Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
10/13/2021
The Anatomy of Gods Trials — Wasting God’s opportunity for growth!
Every day I search for God’s direction on what to share with you. I don’t want to share my common sense but only God’s wisdom and there is a real difference. I recently listened to a podcast by Frank Viola on walking through a crisis. They often come suddenly, like the storm that blew up on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus and the disciples were crossing. Jesus was silent and sleeping through the storm when they shook him and said they were dying. These were fishermen. They knew storms and typhoons and rough seas. They were professionals but were rattled down to their sandals in fear of their lives. They wanted to know why he didn’t care. Why are you leaving us alone to die in this crisis?
Jesus said, in Matt 8: 26, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” We are all either going into a crisis, or we are in the middle of one or we are coming out of one. Trials and tribulations are part of the Christian walk. They are part of life. But God always has a purpose. He will never waste a crisis and not teach us something. Even when we do not realize it, Jesus is in control. He is with us in the storms. He said, you of little faith! So my question is: Are you wasting your storms?
In recent years you can see the adage play out politically. Never let a crisis go to waste. And so, they take advantage of it and spin it for their own political gain.
Can I ask you what you have learned from your crisis…or life’s catastrophic storms? Are you the student or are you the victim?
I know none of us would choose the victim card but is that true? Victims learn nothing from the trial. The student learns from it and afterward…and it may take a while, they will be able to look back and see the hell of it but will thank God for what he learned through it. The victim sees it as a bitter trial and that God, is punishing them and learns nothing from the trial but bitterness and cynicism towards God and people. The student sees that God is orchestrating or allowing this for his growth. He is too busy making the best of it, to complain of it. The victim lives to complain. The student is still helping others.
Victims pity themselves and beg God to remove the trial so THEY can be happy. The student knows his victory and joy come from God even within the storm. It is about what can I learn? The victim complains and blames other people and wants them removed from his life. He is asking why me? The student, asks how much of this did I bring on to myself? How can I learn from this? The victim blames God, or someone else.
The victim cries out that life’s not fair. The student realizes that what’s happening to me is happening to others. He filters that God is sovereign and he will use this for my eventual good and for his glory.
Rom 8 28 It will always be for our growth and his glory.
God has no desire for you to waste a crisis.
Like that night crossing the Galilean Sea, we are often blindsided by our storms. But a warning:
1. When we go through the worst trials, that is often when God is the most silent. BUT GOD, speaks loudly when we know where to look. Put your nose in scripture. Read them carefully with an open heart of desperation. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to speak loudly to you. You will see new things you have never seen before. Don’t let this crisis go to waste.
2. God speaks loudly through other people; They can be members of the body, and even through unbelievers, even though they won’t know it. The key is to pay attention. That will be very difficult when we go through the trial. There is flying shrapnel and a lot of burning bushes around us.
Pay attention spiritually.
3. Coincidence; They say, coincidence is God’s way of moving anonymously. But you must be looking with spiritual eyes even if they are filled with tears. Job 33:14 says “For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings”. God speaks to us in what appears to be a coincidence.
Be Aware!
The Whisper of God can be very Loud! God never wastes anything! Never sends thunder if a whisper will do, he will never send an army if a man will do. There are times when we feel God is silent and that can mess with us. Don’t let it! When we go through it, we feel isolated and alone and tend to pull away from others. Men more so than even women. When we do we will often lose the real lessons of the crisis. The good news is that God will not give up on you. Unlike the teacher in school who may fail you. God will keep giving you another chance to learn the lesson. Over and over and over again. I hope you get that. You will keep going through a similar crisis
until you learn what God has for you so you can be a true ambassador
in that area to be used by the master.
I think the bottom line is we hang on by letting go
and let God be the pilot and the sovereign master.
Mercy Me Best News Ever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acbcKrnnJAk
