Train
engineers have "switches" on the tracks, which they use to alter the
direction of engines in order for them to pull their load in another direction.
Without this life-saving device, many trains would collide head-on, derail, or
have to wait a lengthy time for other trains to get out of their way.
Life
uses "switches" to direct us too. Misfortune strikes like lightning,
trials appear out of nowhere, and a door slams shut in front of us when we
least expect it. We get "gun shy" after a while, fearing when the
next adversity will overwhelm us. Some people call it, "waiting for the
next shoe to drop."
Our
sleep is interrupted by worry, our digestive track suffers with ulcers,
bleeding, etc., and we take shallow breaths because our chest muscles are
continually clenched tight. We doubt that we actually heard from God, or that
He loves and cares about us after all.
Our
first line of defense against these constant trials is to take a searching
inventory of our body, soul and spirit. Is God attempting to use these issues
to communicate that we are somehow off track from His plan for us?
He
may want us to change our habits in order to protect our health, or maybe we are
walking in the flesh and ignoring the guidance of His Spirit, or possibly He
wants us to walk to the edge of our human understanding and then take one more
step by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7).
Keeping
our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, will give us a
peaceful attitude during our trials. He will align our beliefs, values,
affections and behavior with His Word. He will use His Truth to free us from
some addiction or from dependence on the things of this world, and then give us
the mind and divine character of Christ in us (2 Peter 1:4).
Many
times, trials come in order to drive us deeper under the shadow of God's wings
(Psalm 17:8, 91:4). They increase our dependence on God, and decrease our
reliance on our human resources. They may even put us in the right place, at
the right time to fulfill God's will for us.
Trials
also remind us that we are not in control, and we cannot save our self. They
give us the conviction and courage to recall that God is in control and will
work out everything for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28), if we trust in Him
with our whole heart and walk on the path that He chooses for us.
Prayer:
Father
God, help us to walk in the faith that You have a purpose for us in every
trial. We can breathe deeply and trust that You are using these events to allow
patience to have her perfecting work in our life (James 1:4), so that we are
complete in You (Colossians 2:10). By relinquishing our expectations for the
outcome of these events, we give You the freedom to keep us in the very center
of Your will for our individual life (Ephesians 2:10).
You
help us to slay our doubts, and to abide in Your peace and joy. Your Light,
Love and Living Water sustain us through every adversity. We trust in You
alone, as we depend on Your nurture, compassion and grace. We listen for Your
voice to direct our steps, and we refuse to rely on our human understanding.
You are worthy of all of our praise, and we give You the glory for everything
that we accomplish in Your name.
Thought
for the Day:
As
we spend time in God's presence within us, our doubts fade, our faith grows,
and our dependence on Him alone increases; no adversity, challenge, loss, or worry
can defeat us, as long as we trust in the goodness and faithfulness of God.
