"We felt doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us." (2 Corinthians 1:9 - Living Bible)
"We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son" (Romans 8:28-29a - New Living Translation)
Noone is immune to problems. We live in a broken world. God uses problems to draw us closer to Himself. As Joni Eareckson Tada notes, "When life is rosy, we may slide by with knowing about Jesus, with imitating Him and quoting Him and speaking of Him. But only in suffering will we know Jesus." You'll never know that God is all you need until God is all you've got. Have you ever noticed how your prayer life changes when you have problems? When you grasp the eternal consequences of your character development, you'll pray fewer "Comfort me" prayers ("Help me feel good") and more "Conform me" prayers ("Use this to make me more like You").
Regardless of the cause, none of my problems could happen without God's permission. Everything that happens to a child of God is "Father-filtered", and He intends to use it for good even when Satan and other people mean it for bad. Because God is sovereignly in control, accidents are just accidents in God's good plan for you. Everything that happens to me has spiritual significance. Please re-read "Understanding Romans 8:28-29" section on pages 195-196. Romans 8:29 is one of my favorite verses, and Romans 8:28 is one of the most frustrating,mis-quoted verses -because we miss the main point. What is His purpose "in everything"? That I become like His Son.
Rick Warren says we are like jewels, shaped with the hammer and chisel of adversity. If we don't respond well to a hammer, He pulls out a bigger hammer to chisel away the rough spots until His character appears. Because God loves me, He is much more concerned with His character than my comfort, and He will sacrifice my comfort for His character time and time again..
How should I respond to problems as Jesus would?
- First, Remember that God's plan is good. Don't give into short-term thinking. Remember that my pain is temporary but my reward will be eternal. My focus will determine my feelings.
- Second, Rejoice and give thanks. Not thankful "in" the pain, as some kind of sick fatalism, but thankful to God that He will use my problems to fulfill His purposes...and that He is with me through the pain. See the life of Joseph in Genesis 39 - and watch for the phrase "the Lord was with him"..
- Finally, Refuse to give up. Character building is a long process. You know you are maturing when you begin to see the hand of God in the baffling, random, and seemingly pointless circumstances in life.
So today... will I be bitter, or better by the struggles. Here's the question: What do you think God is trying to teach you in the current adversities you're facing? Does He need a larger hammer to get my attention?
"Gracious Father, thank You that You are the God of all comfort who is with me in the midst of my problems. Please teach me to respond to the pain as Jesus would, and help me to learn what You are teaching through the adversity. Amen
How does every problem have a purpose? What problem in my life has caused the greatest growth in me?
"... Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus..." Philippians 2:5 (NIV)
