“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls” (I Pet 1:6-9).
Marital conflict. Job loss. Cancer diagnosis. Defiant children. Car accident. These and many other trials fill our weeks, months, and sometimes, years. And as they beat down upon us, they test not only our character, but our faith. Will we keep trusting God? Can we believe He will see us through? Will we dare to keep hoping?
Peter, like to the men and women he wrote, was separated from friends and family, enduring harsh persecution (v.1). And yet he describes the possibility of joy inexpressible in the midst of such suffering. How, I wonder?
Peter directs our attention to God's salvation. It seems he longed for those scattered abroad, and for us, to so prize God’s grace, to look beyond what is seen and temporal to Christ's final return, that we not only endure life's trials, but that we do so with joy that abounds.
But we often mistake happiness for joy. While happiness comes from the feeling we have when life is good, joy remains in the shifting of circumstances, even in the presence of pain.
It’s difficult, though, if not impossible, to feel joy when we feel anxious. Joy results from trust and confidence; anxiety, contrarily, often results from insecurity and uncertainty. Peter, and all believers, can express inexpressible joy because of Christ. No matter the circumstance, He remains faithful and our salvation secure.
Many days, however, my hope is not fixed completely on the grace to be brought to me at the return of Christ (I Pet 1:13). In difficult times, I often place my hope in improved circumstances. I begin to demand too much from this world, to set my heart on secure employment, enjoyment of friends and family, a rich church community.
It's not wrong to long for these good gifts. But to have a life of worry, stress and even despair reveals a heart that is not consumed with the love and grace of God. It exposes a heart that needs adjusting.
So what do you feel stressed and anxious about? Can you identify a current trial that may be challenging your faith?
Let us, as Peter exhorts, cast our worries upon Christ knowing He cares for us (I Pet 5:7) as proven at the cross. And let us yearn for His return more than we long for the comfort and riches of this world. May we enter into His joy by clinging to His enduring love and abiding presence that sustains us on this often rocky journey home.
Showing posts with label Christ's return. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christ's return. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Hand You Hold
A regrettable decision. A missed opportunity. A failed relationship. A wound from childhood. A great loss. It could be any number of things, but for many of us the thoughts of the past plague us. Some try to deny the thoughts, never dealing with the sin or the pain. Others may scrutinize the past to a point they fail to live in the present and move into the future. Both of these approaches hinder us from experiencing the joy of Christ.
Events in the past have affected who we are and often need to be processed and worked through. But there comes a point after we mourn the loss, grieve the wound, or repent of the sin that we must move on.
We hurt ourselves when we dwell in the past. We have no control over what has already happened. All we have is the present, which is full of future hope.
In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul writes, “…forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” To reach ahead, Paul had to let go of all the things he once prized (i.e. self-righteous pride). He had a new identity in Christ, and to take possession of this newness, he had to leave the old.
So too we cannot reach forward when we cling to our past wounds, past failings, past sin. In Christ, we are completely new. Our hearts wiped clean. But we cannot live out our new identity if we live in the past.
That does not mean our pain has ceased or we do not feel remorse. It’s a matter of focus. Do we dwell on the past? Or, do we allow God to mend our broken hearts, learn from our mistakes, repent of previous sin?
Daily, we have a choice about where we let our hearts dwell. Our future hope and present activities are closely connected. The promise of Christ’s second coming gives us the courage to live with faith, hope, and love today. And how we live today determines who we are tomorrow. So then, learning from the past, living in today, and looking towards Christ’s return helps us live out our divine call as imagers of God.
As we cease from the despair which results from looking at our past, and turn to hope through Christ’s return, we will live more fully, with joy and with peace. Focusing on that day helps us move forward in life, trusting and resting in His grace. Let us then let go of the past and join Paul in reaching forward to the hand of Christ.
Thought(s) of the day:
What of the past do you cling to? What keeps your grip from letting go? What would it look like if you dropped the past and took hold of your future with Christ?
Events in the past have affected who we are and often need to be processed and worked through. But there comes a point after we mourn the loss, grieve the wound, or repent of the sin that we must move on.
We hurt ourselves when we dwell in the past. We have no control over what has already happened. All we have is the present, which is full of future hope.
In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul writes, “…forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” To reach ahead, Paul had to let go of all the things he once prized (i.e. self-righteous pride). He had a new identity in Christ, and to take possession of this newness, he had to leave the old.
So too we cannot reach forward when we cling to our past wounds, past failings, past sin. In Christ, we are completely new. Our hearts wiped clean. But we cannot live out our new identity if we live in the past.
That does not mean our pain has ceased or we do not feel remorse. It’s a matter of focus. Do we dwell on the past? Or, do we allow God to mend our broken hearts, learn from our mistakes, repent of previous sin?
Daily, we have a choice about where we let our hearts dwell. Our future hope and present activities are closely connected. The promise of Christ’s second coming gives us the courage to live with faith, hope, and love today. And how we live today determines who we are tomorrow. So then, learning from the past, living in today, and looking towards Christ’s return helps us live out our divine call as imagers of God.
As we cease from the despair which results from looking at our past, and turn to hope through Christ’s return, we will live more fully, with joy and with peace. Focusing on that day helps us move forward in life, trusting and resting in His grace. Let us then let go of the past and join Paul in reaching forward to the hand of Christ.
Thought(s) of the day:
What of the past do you cling to? What keeps your grip from letting go? What would it look like if you dropped the past and took hold of your future with Christ?
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