It Starts Small

I’ve failed at being Christ like this last week. I’ve struggled with anger and frustration. When God reveals how deep the lies have gone, the schemes, deception, and manipulations used for someone to destroy rather than seek Him, it is hard to understand. When you realize that someone you love and trusted, gave grace, mercy and forgiveness to, took it to use it to get what they selfishly wanted, you are left standing, holding the threads of life in your hands and look up asking God, how should I be? How do I stop looking at the circumstance and still trust and believe in what you have spoken?

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:3-5

This morning in prayer this verse came to mind. Verse 4, the word “patience” means character.

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Philippians 4:6

When we are saved God begins a good work in us. We can be confident that when our lives are truly turned over to him, we have true redemption, he begins a good work of transformation in us. Our confidence is this promise he gives us.

But how does he change our character?

God allows pressures to come.

In Romans 5:3 the word tribulations is used. This word means pressures. It refers to the pressure used to squeeze grapes or olives. God wants to turn our character into wine and grapes. He wants to squeeze us to get more out of us. He wants the oil of gladness and joy to fill our lives. Troubles and pressures are not obstacles, they are opportunities.

There is no such thing as bad “luck” or “fate” in a Christian. This is a pagan concept. There is no such thing as karma.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

We don’t have to understand circumstances or other people. Where reason doesn’t wade, faith swims! We just have to trust God. Trust His written Word. Trust His spoken word through the Holy Spirit. It’s ok to not know everything. The Christian life is not all honey and no bees.

We need to glory in tribulation because God is using it to build us up. He is bringing you closer. It’s an opportunity for our faith to be increased when we trust him in EVERYTHING.

God breaks us into many pieces. He takes those pieces and puts them back together with his gold seal. I heard a preacher describe it as the beautiful vases you’ll find in Asia. An artists paints a beautiful picture on a vase. When they are done, they break the vase into many pieces. Then they put it back together with a gold filament. It becomes an even more beautiful piece of art.

This is how God works in our lives. When we are broken, shattered to a million pieces and surrender ur bankrupt lives and souls to him, he puts us back together. He cements the pieces with His LOVE! In the process, he transforms the picture of us, the picture of our lives, into a new creation.

Man throws broken things away.

God doesn’t use anything that isn’t broken!

We must serve with a “broken” heart that has been put back together by God. I think this is why I tell people my heart is broken. Only by having a rebuilt broken heart can I understand how Jesus sees people. I think the sadness comes from looking at this situation and seeing what he sees.

Patience through tribulations.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; Romans 5:3

God wants to build a character of patience in us. I hear your heavy sigh. The word patience, is translated, endurance and perseverance. He wants us to endure and persevere. When tribulation and trials come, what do we do? We endure!

Don’t drop out.

Don’t give up.

Don’t try to escape.

God wants to teach us endurance. It’s not the kind to just get to the end. We don’t grit our teeth and begrudgingly wait. It’s a patience developed to radiantly hope for the dawn.

Purity.

And patience, experience; and experience, hope: Romans 5:4

This experience, is translated character.

I love the picture of a silver smith. He heats of a might hot fire and sticks the chunk of silver into the fire to melt it. When he pulls it out, the impurities in the silver come to the top. He skims it off and repeats the process until there are no more impurities in the silver. The silver smith knows there are no impurities when he can see his reflection.

A character that goes through the experience of tribulation (refining fire) must have endurance. This is God burning out the impurities of our character. We don’t grow when everything is fine. We grow in the tribulations. God uses the heat to bubble up our impurities. God’s purpose is to see his reflection of him in us.

10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10

And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Malachi 3:3

When God tries us, he brings us to be purified and God is my refiner!

Experience brings Hope

And patience, experience; and experience, hope: Roman 5:4

Hope is not a wishful desire. Hope is the assurance based on the Word of God and the Character of God. Hope from tribulation comes by learning how faithful God is.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Nothing can separate us from God. He will deliver us and transform us!

Hope: Faith in the future tense.

Hope: can see heaven through the thickest clouds.

Hope: is never sick when faith is well.

Without hope we have nothing. Faith believes and hope expects. We can be confident in ALL situations because of hope. Hope is our light in the darkness.

What I have learned this past week is my impatience. I see the morning. I want and desire to get to the morning. A few weeks ago, the Holy Spirit spoke in the middle of prayer, that things were going to get very dark. For a moment I was scared. Just how much darker could they get? Just like I couldn’t imagine how unlovable someone could get, this darkness is even darker than I could imagine.

This tribulation has come from the oppression of Satan. As he seeks to influence the complete destruction of God’s beautiful and amazing creation, it has grown completely dark. The darkest hour is right before the morning comes. God is using this to transform me. He’s shown me my lack of endurance and filled me with endurance. He’s convicted me when I choose to not be nice. He’s overfilled my heart with love, grace, mercy and forgiveness to not seek the way of evil, but his way of speaking truth, having compassion, and loving.

I praise my Savior and Heavenly Father for this time. It doesn’t stop me from believing he is all powerful. It has shown me sad truth and got me to realize just how mighty w miracle it’s going to be.