Temptation, trial, testing will come… and God will there in the midst – in the midst – and God cares, deeply, He does care, He does care for you… can we, will we rejoice? How much does He care for each of us, who we are, to make us what He would have us be - the fullest, best, most complete version of who and what He has made - in Jesus - and each of us, all of us, together...
John 20:15-21
There are so many ways God works - And every time it is in line with each person and their specific and unique needs. That is the grace of our Father and the good gifts that He gives - to each - and - to all
Be careful to not compare the Father’s provision or God’s caring for someone else to what He provides to you - He loves you too much to just give you another’s gift of need. It doesn’t always seem fair - but, what is right or just or fair? (Matt 20:1-16; Prob 1:3; 2:9; Rom 12:2) Is that a stone… or could it be bread? (Matt 7:9-11)
God is most interested in bringing each, and all, of His children, to glory - into Him, for Him, with Him, in Him and to Him - and this, in the way that will do just that for (each of) them, as they have been made, and are known by Him. (John 17:22; Rom 8:30; Heb 2:10; 2Cor 3:18; Phil 3:21; 2Thes 2:14; Psalm 139; 1Cor 12)
And God’s care (for us and to us) is as unique to us as we ourselves are unique - and that’s grace of a good Father, our good Father - a gift - a good gift - to each according to the need of each (Eph 4:7; Heb 2:4; Rom 12:3-8; 1Cor 12:7-11; James 1:16-18)
So yes, there is a “peace that transcends understanding” - Phil 4:4-8 - and this, is, God’s care, His provision, His good gift. But, that peace, our peace, is not contingent upon God’s removing the thing that is causing us stress, or anxiety, or fear, but to give us a peace that transcends it, that rises above it, that is there in spite of the circumstance… beyond understanding! See, that’s the point!
James 1:2-5 A matter of perspective… or, wisdom…
Trusting God in the midst of the storm to bring peace in, and through, and from, the storm!
God's ultimate goal is not that you have a “good” life here, but that you have life in Him, Jesus’ life, life eternally…. It is God’s intention that we would, by persevering…
· Grow in character and hope - Rom 5:1-5
· Faith and trust, rescaling Jesus’ person and character - 1Peter 1:3-6
· “Be mature and complete” ...growing in wisdom - James 1:2-5
· Grow in assurance and confidence - 2Peter 1:7-9
· That we would, in Him, by Him, from Him and with Him experience a “peace that transcends” these difficult times, guarding and renewing our mind, refreshing and strengthening our heart - Phil 4:7-8 (2Cor 10:3-5)
God does care, and he cares enough to treat you as you need and as you are where you are to get you where he wants you - a good place. James 1:16-18
Though each storm – trial, testing and temptation - we encounter is significant in its own right, very often, the storm we go through today is preparation for the storms to come, sometimes even deeper and more profound, that we will go through later. These things do not happen in a vacuum, but in fact, are intrinsically linked, one to another – and not only for ourselves, but that we might also comfort others going through much the same. (1Cor 1:3-7)
