BIBLE PASSAGE:
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth
comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
(Romans 8:18)
MEDITATION:
God is going to put every child of His
into the fire of affliction.
Why would He do that?
He tests us, and gives us opportunities to show our “faith muscles”
(proving to ourselves the depth and strength of our faith).
The times when believers seem to grow the most
is not when everything is going well;
it is when trouble strikes and we have fallen
on our faces before the Lord and called upon His strength.
Think back on your own life:
Quite possibly, the times you have grown the most
are those when you were going through
sorrow, pressure, illness, or trouble.
We should ‘cling’ to these ‘growth moments’
and carry them with us through the good times.
Too often we fall back into our old routines
and habits after the crisis is over.
We need to pause and realize that the Lord
cares about us enough to teach us good things.
However, if we do not include what He has taught us
into our daily lives, then we have gained nothing.
Change is hard for most of us, but it is imperative if we want
to become a better reflection of the characteristics of Jesus.
We need to remember that only a loving God
cares enough about us to transform into a new person.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put
off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the
new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
(Ephesians 4:22-24)
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self
with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being
renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (Colossians 3:9-10)
He can change us….
From a selfish person to a selfless person
(one who sees the value in others
ahead of his own value – see Philippians 2:3-4)
From an egotist to a person of humility
(one who enjoys seeing others get attention,
instead of trying to direct attention to himself)
From an angry person to a person of compassion
(one who can sincerely listen to the concerns of others)
From a bitter person to one who cares about others
(one who is no longer cynical,
but acknowledges the good qualities in others)
From a pessimist to an optimist
(one who people no longer hate
being around, but enjoy their company)
From a loner to someone who interacts with others
(one who is no longer introverted, but interacts well with others)
From a sorrowful person to one who
brightens the lives of those around him or her
(one who no longer buries himself in the negatives of their
own life, but redirects that energy to lift the spirits of others)
From a bitter person to someone who sees the good in others
(one who reflects the positive characteristics of Jesus)
From a criticizer to an encourager
(one who can sense when others need a lift, and provides it)
….and in many other ways!
What difficult change has the Lord
been trying to lead you to make in your own life?
Are you embracing this change, or fighting it?
Somebody penned these lines:
“I walked a mile with pleasure,
She chatted all the way.
It left me none the wiser,
For all she had to say.
I walked a mile with sorrow,
And not a word said she.
But oh, the things I learned from her,
When sorrow walked with me.”
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me enough to
transform me into a greater likeness of Your Son, Jesus.
Help me to embrace Your efforts to change me into
the person You want me to be. Forgive me for any
resistance I have had to Your involvement in my
life. Teach me how to ‘put on my new self’ and to
enjoy how You have changed me, so that I can become
a positive influence to those around me, and point them
to Jesus.”
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