I am learning that God is good, that suffering is necessary and that I enjoy being in the valley because that's where Jesus hangs out. I am, for the first time in my life, really believing that I can "consider it pure joy when I face trials..." I really am understanding what some of the greats of the Bible understood about Jesus, about how He is the sweetest thing in our lives.For me, it's always been Jesus plus something for me but now, it's just Jesus. Just give me Jesus.
I have been reading this fabulous book "Shattered Dreams" by Larry Crabb and it has transformed my way of thinking about suffering. A few weeks ago I wrote out the 3 lessons for broken people...
Lesson One:
The good news of the gospel is not that God will provide a way to make life easier. The good news, for this life, is that He will make our lives better. We will be empowered to draw close to God and to love others well and to do both one central purpose, to glorify God, to make Him look good to any who watch us live.
It's Jesus. The good news of the gospel is that we get direct access to Jesus and restored communion with Him. We get an intimate relationship with Jesus, a relationship that we have never experienced, if we allow Him to transform our hearts. So how does this relate to trials and the mess that life is sometimes? Well, as Larry said, "If dreams never shattered, we would continue to believe a lie and value only what God can do for us now; we would value neither His Presence nor all that He intends to do later. And we would not be willing to pay the devastating price required to experience His Presence now."
You have to have trials to really experience Jesus.
Lesson Two:
When God seems most absent form us, He is doing His most important work in us.
Think of Jesus on the cross, He cried out to His Father "Why have you forsaken me?" God said nothing, God didn't take Jesus off the cross or take away His suffering, God left Jesus there and for a very good reason! It was during that exact time that "God was in the Son reconciling the world to Himself" (Thank you Lord for that!) God was still around, He may have been silent but He was still there working even though it may not have been known to everyone. How great it is to remember that even though He may seem silent, He is actually working in the background for us? Yes, I just love that. Don't you?
Seasons of personal suffering are opportunities for God to do His deepest work. I know that to be true in my life. God does His best work in me when I am the most hurt, when life has knocked me on the floor and I have no reason to move on. God is at work and it is during those very dark days that He is forever changing me.
Trials actually bring us closer to Jesus.
Lesson Three:
It isn't always good to be blessed with the good things of life. Bad times provide an opportunity to know God that blessing can never provide.
Larry says it best:
"We fight against three enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Each does terrible damage, often in subtle ways. Suffering is required if we're to discover a desire for God strong enough to help us decline the world's invitation to an immediately good time, to resist the devil's suggestion that all goodness may not reside within God, and to see through the false reasoning of the flesh."
Let me tell you what, I am starting to really believe that if I had everything I have ever dreamed about in life (A father, healthy relationships, perfect marriage, and a great house just to name a few) I would never need Jesus. Sure maybe I would feel this desire of something more but I could fill it with something. I know,without a doubt in my mind,that without real trials in my life, Jesus would never mean as much to me. And you know what? I believe it. I believe that Jesus is enough and I believe that I need trials in my life.
Trials point us to Jesus in a way a blessing never could.
These last few month have been the sweetest time in my faith journey. I have spent more time journaling, praying, reading, studying, and just being in His Presence that I ever have before. Sure. trials suck and the ones I am going through now are not fun but I know that Jesus in there with me, even though He is silent, He is there. I also know that He is good and I can trust Him through the hard times. While the hurricane may blow around me, I am calm and at peace in the center of who He is.
Guys, I just can't get enough of what Jesus is doing in my life. I am just in awe of how He is transforming me.
May I never be the same again.
