I don't know about you, but for me I've repeatedly noticed this pattern in life. The pattern is that I get discouraged and tired and life gets really hard, so hard that I've just about given up. After things have gotten so bad that I feel like I just can't keep going, and by His grace and power I keep on, it's then that I see the blessings flow one after another.For the last couple of days I've been thinking about these words from James 5:10-11, I adore the way Peterson has paraphrased them in The Message:
"Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You've heard, of course, of Job's staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That's because God cares, cares right down to the last detail."
Mentors are people who invest into your life. So I've decided I'm going to read anew the minor prophets so that their stories can affect my thoughts and perspectives. I also want to take some time to think on all the blessings that God's been bringing my way lately because sometimes I can get so busy looking at the tough stuff that I fail to enjoy all the good stuff that's right there.
How about you, have you noticed recently in your life that it's only after you've persevered that you've experienced His blessings?
4 comments:
I don't know how they kept the faith and courage. Sometimes I remind myself of Job's wife. Ugh!
Hi Tracy,
Glad to see you're holding on.
A thing I keep coming back to is what Peter said when Jesus asked if the disciples planed to quit--"Lord, to whom would we go. You alone have the word of eternal life".
John Cowart
www.cowart.info/blog/
I'd like to think of it as one of God's ways of stripping away those things that don't matter in His Kingdom. It's not fun but I'm so thankful He helps us out, too. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
Sometimes I can be a downer and get discouraged also Redhead Riter.
I know what you mean John, that's always been one of my favorite verses as well. If things go the way I want, or if they don't, there's no one but Jesus.
Rcubes, interesting perspective. Suffering does make me look at things differently, realize what's really important.
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