As women and disciples of Christ, life will prove to be challenging as well as rewarding. We will experience joy as well as pain in our lives. I hear older people refer to this as peaks and valleys (the highs and the lows). The good news is that we have a savior in Jesus Christ. Through him, we know how to live, how to praise God, how to live Godly lives, and how to endure difficult situations.
I do not mean to belittle anyone's tragedy, but if we follow Jesus' example through faith we can and will go on. There have been times in my life where I have been so devastated that I thought I would die and would simply not make it. But God... You know what I mean when I say, "But God..." don't you? But God saw fit to have mercy on me. But God put people in my path to pray for me. But God opened doors for me and made a way out of what I thought was no way. But God healed my broken heart. But God put a fire in my bones. But God turned my weeping into singing. I could go on and on. It was not an instant rescue. It was a steady process of God removing things, people, and desires from my heart and replacing them with his will. It simply hurt and I did not understand at the time because I could not see what God had for me. I was so focused on the small picture that I was living through, that I could not shake it off to trust and walk in the peace of Jesus Christ.
Life is not always rainbows and butterflies, but my life gets better and better as I try to follow Jesus more closely and to seek his will.
1.
Following
God’s Will Does Not Mean We Will Never Have Trouble
· Ask
yourself if you can still have peace in the storms of life and rely on
God. That is what living in His will is
called. Trouble in your life doesn’t necessarily mean that you are out of God’s
will. God is able to use trauma,
heartache, etc. to shape and mold you into the person he wants you to become. You may be able to use the compassion and
life lessons to fulfill his plans.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
11
For I know the plans I have for
you,” declares the Lord, “plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
2.
Following God’s Will is Not Easy
Look to Jesus’ life as the ultimate
example.
· Jesus withstood being tempted by Satan. He fought Satan only with the word of God and
not his own flesh.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
13 No temptation[a] has
overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will
not let you be tempted[b] beyond
what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[c] he will also provide a way out so that you
can endure it.
·
Jesus is the son of God in the flesh
which many did not believe. But rather
they mocked him and the Pharisees (the holy know it alls) wanted to trick him
and persecute him every turn because they did not believe him.
Mathew 5:10 (NIV)
10 Blessed
are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Acts 14:22 (NIV)
22 strengthening the
disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through
many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
· Once
he started teaching & performing miracles among the crowds and the
disciples, Jesus did not have a home to call his own. He devoted his time to the things of God.
People resented him. The Jewish leaders
and the Roman government felt threatened by his power. In their fear, they would try to get people
not to know Jesus by beating, jailing, and killing his followers. Ultimately,
Jesus Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 (NIV)
8 But God demonstrates
his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
· Jesus
was resurrected on the third day. He
came back to prove that Satan will never have the victory in our lives no
matter what happens. He gave the
disciples power during Pentecost with the Holy Spirit so that we will never be
alone, but have power as Christians. We
have the power through faith in Christ to defeat Satan and his forces as well.
Act 1:8 (NIV)
8 But you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
John 14:26 (KJV)
26 But the Comforter,
which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach
you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have
said unto you.
3. Jesus Paid the Cost of His Life for Ours so that We are Joint Heirs in his Kingdom.
· We will inherit his promises. Just as Christ had to pick up his cross (or vertical beam) and carry it so do we. I was taught by my church Pastor that the vertical beam symbolizes Christ’s relationship with God and that the horizontal beam that was added to make the cross symbolizes his divine relationship with Man.
John 14:2 (KJV)
2 In my Father's house
are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a
place for you.
· We are saved by grace through our faith in Jesus Christ. Things will not be easy for us because it was not easy for Jesus. But, because we love Him and follow Him, we try to keep his commandments and are “new” in Christ meaning we do not do the things we did before we did not believe and did not know were against His word. We have a new attitude, a new way of thinking, and a new way of doing things. But also we will experience suffering in our lives at times just like Jesus suffered for us.
John 14:23 (NIV)
Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
2 Do not conform
to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good,
pleasing and perfect will.
Be encouraged Sisters. Be strong in Christ!
(Adapted from: Four
Good Things that Are True About God’s Will The Power of Praying: Help
for a Woman’s Journey Through Life by Stormie Omartian )
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