ANY DIFFICULTIES

I believe through experience and trials– difficulties often are meant to bring us into maturity and out of childish bondages.

Consider the way children react; one minute they’re laughing and the next they’re screaming.
*They’re easily hurt and they cry a lot.

In spite of all this, godly parents love and comfort their children through all of life’s experiences.
Likewise, as Christians, we sometimes pout or throw fleshly tantrums when we face difficult times.

We cry, “Okay, God, if that’s the way You’re going to treat me, if You’re going to keep letting bad things happen, then why should I even pray to You?”

 

Yet our heavenly Father loves and comforts us through every tantrum, through our burdens, our childish ups and downs.
*His great desire is that in the midst of our trials we begin to grasp the knowledge of who we are and what we possess as His children.
*He knows that whenever we are tossed about by the winds and waves of our emotions, we often forget we are His children and we begin living far beneath our privileges.

Yet His Word tells us we are His heirs and joint heirs with Jesus!

“The heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all” (Galatians 4:1).

 

Paul says such a child illustrates those who are under the law.
*The law is the tutor that instructs us in God’s commands.
*But a time comes when our schooling ends and we are to take our places as heirs of God’s riches through the grace of Christ.

 

Yet, many Christians still live according to good works and rules without comprehending their position as sons of God.
“We, when we were children, were in bondage” (verse 3). They are still serving God as slaves, bound by fear, guilt and despair because they don’t understand their adoption.

 

Paul says to such believers, “You’re still childish in your thinking, laboring under the bondage of laws you established for yourself.

*You don’t see that you’re now lord over all things, able to partake in everything your Father owns.

*He adopted you, loved you and put you in school to prepare you.”

Here is the amazing thing about Jesus. When Peter began sinking, he cried out for Jesus to save him (Matt. 14:29).   And Jesus did.   Just as Jesus didn’t hesitate to pull Peter out of the rough waves, He will pull you and me back too as soon as we ask.

 

 

Life has stormy seasons. Unexpected health diagnoses’, years when children decide to walk away from the Lord, rough patches in our marriage … all cause waves of doubt, stress, worry or fear. These can cause us to stumble and fall if we only focus on them.

 

 

The best place to fix our eyes is on Jesus. He’s our peace, source of hope, and the One person we can trust will always be there for us.
And when we do fall, as soon as we call out to Him, He’ll pick us up.

 

Romans 8:28 And we know that  all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the  called according to His purpose.
Dear Jesus, I confess I lose focus on You while running through the distractions of life. I have fallen many times. Help me to trust and have faith in You, and avoid letting life distract me from Your truths.  Help me read Your word daily to find Truth!  In Jesus Name, Amen.