Time with God - January 27, 2017
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
What is the outcome in my life?
God’s voice doesn’t always come to us the way we want it; sometimes he teaches us our greatest lessons through the most difficult experiences of our lives!
Satan wants you to live for today, to pursue instant gratification, to escape from trials. God wants you to live for eternity, to pursue godliness, and to grow to spiritual maturity through trials.
What’s the outcome of your living for today? It means your spiritual life remains shallow, and you’ll miss some of the greatest spiritual growth that God offers (Phil 3:10-12). It means that you’ll only focus on the parts of Scripture that promise God’s blessing through prosperity and health. It means that your faith will be in danger of collapse when God brings you into times of trial, because trials won’t fit into your view of God.
What’s the outcome of living for eternity? It means that you’ll see the spiritual blessing that lies behind trials (2 Cor. 4:17). And you’ll look for how God wants to grow you through those hard times (Psalm 119:71). Instead of your faith being weakened by pain, it will grow as you meet God there!
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