Paul Tripp's thoughts: "The comfort in James 1:2-4 confronts us with what we truly want out of life. There are only two types of motivating hopes. You either hook your hope to a physical, situational life of comfort, success, strength, and pleasure or to a life of rich spiritual awakening, growth, and Godward glory. The Bible presents the second option as not only infinitely more satisfying in the long run but also that for which we were made. Because we were made for it, it does a much better job of satisfying the longing that's in all our hearts. Suffering in the hands of God is a powerful tool of personal growth and transformation. Here's what God does in us through the tool of hardship:
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.
Candy's thoughts: If you've been a CandyceLand reader for any length of time you will know by now that my two favorite modern-day theologians are Nancy Guthrie and Paul David Tripp. Most of you also know that our EPC Women's Bible Study classes this year (maybe 2 or 3 years? 😉) are examining in great detail the book of James. This past weekend, then, there was a melding together of Tripp and James when I resumed reading Tripp's book on suffering. This is an excellent read, one in which Tripp explores the world of pain through the lens of his own terrible physical affliction.
Steve and I were reflecting recently on the personal events of this past year, and we have dubbed 2019 as the year of "sickness and septics." Local folks know that I have struggled with respiratory issues ever since my hospitalization in March; at the same time our house was hit hard by septic issues that required 2 of the very same kind of renovations. While I am just now starting to feel better, and the 2nd home repairs are 90% completed, I can honestly confess that I did not consider either of these challenges as "joyful." I do, however, agree with Tripp that God's goal in our trials is to grow us, transform us, and ultimately complete His work in us.
While I see no evidence yet that #sicknessandseptics have had a positive effect on me (my fault not God's), I hope that in time I will be able to look back and 'count it joy' that God cared enough to move me along toward the goal of 'producing in me what I could have never produced in myself.'
My first thought is Thank you Candy for spurring us on to think about and help each other with trying to understand how we are to consider it "pure joy" when we face trials of many kinds. Like you my response to suffering and difficulties is never "JOY", however it does seem to always appear later once I have come through them and am able to look back and reflect on what just took place.
ReplyDeleteThis is far different than how my life was before I knew Jesus and I had my wonderful sisters & brothers in Christ to lift me up from the slough of Despond. No matter how many "self-help" books I read, no matter what type of mental exercise, or "you deserve it" help I got from my worldly friends I could not climb out of the slippery walls of my own personal pit that I had dug. Sometimes I would work so hard climbing the walls, I would start to see the top where there was daylight and then one small thing would come into my day or night and I would slide down those walls into the muck of self pity once again.
The reason was I had no hope because there is none offered by this world that can satisfy that which God has set a longing in our hearts for, and that is to worship Him, and to love His Son Jesus. Once I found Him my life seemed to matter, I could sing and be glad, I could walk in trouble and still remain standing.
I do find so much joy and resiliency in reading Gods word everyday, my strength is found in Him, my behavior and poor attitude is addressed by the Holy Spirit that indwells me and hope is now my solid ground.
Oh, and that miry pit, one day I walked up to it holding the hand of Jesus, my Savior, and together we filled it, smoothed and leveled it, planted seeds, He watered it, fertilized it and it is now the most beautiful garden sitting on top of my buried and forgotten sins.
That's all for now :-) Debbi
Beautiful testimony!
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