2 My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. 3 You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. 4 But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.
5 If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking. 6 But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. 7-8 If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
That's a pretty clear paragraph, isn't it? Problems and trouble are an opportunity for our faith to grow. An opportunity, not a given. So much depends on our choices. I know I have had many times of running away, avoiding, not facing and trying to solve things my own way that really delayed my faith growing. I distinctly remember that when I knew my mom was dying saying to God, "okay, this one is too big for me. You're going to have to get me through it. I will do it your way this time, instead of my way." And during that very painful time, for the first time ever, I made the deliberate choice to turn toward God with my painful feelings, rather than trying to hide, avoid, numb the pain and pretend like everything was okay. It was painful. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, in every way possible, there was pain. Pain like I have never experienced before. The upside is now, I understand what the concept of attachment is. But going through it, facing it, turning toward God and the prayers of believing friends is what got me through it. Take it from me, God's way is better than any thing we can think up.
I've recently had another opportunity to make a choice to turn toward God and do things His way, or to do things my way. Trouble/trial/painful circumstances. Whatever you want to call it. It was easier to make the choice to turn to God this time. Don't read that as it was easy, but that it was easier than in the past. So, I read this passage knowing that I'm being perfected, matured, made more patient, so I will be lacking in nothing. I will be more Christ-like from making the choice to obey God rather than my fickle feelings. Gotta love when God takes something our enemy means for our harm and downfall and turns it into something that makes us more prayerful and in closer relationship with Jesus, which in turn makes us more mature in our faith. Gotta love that!
I especially like verse 5 in the passage above.
If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking.
Who doesn't need wisdom?
We can ask God and He WILL GIVE IT!
God is generous and won't criticize or scold us for asking.
He may just be waiting for us to ask. (SO ASK!)
Love that!
I don't know what you're facing today but I pray you are encouraged by the Truth of God's Word and that you do not give too much power to your fickle feelings. (I pray that for myself too.)
Prayerfully,
Lena
5 If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking. 6 But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. 7-8 If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
That's a pretty clear paragraph, isn't it? Problems and trouble are an opportunity for our faith to grow. An opportunity, not a given. So much depends on our choices. I know I have had many times of running away, avoiding, not facing and trying to solve things my own way that really delayed my faith growing. I distinctly remember that when I knew my mom was dying saying to God, "okay, this one is too big for me. You're going to have to get me through it. I will do it your way this time, instead of my way." And during that very painful time, for the first time ever, I made the deliberate choice to turn toward God with my painful feelings, rather than trying to hide, avoid, numb the pain and pretend like everything was okay. It was painful. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, in every way possible, there was pain. Pain like I have never experienced before. The upside is now, I understand what the concept of attachment is. But going through it, facing it, turning toward God and the prayers of believing friends is what got me through it. Take it from me, God's way is better than any thing we can think up.
I've recently had another opportunity to make a choice to turn toward God and do things His way, or to do things my way. Trouble/trial/painful circumstances. Whatever you want to call it. It was easier to make the choice to turn to God this time. Don't read that as it was easy, but that it was easier than in the past. So, I read this passage knowing that I'm being perfected, matured, made more patient, so I will be lacking in nothing. I will be more Christ-like from making the choice to obey God rather than my fickle feelings. Gotta love when God takes something our enemy means for our harm and downfall and turns it into something that makes us more prayerful and in closer relationship with Jesus, which in turn makes us more mature in our faith. Gotta love that!
I especially like verse 5 in the passage above.
If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking.
Who doesn't need wisdom?
We can ask God and He WILL GIVE IT!
God is generous and won't criticize or scold us for asking.
He may just be waiting for us to ask. (SO ASK!)
Love that!
I don't know what you're facing today but I pray you are encouraged by the Truth of God's Word and that you do not give too much power to your fickle feelings. (I pray that for myself too.)
Prayerfully,
Lena
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