I know they bring tears to my heavenly Father's eyes. But not only has He completely forgiven me, He is using those segments of my life to teach me and mold me into the woman He wants me to be! Ok, that's seriously incredible. While thinking about all of this, I was reminded of a passage that I absolutely love, "He has made everything beautiful in it's time (Ecclesiastes 3:11)." He is using all those dark and ugly times in my life to make me beautiful. Yes, it may be hard and even painful (very painful!) at times, but He is taking each situation in my life and using it to scrape off the rough edges of who I am. Making me smooth and lovely, presentable to Him one day. Even in my short life, I can definitely look back and see ways He has already been doing this! He's still got a million miles to go on my life, but it's so encouraging to see those tiny pieces coming together to glorify Him. Man, do we have an awesome God or what?!?!

The fulfillment of the OT in the NT

I am so thankful for the privilege to freely listen to teachings any time and anywhere! Today's sermon via podcast was from Alistair Begg. Great Scottish accent, yet even wiser words to be heard. :) It was part 2 of a 2 part series in preparation for Christmas. The part that really stuck out to me from this segment....was a quote from Griffith Thomas concerning the Old Testament: "It is a book of unfulfilled prophecies, unexplained ceremonies, and unsatisfied longings...all of which are resolved in the New Testament's focus on Jesus Christ, who fulfills in His life the prophecies, explains in His death the ceremonies, and satisfies in His resurrection the longings." Wow! I love that! If any unbeliever were just to take the Old Testament...some may think Christians are a bunch of crazy, ritualistic, legalistic weirdos without a cause (depending on where they look!). BUT combine the inspired words of the OT with those of the New? Holy cow! It all makes sense now. What's even more amazing is how God had all that planned out before time began. All the prophecies, all the ceremonies, and all the longings had their place and would be made complete in the gift of Jesus Christ, God's son.

I can't imagine living in OT times with all these incomplete things...yet there was so much faith demonstrated throughout the OT. How inspiring! And then jumping to the NT...where there was so much excitement with the fulfillment of the OT words that many knew well. Yet so many were blinded to the truth...or simply chose not to believe it (but that could be a whole other topic!). But what a blessing that we, in current times, have the Old and New Testament together. The WHOLE BIBLE in one book! So while things may seem confusing, we can study His word and find the answer. Praise God for His inspired words to us :)

Here I am Lord

While listening to the radio on the way to work yesterday morning, a little devotional was shared that I really appreciated. The speaker was talking about preparing our hearts for Christmas and being ready for whatever God has planned for us. She read from the book of Luke, chapter 1. The part she focused in on was when the angel appeared to Mary and told her she was going to have a Son and that He would be the Son of God. Can you imagine, a young, unmarried, virgin girl being told she's about to have a baby! While having a baby is a super exciting event, the situation as a whole must have been very scary and intimidating to her. Although she was engaged to be married, becoming pregnant before the wedding day could mean losing her soon to be husband. Would he still want to marry her? What would happen if he didn't? Would this young teen girl be left to fend for herself with a newborn baby? How could she raise him alone? These are just a few of the numerous questions that would pop into my mind in that scenario....but Mary's response was perfect and showed her faith: "'I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered, "May your word to me be fulfilled."' Wow! She didn't start pouring out questions/fear/concerns...she simply said ok. Ok God, let it be as you say. I'd like to think I have a faith like that, but if I'm completely honest with myself...I can tell you flat out that's not the case. But this is an area in which I'm trying to improve. As a Christian, I am a servant of the Lord, here to do His will, not my own. "Many are the plans of a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." (Proverbs 19:21).

I absolutely LOVE Mary's readiness and openness to do whatever God asks, no matter how preposterous or scary it may seem. She humbled herself to His will because she knew He had a plan and she desired His purpose to prevail. How cool is that. And look at the book of Isaiah! "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here I am, send me!'" (Isaiah 6:8). In 1 Samuel it is written "Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, 'Here I am'." I desperately want that kind of faith. But so often I find excuses, big and small (I'm too busy, that's too hard, I don't want to, I have other plans, I'm not smart/strong/skilled enough, etc). Many times I don't even realize I'm making the excuse until it's too late. Little by little I am getting better at this. But I pray one day my response may be a quick and solid "Here I am Lord, send me"

                                                 

                                                                                                        (LOVE this song! <3 )

Voice of Truth 2

After writing my last post inspired by the song "Voice of Truth", I stumbled across this video. I thought it was pretty cool and thought you may like it as well.

Voice of Truth

I am so thankful for God's Word, it brings LIFE and HEALING. It is full of truth and quickly dispels any lies Satan eagerly tries to whisper to our hearts. He is always waiting, always searching, for ANY opportunity to slip us some kind of  deceptive poison. 1 Peter describes it well, as he says, "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8, italics mine). Yikes! Since we do not readily see or hear the devil, it is very easy for us to minimize his presence in the world (especially in our lives), despite the pain and suffering we see all around us. But Peter refers to him as a ROARING LION, PROWLING around looking for someone to DEVOUR!! While at first glance that may seem overwhelmingly scary (I wouldn't want to meet a hungry lion anywhere!), we can find strength in the book of James: "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7, italics mine). He will FLEE from you. The big, hungry, prowling, roaring lion will FLEE from YOU! Miriam-Webster defines the word "flee" as follows: "To run away from danger or evil", "To hurry to a place of security", "To pass away swiftly." Once he sees the spirit living in you as a Christian, he's gonna skedaddle! Going back to James, God calls us to 1. submit to Him and 2. resist the devil. It is important not to separate the two! For it is only due to the Holy Spirit living inside of us that we are able to resist Satan and cause him to swiftly run away from danger to a secure place.

Having the Holy Spirit living inside of us is the primary defense we have against Satan. However, if we are not actively seeking God or just not as close to Him as we should be, it's easy to let those lies slip in here and there. Believe me, I've been there! It can be ever so dangerously subtle and will most likely come from the most unexpected place. So "be on your guard; stand firm in the faith (1 Corinthians 16:13)." Ok....be on my guard and stand firm...I think I can do that! Oh be careful my friend, because many of us think we can do this on our own, and that's exactly where Satan wants us. It is only through CHRIST we can succeed in this. We must seek His truth in the Word He gave us."I can do all things through HIM who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13)

Psalm 119:11: "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

Ephesians 6:11-17: "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Last but not least, I want to share a song that I absolutely love! It is the reason for the title and part of the inspiration for this post. It is entitled "Voice of Truth" and is by the band Casting Crowns. God uses music in a special way in my heart and is constantly speaking to me through the words he has fed others in writing these songs. Enjoy! 

Prayer

Thank you so much to those who have checked out my blog! I appreciate it and truly hope it can be an encouragement to you in some way. Before I get too carried away with posts, I would like to ask each of you to say a prayer for me as I set out on this blog journey. It is something that God has put on my heart, but I tend to be a very quiet and timid person...someone who doesn't like to rock the boat. While I don't think many of my posts will make huge waves, speaking my mind can be intimidating for me at times. But God has been teaching me that He has given me my voice for a reason and that I do have something to share. I feel I don't have much to offer, as I am young and not an educated theologian, but I will give Him whatever I can and share whatever He puts on my heart. Above all, my first prayer is that this blog truly is all about HIM, pointing to Him and His glory in everything that is shared....that He would genuinely be the inspiration and voice behind all shared. He is my Lord and Savior, I would have nothing without Him.

Philippians 4:6

One day at a time

Just like every other American, I am always on the run! Full time job (for which I commute 1.5 hours per day!), active in my church, exercise regularly, spend time with family and friends....run run run. But with a recent break up leaving me with new found time, I have LOTS of plans, ideas, ways to serve Christ! It's so exciting!! (Just to clarify, I was not excited about the break up, but how I could use the time to serve Christ :) In fact, it's so exciting that I tend to get carried away and jump from one idea to another, without letting them reach their full potential. "I feel called to work with college students. Well surely God would rather me do work with highschoolers! Oh, or what about little kids, they're so cute!! Can't forget Habitat for Humanity. I love missions, maybe I should be a missionary to China?!?" You get the idea...and I'm sure many of you (especially women since we tend to be more "spaghetti brained") can relate. Well I think God had enough of this crazy thinking cycle (I can just see Him thinking, "women" while shaking His head). Today at church I felt God whisper to my heart, "breathe my child...take it one day at a time." Breathe?? But there's no time! I want to serve you to the best of my ability and be everything you created me to be and...."no my child, just breathe. Just take one day." ....wow, He's right...yes yes, He's God, of course He is! But seriously, all these ways I want to serve Him are great! However, it all starts with today....how can I show His love and praise Him and serve Him TODAY. Not tomorrow, or the next day, or next week...or even next year...but today. Yes, He may lead me into some of those amazing ministries I've fallen in love with, but I need to remember to step back, honor Him TODAY, and let Him guide my steps after that. "...not my will, but YOURS be done" (Luke 22:42).

"The heart of man plans his ways, but the Lord establishes his steps" -Prov 16:9

"We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work" -John 9:4

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." -Prov 3:5-6

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." -Prov 19:21

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own." -Matt 6:34

About Me

Hello all! My name is Stephanie and I am a born again Christian. I'm not an excellent writer, profound speaker, sharp-witted debator or an acknowledged teacher...rather I am simply a humble servant of Christ, joyfully proclaiming the good news and anxiously pleading with my fellow man to turn to Christ as Lord and Savior. I'm nothing special...just your typical small town girl...what makes me "special is the signature of God on [my] life" (Max Lucado).

I'm not here to wave a giant Bible in your face or tell you what a horrible sinner you are...instead I just want to share whatever God puts on my heart with others, whether you're a fellow believer or have never heard the name Jesus before in your life. This blog is not about me, but all about Him.