I have been going through the ringer in every way lately...
...So believe it or not, rejoice in these things happening to you....
REJOICE?!? Really? A brother's peace is under siege and we say,
"Rejoice."
Christians and trials! You can't live without them
(at least not yet anyway).
And it's true too. Trials come. What's a poor fellow to do? Count it all joy, that's what. Consider it that way; as your
chiefest source of joy! God told us (through our brother, James) just exactly what to do. We are to reckon it as joy. And to do this, I would invite you to transport yourself
(in your mind, in your spirit?) to that place in the heavenliest where you are being called. Go there before you get there. Imagine yourself with your Father
(in Heaven) and then... here comes a little bird to ask a simple question:
"Christian! Looking back on your brief life (our lives were like grass), but looking back and recalling all things that happened, what would you say, more than anything else, happened to you that you are most thankful for?"
You ponder for only a second before answering,
"It was my trials."
Even though we would be on the same page I would prompt you to tell me more.
"YES! 'It was my trials,' I say," you assure me as you quote yourself from a moment ago.
You become more and more enthusiastic as you assure me of the truth,
"they were indeed my chiefest source of joy!"
Now, I look into your twinkling eyes and I notice a sparkle that wasn't there a moment ago,
"Tell me more, please," I say, encouragingly.
"Our Father never promised that the love He gave would not be tested, but He was there with me every step. I heard him prompt me to ask for a stronger back instead of a lighter load. He is so faithful!" "Both the WILL -and- The Way to Accomplish HIS WILL was put into me."
Count it all joy, reckon it, think about it as your chiefest source of JOY, brethren, when you fall into (not through any fault of your own,
but fall into, oopsie!) diverse and differing kinds trials, knowing this:
(again, in your mind) know this: that the trial of your faith,
(your God-Trust) produces
Endurance. Then it's just a matter of letting Y
OUR God-given-Endurance
*patience* have its way --no work needed, and you are perfect (matured) and complete, lacking nothing.
"LACKING NOTHING."
God-Trust (faith) +
Endurance (patience) ==
Ascendance to HIM.
BOOM!
_____________________________________________
Complete change of subject (kind of):
Have you heard about how the famous sports guys are hiring sports psychologists to help them win games? I mean, the athletes have millions of bucks to spend, so why not? One of the things that I heard is that the athlete will be instructed to lay down in the middle of a very dark room, and to lay there on the floor, face up -- while the psychologist shines lights (laser show) onto the ceiling. And the athlete is told to keep his/her eyes focused on the light square in the middle.
"Do not look away from the square," comes the command.
So, there he/she is. Laying face up with eyes fixed on a light square in a dark room as hundreds of dollars are being drained from their bank accounts for this "service" (so-called). But then the light starts varying in intensity and the athlete needs to start concentrating in order to remain properly focused. But focus is their forté, so to them? It's no big deal.
That's when it starts getting more interesting. They are told to stay their eye. To focus. But way over there, in the corner of the room and still on the ceiling, are words being flashed. The athlete has to keep his/her eye focused on the center box while learning to read with their peripheral vision. Out of the corner of their eye they are given other familiar instructions about their sport of choice.
They are being trained to have a split focus, but a single mind. They are singlemindedly focused on the target center square and I'm here to tell you that the target center square is our G
OD T
RUST, even, and maybe especially, as it comes under trial. Count it all joy, brethren! Count it all JOY.
