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The Value of Trials
By Angela Posey-Arnold
“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.” (James 1:2-9 The Message)
The Message translation helps me to understand Scripture but I always go back to the King James Version because of the beauty of the language. What I do not understand causes a deeper study into each truth, wedging the truth into my heart.
Having recently gone through a horrible trial of life, an earthquake measuring off the Richter scale, a storm making the biggest hurricane seem to me like a gentle breeze, I need this study on the First chapter of James more than anyone.
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But, let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:2-6 NKJV-bold emphasis mine)
James is teaching here early in Chapter one how we can live the Christian life and not be discouraged by trials. We can actually profit from the trials, temptations and attacks on our lives from the world around us. We must be very careful to stay close to Jesus during and after trials and storms. Most times they leave us weak and vulnerable but if we stay close to Jesus we will recognize deceit for what it is and focus on faith building love abiding hope.
Every good and perfect thing, every good thing, comes from God. Trials, temptations, attacks, persecutions are the work of the devil but God will use these things to test our faith and build our character, setting us apart from the things of the world and causing us to be different. God provides everything we need to deal with trials and temptations.
“So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.” (James 1:17 The Message)
His provisions are a like a Christmas gift, wrapped in exquisite gold angel paper and tied with a bright red glitter bow. His children know it when they see it. We can choose to leave it under the tree year after year and doubt there is really anything in the box, or we can tear into it past the lovely coverings and release the faith building power of the gift within.
As we enter into a storm of life our faith is at one level, when we come out it is either wavering or weakened or it is stronger for the wear. We have a choice to be better and stronger Christians or turn from our faith, yield to temptations of the world and let the storm continue to wreak havoc in our lives. I choose the faith route. I choose Jesus.
Because of this gift we open and the faith we desire to allow God to build in us James tells us there are three things we must do. Not conditions of God’s grace, it is free just like the gift of His provision, but these things will make our lives easier and our journey less rocky. The next storm that comes, and it will come, we will be stronger if we be doers of the Word and not just hearers--
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Be Swift to Hear Choosing to open the gift of faith helps us to hear God’s voice. By just opening the package, He instills in our spirit the ability to be alert and sensitive to His voice. With ears of faith we can listen and hear Him over the clamor and evil speaking voices of the world. Holding the gift of God’s love close to our hearts and minds allows us to hear Him above all else. “His sheep follow Him because they know His voice.”(John 10:4 NIV emphasis on Jesus mine)
Hearing His voice above all others removes any doubt and strengthens our faith. We don’t have to worry, fret, and scheme and manipulate to get our own way when we are fully trusting in Him and His leading. Trusting Him and knowing without a shadow of a doubt He is in control is much less tiresome.
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Be Slow To Speak Recently our Pastor taught on this subject. He said, “reckon this is why God created us with two ears and one mouth?” We must choose our words carefully and make sure whatever we say is acceptable to God and ourselves as well. Before we speak if we talk slow enough we have time to ask ourselves if the words we are about to say are going to glorify God, are they going to be helpful or hurtful. We never have to take back something we don’t say.
I read of a Pastor counseling a woman about her gossip problem. He told her to bring a feather pillow for their next session. She brought it and he took her outside, cut the pillow open and instructed her to scatter the feathers until they were all gone from the pillow. Without any further instruction he told her he would see her next week. (She probably spent the next week telling anyone who would listen what the Pastor asked her to do! Can’t you just hear her? “The nerve of that man asking me to throw feathers all over the place, is he crazy? You know I heard he was……” Yep, I can just hear it.)
The next week she returned for her counseling visit and the Pastor told her to go outside and gather every single feather and put it back into the pillow case then they would close the opening in the pillow. The woman couldn’t believe his request, “there is no way I could ever get back all those feathers, they have been scattered everywhere, all over the city, the county and probably even further.
The Pastor replied, “each feather represents a word of gossip, you can’t get those back either. See you next week”.
I think we get the morale of the story but don’t you wonder if she sewed her mouth up or if she continued to cast feathers all over town, causing more damage than a tornado? I hope she got the message and found better ways to use her mouth. Like being encouraging, uplifting, smiling, helping, singing, anything but gossiping.
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Be Slow to Anger This is a good one. Coming out of or being in the middle of a storm in so overwhelming. Myself being on the outside of a recent storm I know how I felt during the storm. I was so angry. I was mad at God, myself, my husband, cancer, doctors and nurses, my family, and anyone else who happened to be in my line of sight.
I was so mad for so long that I could not even look at myself in the mirror. Like I was caught up in a tornado and all the wind was being sucked out of me. I had trouble talking, couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep and I barely could think clear thoughts. When I did have a thought it was an angry one. I tried hard not to talk much because I knew I was so angry there was no telling what would come out of my mouth that I could not take back.
I would try to pray and I couldn’t even pray. I just got on my knees in the chapel and thanked God for the Holy Spirit Who I knew was interceding for me. I thanked Him for my family, church family, and mighty prayer warriors who I knew were praying for me. But, even in thanking Him I was angry. The anger was eating me alive.
Kneeling there in the hospital chapel as my Daddy was quickly dying and my Mother was slowly dying, all of a sudden I felt a strength come over me that I knew I had nothing to do with. At that very moment in time I was smack in the middle of the grace of God, angry or not. I couldn’t move for what seemed like an hour. When I was able to move and think a clear thought, the first thought that entered my mind was, “I’ll never hear the hymn, ‘I Stand Amazed At The Presence’ in the same way again.”
I wanted to call my Pastor and tell him but I looked at my cell phone clock and it was 2AM. I waited and told him later. I wish I could say the anger went away but it didn’t. My Daddy died, and for the next seven weeks my Mother suffered as cancer stole her from me. I was angry. As we placed her earthly body in the ground I was angry. Still unable to eat, sleep, talk or pray the anger continued to swirl me deeper and deeper into a pit.
People came and went, I pretended to be okay. But alone with my husband I was not okay. The anger continued to control my every move. I was so angry I didn’t even realize I was angry. My husband asked me to bring him a wash cloth and I responded in anger. He had been taking the brunt of this monster anger for three months. He reached his limit and with a broken heart said, “Why are you so angry? I don’t even know you anymore. Where is your faith?”
Four weeks after she was gone, thirteen weeks since my Daddy was gone I finally looked at myself in the mirror. I saw an angry bitter old woman who I did not know. Falling to my knees sobbing uncontrollably I could not catch my breath. The only words I could say were, “Oh God, I’m sorry. I am so sorry.” For the first time in months I remembered who I was, I felt my faith surge, my heart filled back up with blood and I actually allowed myself to feel an emotion. For the next thirty minutes I poured my heart out to God.
Then I listened. God showed me the pain I was causing my husband and how it had affected him. And by Sunday of that week we had talked everything out, worked it out and figured out that we might not have it all together but together with Jesus we have it all.
I am still healing, going through the process of grieving, but doing so without anger and with faith and hope that Romans 8:28 really does apply to me too. With the love of my husband and family, the listening ears of lovely precious friends and sisters in Christ, and the understanding grace of an awesome church family, God is bringing beauty from pain and guiding us to our future in Him. Praise God, I’ll never be the same. I am stronger, my faith is deeper and I can truly sing without a doubt, “It Is Well With My Soul”.
Stay tuned for the rest of the study……This storm has passed but there are streams in the desert!
©2010 Angela Posey-Arnold
Master of Disillusions
By Angela Posey-Arnold
“Angela, things are never what they seem”.
Daddy’s words fall out of the blue just when I need them most. My spirit hears him clearly as I face what appear to be giants.
I wish I had a dollar for every time he said those exact words. But, memories in my spirit are worth more than gold! When he went to heaven he left me the priceless inheritance of his wisdom and understanding.
Growing up and especially the last ten years I’ve been hurt and disappointed by many people. For years my first reaction was to cry, allowing my heart to be broken. I would get so upset over something someone did or said, or didn’t do. Daddy would be the first one I talked to.
“Things are never what they seem. Their problems are not your problems. You never know the way things really are for other people.” He would say, so calm and believing.
“But, Daddy they……”, usually the next thing out of my mouth.
“I know it Angela, but things are not what they seem. Now settle down….” His calm, gentle, loving voice could settle me down like no one else.
It worked every time. Amazingly, it still does. Even though he is in heaven I still hear him so clearly.
The last ten years of life’s journey I’ve faced many storms. Very happy times aggressively interrupted by a terrible wreck, an exhausting law suit, family betrayal and loss, death of loved ones, illnesses and pain and most recently the sudden illness and death of both of my parents.
God gently reached down, bringing me safely through each storm, increasing my faith and teaching me how to handle the next storm. Every single time He is faithful to deliver through to the other side where blessing is found if we make the choice to turn to Him.
God sees the other side even when I’m blinded by the dark clouds. Looking back I actually thank God for those storms. Through each one I learned I can thank Him knowing He never leaves or forsakes. When I can’t walk, He carries me. When I can’t pray, the Holy Spirit does.
Because of past circumstances God allowed me to experience Daddy’s strength and wisdom and Momma’s love and prayers. I saw how they handled the explosions in life. All of which I have today to draw from.
They don’t have to fight the battle anymore. As much as my heart aches since they have been gone I am thankful my Daddy does not know about the giants I face now. I am glad my Momma doesn’t worry and cry anymore over the things people do to break your heart.
Me? Well, I’m still on the journey, still facing the tempest of grief, heart break and fiery darts of the devil. Praise God, I am safe, sheltered in His arms, by His amour, surrounded by His angels and drawing wisdom from fifty years of learning from my parents. It is a well I can draw from until my journey is complete.
Daddy’s wisdom and understanding came from God. Now it is my turn to learn and grow in wisdom and understanding. I have asked God for it and He is giving it to me, it is a promise He will keep. Surely I’m not perfect and God isn’t finished with me yet, but I am learning. It is truly amazing to receive grace like that!
I am incredibly grateful for Christian parents and grandparents who talked to me, read to me and taught me. They lived Christian lives before me. It is a priceless treasure. Even when I fell completely off the path in my youth God’s Word remained engraved into my heart and drew me back. No words describe how marvelously indebted I am for His forgiveness and mercy.
Now when I need guidance and answers I know where to look first. I’ve learned and Scripture confirms, answers do not come from talking to everybody I can find about my problems. I can skip over all of that and spare people the anguish of having to politely listen. Doing so is useless and potentially dangerous unless they are walking close to Jesus and have godly advice and counsel to offer.
After my parents died, during a period of intense grief, weak and vulnerable, a fiery dart crashed through my shield of faith, with coordinates set directly to explode on impact with my heart. My initial emotional reaction felt like a wave of heart wrenching pain. I thought I was actually having a heart attack. My heart pounded painfully rapid in my chest my stomach knotted. In the midst of the initial physical and emotional reaction and right before the tears began, I heard in my spirit, “things are not what they seem to be.”
Regaining composure I knew exactly where to go, first on my knees in prayer and then to His Word. Darts like this are a very old tactic the devil uses. He attacks God’s children when they are down. He has been using this one since Job’s time. I spent the rest of the evening reading; fell asleep with my glasses on and the Book of Job open.
I woke early, before dawn, got a cup of coffee and picked up my devotional journal, turning to the new day’s date. The title of the devotional read, “The Teaching of Disillusionment”. I want to share this wisdom with you.
“During the time He was in Jerusalem, those days of the Passover Feast, many people noticed the signs He was displaying and, seeing they pointed straight to God, entrusted their lives to Him. But Jesus didn't entrust His life to them. He knew them inside and out, knew how untrustworthy they were. He didn't need any help in seeing right through them.” (John 2:24-25 The Message—emphasis on deity mine)
“Disillusionment means having no more misconceptions, false impressions, and false judgments in life; it means being free from these deceptions………The disillusionment that comes from God brings us to the point where we see people as they really are, yet without any cynicism or any stinging and bitter criticism. Many of the things in life that inflict the greatest injury, grief or pain, stem from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts, seeing each other as we really are; we are only true to our misconceived ideas of one another. According to our thinking, everything is either delightful or good or it is evil, malicious and cowardly.
Refusing to be disillusioned is the cause of much suffering of human life. And this is how that suffering happens—if we love someone, but do not love God, we demand total perfection and righteousness from that person, and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; yet we are demanding of a human being something which he or she cannot possibly give.
There is only one Being who can completely satisfy to the absolute depth of the hurting human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is so obviously uncompromising with regard to every human relationship becauseHe knows that every relationship that is not based on faithfulness to Himself will end in disaster.
Our Lord trusted no one, and never placed His faith in people, yet He was never suspicious or bitter. Our Lord’s confidence in God, and in what God’s grace could do for anyone, was so perfect that He never despaired, never giving up hope for any person. If our trust, hope and happiness is placed in human beings, we will end up despairing of everyone.
(“My Utmost for His Highest Journal, An updated Edition in Today’s Language. The Golden Book of Oswald Chambers. Discovery House Publishers 1992)
“Things are not what they seem---it is an illusion.”
In God’s perfect grace He put the answer in front of me at four o’clock in the morning. He is so faithful to remind us that He is in control.
I recognized the darts of discouragement; temptation, doubt, worry, jealousy, anger, bitterness, and fear were all an illusion, not what they seemed to be on initial impact.
Preparing breakfast a few hours later I passed by the TV. A commercial for Audi cars caught my attention. The words advertising the car flashed on the screen, “Things are not what they seem.” I could not contain the laughter. I get it. I really, really do.
God is the Master of Disillusionment. His light shines on the path. Turning to Him we can all find the answers. Awesome He is to bring to our remembrance exactly what we need when we need it. Faith, trust and hope grow as we take one more step in the journey we call life.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105 NKJV)
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your Word so clear. I praise You for giving understanding and wisdom to see Your way and knowing where to find answers. I know the adversary takes every opportunity to launch attacks when we are most vulnerable and weak. Thank You for Your grace to teach, Your peace that comforts and Your omnipotence which calms the storm and sets spirits free. In Jesus Name, Amen.
©2010 Angela Posey-Arnold
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