It is the pastoral nature of this quote that of late has been a particular comfort in my personal life.
God uses tribulations to wean us from an excessive love of this present life. God fashions each tribulation for us as a perfect means to treat each individual's need for transformation.
Five years ago, and still now, this quote prompted me to consider what I would deem an actual tribulation. Calling the enemy out you might say. Then calling myself out to consider why the tribulation upset me so much--what did I fear, what did I want, what was I striving after--definitely exposed my overweening love of my present life.
The next step is to then measure my thoughts, feelings, and strivings against God's word. This is where it takes the actual work to read God's word, but He never fails or disappoints those who genuinely seek to know Him. Reading how He desires me to think, desire, and behave is the transforming part. Asking and answering the hard questions. Evaluating and confessing my error. Repenting and obeying what He commands me to do. All of these are the perfect means of grace that His Word provides.
That is so true. The most difficult aspect of transformation for me is realizing that my thinking is incorrect and adjusting it according to God's Word, and not basing it on how I "feel" about it. Thanks for a wonderful, thought-provoking post.
ReplyDeleteOh, the faithfulness of God to use a sentence read years ago to continue his work in your heart, and ours! It's humbling to acknowledge that the tribulation in my life is exactly, exactly what I need for God to transform me. I'd rather think I'm not in such bad shape. Which, of course, is exactly the problem.
ReplyDeleteI have a tendancy to feel that God is mad at me or doesn't love me if I am going through tribulation. That he only loves me when things are easy and life carefree. Oh but that is why he is God and I am not! For the tribulations ARE the blessings, but in their infant stage!
ReplyDeleteBlessings on you and your writing! God is using you mightily...
Lana G., when I first began to realize that God's tribulations ARE still more of His blessings, to not leave me in my mire, but to stir me to His strength and power, I truly began to heal in my grief over my son's death. Only with overwhelming gratitude for His overwhelming faithfulness--in every circumstance--can I humbly receive all of His blessings. I do like the way you described the infancy of these blessings--an especial word picture of how a believer must grow and mature to understand the depth, height and width of God's love.
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