Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Learning to Look Beyond

The lessons God is speaking to me through the Holy Spirit have to do with courage and joy....possibly because, in the flesh, my norm would be fear and a bent towards being critical. In my daily quiet times, I've been reading 2 chapters in the Pentateuch, 1 chapter of Poetry/Wisdom lit, 1 chapter in the Gospels and 1 in the Epistles. Courage, surrender, joy - woven throughout all my readings.

Romans 5:1 - 12. I'm instructed to exult in the hope of God - the grace in which I stand, in the reconciliation God provides, but in between those two - "exult in tribulation." I'm told in James 1:2 - to "Choose joy when I encounter various trials...."

But HOW????

"Just do it," doesn't offer much practical help.

First - though many translations translate "exult" as rejoice or joy - it is NOT the word for rejoice or joy - it means to boast, glory, exult - confident joy comes close.*

I'm still questioning. HOW do I exult in tribulations. I find the start of an answer in the rest of the verses.....
"And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, ..." Romans 5:3-5a
HOW do we glory, boast, exhibit confident joy in the middle of tribulations, afflictions, trials?

We LOOK BEYOND!

I'm not psychotic. I don't love the pain. I do love to see God at work. I see Him pruning, maintaining, growing my faith. I know He redeems the pain. He is good. He will accomplish good. IF I  LOOK BEYOND the confusion, the uncertainty, the grief of lost dreams.

I focus beyond - to the perseverance He is building into my life. Hupomeno - the same word used in James 1 and translated as patience or endurance.  This is the ability to stand up under pressure. To bear up, endure, circumstances and things. This hupomeno, built into my life as I choose joy and exhibit confidence, will not allow me to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trails. It allows me to be patient, to persevere, to be constant and confident in pain.** (Irony - endurance/hupomeno was my one word in 2014 and I couldn't definitively settle on a new word for 2015 - He wasn't done teaching.)

I asked God to make me strong in faith, able to stand in the fire or the lion's den. I asked for growing faith as we transitioned from military ministry to ministry in the civilian sphere.  I suspect this type of enduring faith is only forged in the furnace. It takes trials to grow. I asked for this - though I certainly didn't think I asked for it. ::snort::  In fact, I've been telling God, "I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS" and only recently realized I certainly did ask for this. Endurance is built into  my life as I learn to LOOK BEYOND. 


God is working beyond the trial, the pain, the un-fullfilled dreams, fear and way-laid plans. His work is good. It begins with this perseverance and continues to produce proven character and hope - which never disappoints.  This perseverance, we are in told in James 1:4, results in a mature faith. The very thing my heart desires.

I don't  know that this is the full answer. I do know if I focus on the loss, uncertainty, strange symptoms Michael is fighting,  and craziness of this season I am overwhelmed each-and-every-time!

Did you catch  perseverance does not allow one to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trails? I must LOOK BEYOND and choose confident joy in the face of the trial - and I will NOT surrender or succumb to the trial. By LOOKING BEYOND I surrender to the work and purposes of a good and loving God. 


*exult - 2744 Kauchaomai

**perseverance - 5281 Hupomeno

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been on a similar path for exactly nine years (husband got diagnosis in Nov. 2006). Some of what I've seen is God moving to make us more reliant on Him, rather than our plans. HE is our hope, our future--anything else we wished for later in life is nothing, I'm always thankful for that reminder. I have a better grasp on life here being short, and how different eternity will be. Sometimes I get can still get sad for my kids, that they've missed out on a healthy dad, but that's short lived when I recall all the blessings that have come. A life lived differently in the face of an unknown future . . .

Nine years ago, we wondered how things would be in five years, ten years. And here we are. Different than our plans, but so blessed.

K. (to keep a bit of privacy)

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Thanks for the encouragement, K. We're still in the "What in the WORLD is this going to look like in 5 years, 10 years, 15 years...." phase. I suspect if we simply live a day at a time - we'll be surprised what it all looks like.

Trying not to let being "realistic" about the future rob us of joy in the present.

Anonymous said...

Sis: Well Said! Have nothing to add but certainly am praying for you. Dad also prays for you all. So glad he hasn't changed much when it comes to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. PTL for Jesus. l/p Mom t.