Friday, January 30, 2009

life's challenges

Often it seems we grow the most when faced with challenges. Challenges which are beyond us, beyond our ability to often understand or cope with. This is when we most have to lean on God. And in the process, I can be growing in significant measure in both understanding, as well as necessary change- from God. Yet those can be some of the most difficult places, as well as times, to live in. And we won't ever understand it all, nor fathom the work of God even in our own lives. A case in point from Scripture is Job.

I like it when I have some respite from challenges. Although in a true sense I see all of life as a challenge to follow on with the Lord. But we need those green pastures, and still waters, along with the restoration/refreshing of our souls. So it's good to just be able to relax and rest in God's presence as well, away from the noise and tumult of the times. I have to testify that my wife helps me immensely in that. And hopefully we are a buffer for each other through our help and prayers. Hopefully we can learn to be that way with each other in Jesus in our sojourn here.

We need to see life's inevitable challenges as opportunities to grow in Jesus. To do so as those in community with others in Jesus, and before the world. Living out together the very life of Jesus in this world. Showing the love of the Father, the image of the Son, and the life of the Spirit in a world that needs to see this.

What words or insights would you like to add to this?

4 comments:

Lulu said...

I swing between the knowledge that God will never give me more than I can handle and Mother Theresa's gem about God never giving her more than she can handle but wishing He didn't trust her quite so much!! The knowledge that He'll never let us go helps through everything
x

Anonymous said...

God has my attention more at certain times than at others and i do not always notice how the HOly Spirit is growing me, but, sometimes i am given a little peek.

nancy

Ted M. Gossard said...

Beautiful Intellectual,
Yes. I thought of her just recently myself. It's so hard to go through life when all sense of God's presence seems gone, and in its place is just heavy darkness, as she seemed to. In that light, God does seem to trust me with very little. But I have my burdens, and I must go on by God's grace in Jesus. He'll see us through to the end.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Nancy,
Good point. I agree. It is nice to get a glimpse, but so much of what God is doing is unseen.