Does it ever seem like in life everything you encounter are trails.
Well I have had many of those lately! Including yesterday when I was carefully driving down a lane at WalMart in the right direction trying to park my car so I could go pick up a prescription for Jon who has been pretty sick. Suddenly out of now where comes a car driving way to fast who was not in a lane and was whipping around cars in the parking lot who would have hit me head on if I hadn't hit my breaks and the other car swerve. As I sat in my car shaking thinking about what could have happen, my only response was Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord.
Things like that have been happening over and over lately. Side swiping me to the point that the only thing I can do is Thank my Lord for the trial myself and others around me are encountering.
This past week we found out that our board chairman at our church, Jack has Colon Cancer. After having all the round of test run, his prognosis at this point isn't good. Had the Lord been preparing our church flock for this trail? Yes He has! He started this summer by two men in our church reconciling their relationship with one another. Jon and I had prayed a lot that this would happen and then were just amazed by the Lord's answer. Another gal we had been praying for accepted Christ. She had been looking all over for a peace that would settle her and she finally found it in Jesus. These are just a few of the ways that the Lord has been drawing our little flock nearer to Him. Now with Jack's illness it has been amazing to see how our flock has reached out to him and his family. We know they won't have to go through this trial alone because the church family will be right there beside them.
Today I was reading in Romans 5
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. — Romans 5:3-5
These verses were a reminder to me of how the Lord wants me to react to the trials that come along in this journey of faith as a Christian. The Lord doesn't want us to react as the world does but wants us to show the world how to react to Christ.
I am once again reminded that these trials are just temporal. In a short while my Lord will return for his bride the church!
Until then lets respond to the trails that are set before us like Christ responded in Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Will you join me in this trail of faith that produces godly character? I pray that you will!
Blessings,
Deb
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