I am on vacation this week. I am sharing some heavily edited posts from the archives.
With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.
and he will trample down our enemies.
Psalm 108:13
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I find it
very interesting that many times while I am reading and digesting the Word I will find
just what I need.
very interesting that many times while I am reading and digesting the Word I will find
just what I need.
The exact scripture I need to read to address an issue or help me deal with something that is
bothering me.
bothering me.
Something that disturbs me…God sends JUST. WHAT. I.
NEED….JUST. IN. TIME.
NEED….JUST. IN. TIME.
Psalm 108:13 in The New American
Standard translation reads this way:
Standard translation reads this way:
Through God we will do
valiantly,
valiantly,
And it is He who shall
tread down our adversaries.
tread down our adversaries.
Valiant is defined as: boldly courageous;
brave; stout-hearted.
brave; stout-hearted.
In Hope for Each Day Billy Graham uses the NAS version and writes,
“there are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is to simply get
rid of the trial and be thankful when it is over. The other is to
rid of the trial and be thankful when it is over. The other is to
recognize the trial as a challenge from God
to claim a larger blessing than we
have ever had.”
have ever had.”
When
looking for a job sometime back I revised my resume. One of the items I mentioned was my “ability to
view challenges as opportunities.”
looking for a job sometime back I revised my resume. One of the items I mentioned was my “ability to
view challenges as opportunities.”
Hmm…I can view a challenge at
work as an opportunity, but I struggle to view challenges in my life as
opportunities for God to bless me?
work as an opportunity, but I struggle to view challenges in my life as
opportunities for God to bless me?
As opportunities for me to grow?
Am I
serious?
serious?
Paul wrote in I Corinthians 10:13 that “God is faithful” and will not let us be tempted beyond what we can
bear.
bear.
The Message states that verse like this:
“God will never let you down;
he’ll never let you be pushed
past your limit;
past your limit;
he’ll always be there to help you come through it.”
If He is faithful, if He will never let me down, if He is there to help me through my trials,
then I need to learn to view my trials as opportunities.
then I need to learn to view my trials as opportunities.
Opportunities for
growth.
growth.
To grow in my faith.
To grow in my relationship with Him.
After all, if I can begin to recognize my trials as challenges and
as opportunities…who knows? It might be a great experience!
as opportunities…who knows? It might be a great experience!
But…growth can be painful.
So, I need to hang on and hold on tight.
And pray. HARD.
How about you? Do you see challenges as opportunities or obstacles?
a much edited re-post from the archives
Chatter