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
