February, 2008

Who Are You Trusting?

There is no escaping challenges in our lives. We have all faced difficult times, struggles, trials, tribulation, and testing. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. We should expect such things and not act surprised when these times arise, Jesus warned his disciples in John 16:33, “In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.” (MSG) The Holman translation says you will have suffering, the NIV says you will have trouble and the ESV says you will have tribulation. If Jesus warned His disciples, His followers, of this very thing than we can expect the same warning applies to us today as we are His disciples also.

The true testimony of being a follower of Christ comes through these challenging times. The question is what are we going to do when this happens? How are we going to act when circumstances out of our control arise and we are faced with adversity? How will we handle our emotions and control our flesh? How will you treat the people who may be the cause of the situation? Will you ‘react’ out of emotion or will you ‘respond’ out of a Christ-like heart? These are some questions we need to think about before these difficulties arise so we can be prepared.