What will increase the chances that when faced with a trial, a fork in the road, that we will choose the path of faith and victory over the road of fear and defeat?
“Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
Many things it seems, has to be learned. I am glad that Paul had ” learned,’ to be content in whatever state he found himself in. No magic wand, no waking up one morning and finding the answer. As we walk through this life, we will find, through our circumstances, through our trials and tribulations, through our families, through the world, the secret to contentment. Failure is such a neccecary part of learning. There are some it seems, and I was certainly one, that had to learn the hard way.
Many years ago I faced a particular trial. I exercised faith, most impressive, then at the very end when failure seemed assured, I lost it. Afterwards( and after victory was delivered by His hand) the Lord spoke to my heart. As I looked back upon the situation, of which I gave myself about a 4 out of 10, I wanted to learn to walk in a 10. I imagined what it may look like to enter into a trial with full assurance. Not the full assurance that somehow the circumstance would change, but with the full assurance that despite the trial I would walk through it in peace. This became my goal. I determined in my heart not to fear, not to sin, but to know that the steps of a righteous man is ordered of God. The Lord assured me that there would be more trials. And the more trials I went through, the more I realized that every single time the Lord was with me. Now, most of the times the circumstances did not change, but my attitude towards them did, and in this lay the victory. Kinda like Psalm 23 when the Lord prepares a table before the psalmist in the presence of his enemies. One can walk in goodness and mercy all the days of their lives despite the circumstances, whether abounding or abased, whether full of whether hungry.
So brother, what is the likelihood that we will choose faith? Much will depend on our previous victories, much will depend upon if we have been blessed by trials and circumstances where we have seen the Lord move powerfully in our lives. And victory is this, to sit in HIs presence. How many would rather have a life-time of trials and walk in HIs presence, than a life of ease and walk according to our own knowledge?
I am very fortunate that within two years of coming to Jesus that I was diagnosed with a terminal illness. This remains the single most important event of my life. I learned to walk by faith. I learned not to fear death, I learned that the steps of a righteous man is ordered of God. I learned that I was His servant and that no force in the universe could take me out of His hands. No sickness could, no devils could, no man could. I was not leaving this planet one second before my Master deemed it to be so, as it is with all of His servants.
This attitude has revolutionized my walk with the Lord. Can I just say that the trials have came thick and fast. It seems like every year I am glad that the year is over, but I know that I have went out deeper into the Lord. What price faith? What price peace? This contentment, this thing that the whole world hungers after, do you have it? Can you kneel down and pray to the Lord ” Whatever ot takes?” I prayed this prayer in 1995, just four years after coming to Jesus. It was one of those prayers that lit up my spirit. I knew that I knew that God had heard me and said ” Okay Frank.” This was a choice to enter a world of trials, a world of sorrows, fields of fire, very high mountains, very low valleys, victories and defeats. There is only one way to learn, just as the Apostle Paul, we have to be both hungry and full, we have to be both clothed and naked, we have to have nothing and have abundance, we have to be stoned, rejected, reviled , shiprecked and lose our reputations. Do you want the peace that surpasses all understanding bad enough to throw it all down and yield and surrender completely? Can you embrace and give thanks for all things? One fork of the road leads you to the point of a peace that surpasses all understanding, the other leads to a troubled life and greater struggles.
And the terrible thing is? Its our choice. We can have the treasures of heaven and walk in a peace that is beyond the wisdom of man to understand, but it involves the death of ourselves to this world. Will you do it brothers and sisters? Its an exciting , terrible, marvelous road. Its all or nothing. Its leaping of the edge of all that we know into the arms of a saviour we cannot see and a world that is yet to come. It is for all Gods children………………brother Frank