Can we be happy in our trials?
“What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?” (Job 7:17-18)...
We often look at our trials and struggles from an earthly and selfish perspective.. But what about from God's point of view? The Father is in the process of magnifying us as the bride of His Son, Jesus. He has set His heart upon us! But in order for this to happen, He visits us every morning, and tries us every moment. We know that it was when the people endured this process, from blessing to cursing, that the Lord separated the tribe of Levi (Deut 10:6-9), typical of the bride of Christ. He blesses us and deals with us because He is building the image of Jesus inside of us. It can be dirty work!
However, this is why we can glory in tribulations. “… we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope” (Rom 5:3-4). The word for “experience” here means, “approved and tried character”. This is the path to "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:27). There are no shortcuts.
From the testimony of Scripture, we know that eventually our tribulation will birth in us the character of Jesus (Ps 17:15; Job 19:26; 1 Jn 3:2-3; Isa 4:4; Zech 13:9; Matt 3:10-12; etc). Dear reader, of this we can be certain, for "He is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap..." (Mal 3:2-3). Therefore, we don’t have to be in utter anguish over our trials and tribulation, as Job was. We need to learn from his mistakes. Rather, let's realize that God has set His heart upon us! We are marked men and women! Be happy; be grateful! “What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?” (Job 7:17-18)
I’ve often asked myself and the Lord, “why can’t the fire of God just swoop down and immediately consume every part of me that isn’t pleasing to Jesus? Wouldn't that be a bit easier?” And slowly but surely, the Holy Spirit has answered me in my ignorance...
First and foremost, if we are going to be like Jesus, and have the ministry of Jesus towards the earth (Rom 8:18-20), then we too must, as Jesus was, be fully acquainted with human suffering, and overcome it. This "reckoning" was the reason why He became a man in the first place: “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, [in order] that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Heb 2:17). Therefore, our ministry of glory will only likewise increase as we suffer through the purging hand of God. We want so bad to be in Jesus' image, but often forget what that image entailed.. how did Jesus attain to such glory? Philippians tells us His glorious exaltation was a direct result of His humbled life and defeated carnality (Phil 2:5-11). He was glorified because He overcame: "[Jesus] being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name" (Phil 2:8-9). Why do we expect it to be any different in our own lives? The divine dealings that our Lord faced on a daily basis slowly enabled Him to become acquainted with His partner for eternity! It made Him a perfect vessel of reconciliation... And this will be the mode of our coming ministry too: "[God] hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation" (2 Cor 5:19).
Can we likewise surrender to the hand of God, His divine dealings, and His sovereign judgments? One sign of a spiritually mature man or woman is someone who can recognize these trials and be truly grateful for that which is perfecting and enabling our coming eternal union with the bridegroom (Rom 5:3-4; Col 1:27)! "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you" (1 Pet 5:10). What's more is that we will also be fully acquainted with the glory of God. We will, as Jesus, be fully introduced to our divine side and our human side, not only the dealings of God, but thankfully, the blessings of God too: a perfect ministry of the overcoming saint!
I stopped asking the Lord to deliver me from this and that, and don’t get me wrong, that has its place. But we need to understand that the work God is doing inside of us is far greater than anything we could ever ask for. Those details will be taken care of. I actually found myself grateful for the struggles I have endured (and do endure) because I loved Jesus all the more! I wouldn’t trade that for the world! I want to be an overcomer, but in order for that to happen I must overcome something.
So let us ask again... can we be happy in our trials? Yes we can! "The trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Pet 1:7-8).
No comments:
Post a Comment