Words
to Live By
1-
In our troubles and
sorrows and “low times” of our life, God is using them to
accomplish His will and change our character and spiritual condition.
He is making us more like
Christ. (Romans 8:29) One
of my favorite verses is
2 Corinthians 4:17 (KJV) “For our light affliction, which is but
for a moment, works
for us
a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory. . . .”
If
it “works for us”, it is doing
something for us; it is accomplishing God's will and we don't always
know what that is, but we do know part of His will is make us more
like Christ and to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives:
“love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control. . . .” Galatians 5:22-23 ESV
2-
Another
very important verse is Romans
8:28 (KJV) “And we know that all things work
together for good
to them that love God, to them who are the called according to
his
purpose.” God takes the “not good” as well as the good and
“works them together for good” for those who know Jesus as
Savior.
3-
Think of the example of Jesus for both of those things. How
terrible His death on the cross was—but it happened within the
sovereign control of God. No one could take His life from Him, but
He laid it down of His own accord because of His great love for us.
John
10:17-18 “. . . I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I
have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This
commandment have I received of my Father.”
Now
think of how much Jesus accomplished by His suffering and death for
us: eternal life for so many people. In a much lesser way some of
our hardships and suffering are accomplishing important things for
others, too. You work very hard to take care of those 3 little boys
but think of how much they need you! A lot of it brings you joy, but
there's also a LOT of very hard work. And when they are older, they
will appreciate what you did for them.
4-
“What shall we then say to these things? If God
be
for us, who
can be
against us?
He
that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how
shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Romans
8:31-32
5-
Faith is simply believing that what God says in His Word is true and
then trusting or depending on the truth of what He said. “So then
faith
comes
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 Think
of the example of Job when all those terrible things happened to him
and yet he believed God was working out His purposes through it all:
“But
he knoweth the way that I take:
when
he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
Job
23:10 And Job said, “Though
he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” Job 13:15 And he also
said, “. . . the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed
be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21 When we don't “see” the
reason for our problems, we can still trust God. That's what faith
is—trusting God when we can't see what He is doing, but knowing
that His purposes are good.
6-
There is a reality to our problems that we don't want to overlook.
And that is that God is with us through it all—AND He promises that
He will not allow
us to be tested beyond what we are able to deal with in His
power--”but will with the [testing] provide a way of escape that
you may be able to bear it.” 1 Cor. 10:13 So there is the reality
that we are going to have many problems: Jesus said, “In the world
you shall have tribulation” but He also added an important second
reality, “but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John
16:33
Jesus’
victory has enormous meaning for our eternal salvation. But think of
all this now as two parts to "realism": first, the
difficulties to be faced and then the provision and strength and
grace that God provides to face those very same difficulties and
sufferings. His redemption is sufficient and His grace is sufficient
and His strength is made perfect in our weakness. 2 Cor. 12:9 If you
focus on the suffering or the problems, you may end up discouraged,
but if you focus on Jesus and His provision to take us through the
suffering, your heart will be glad even in the midst of a great trial
of affliction. You know on whom you must rely, on whom you must
trust–and it’s not yourself. Paul was "under great pressure,
far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
Indeed, in our hearts," he wrote, "we felt the sentence of
death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on
God, who raises the dead." 2 Cor. 1:8-9 NIV
7-
When Satan tries to get us discouraged, we have a promise from God,
“Resist the devil and He will flee from you.” James 4:7 That is
a very big promise and we need to use it.
8-
My daughter Jeannine often tells me to be thankful—and that will
help avoid discouragement. Her grandmother often said that you can't
complain and be thankful at the same time, so be thankful!” That
is an important part of dealing with the difficult, “low” parts
of life. And you know scripture says so many times to be thankful
and content with our lives. That's not always easy so we must work
on it.
9-
It's important, too, to take the long view and realize “the best is
yet to come” when we go to heaven to be with the Lord. Scripture
says, “Set your affections on things above and not on things of
this earth.” Colossians 3:1 When I read Revelation chapters 21-22
it always causes me to rejoice and look forward to heaven.
10-Here
is a wonderful verse to remember: Lamentations 3:32-33 (KJV) “But
though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the
multitude of his mercies.
For
he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.”
11-One
of my favorite promises is Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord: be of
good
courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on
the Lord.” God tells us to
take the courage and strength He has
already given us and use it, depending on Him.
He will then
strengthen our heart to prepare us for the next test. So there is
Comfort
from the strength He gives. We go from “strength to
strength in the Lord.” Psalm 84:7
He puts strength in our souls.
He gives us courage and He gives us strength.
12-
Try to do everything with “gladness of heart” (Acts 2:46-47),
taking what pleasure you can in your work. Of course some things are
drudgery or difficult and not pleasurable, but take pleasure where
you can. Scripture says that God takes pleasure, delight, and
rejoices in the works of His hands. We should, too. Be thankful for
the embellishments and beauty of life even in little things, a
beautiful little flower among the weeds, the flitting of a lovely
graceful butterfly, the birds in the air and their songs. The smile
and excitement of a little child.
13-Take
special care to build friendships and fellowship in the Lord. Our
brothers and sisters in Christ are one of God's most important good
gifts to us.
“That
which we have seen and heard declare we unto you,
that ye also may have fellowship with us:
and truly our fellowship is
with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
And
these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” 1 John
1:3-4 Paul often wrote that he was “refreshed” by seeing and
talking to his brethren. We are told to encourage one another daily.
Heb. 3:13
14-The
mark of the Christian is love—God's love given to us by the Holy
Spirit. Romans 5:5
The evening before He died, Jesus told His disciples, “A new
commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have
loved you, that ye also love one another.
By
this shall all men
know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
John 13:34-35 So we must think of the needs of others and not just
ourselves. “Let
each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the
interests of others.” Phil. 2:4 ESV
One
of the best things we can do is to take our eyes off of ourselves and
our own problems and see what we can do to help others, all the while
looking to Jesus for example and strength. Actually that's the way
to happiness in this fallen world.
15-
“Rejoice
in the Lord alway: and
again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4 because “The joy of the
Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
We
must feed ourselves from God's Word every day for “Man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth
of God.” Mt. 4:4 Jesus Himself said that—quoting the Old
Testament. “Thy
words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the
joy and rejoicing of mine heart. . . .” Jer. 15:16
