I read this today in my devotional...
God chooses people He can depend upon. He knew what to expect from Abraham and said of him, "I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children...that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him." God knew Abraham would "direct his children (Genesis 18:19)." The Lord can be depended upon, and He desires for us to be just as reliable, determined, and stable. This is simply the meaning of faith...God knows that you can withstand your trial, or else He would not have given it to you. His trust in you explains the trials of your life, no matter how severe they may be. God knows your strength, and He measures it to the last inch. Remember, no trial has ever been given to anyone that was greater than that person's strength, through God, to endure it.
Hmmm...whatcha trying to say, Lord?
I always feel this compulsion to explain to the world that I am fully aware that my "trials" are minimal...often even trivial...in comparison to others. God has given me food and a house. Good health and healthy children. He is the Master of provision and encouragement. His goodness and faithfulness unending. So what do I have to complain about?
Satan wants us to remain distracted. And so often, he uses the medium of pity to create that distraction. I think that pity is related to pride. And pride is of no use to the Lord. We need to stay away from that whole "my life really stinks" thing. I get that.
BUT...I'm pretty sure that when God says to cast all of our cares on Him, there was either a few missing pages with the sliding scale that would qualify us to do that, or He never intended us to compare our heartbreak to others. I think He'll certainly overhaul our priorities. Convict us of selfishness. Show us all the areas where we first need to thank Him before we jump into our woes. Think of others before thinking of ourselves. Absolutely. Those are all critical parts of being a Christ-follower. But let's not forget that He cares about all of us and every part of us. Limiting His smallness is just as wrong as limiting His bigness. In comparison, my life is well, it's simpler than the many faces of "the least of these." But to deny God's desire to give me strength in my own little itty bitty trials, I think, would be wrong.
So, as I read these little snippets of encouragement...as I continue to plug away at the healing process that is taking new twists and turns on a daily basis...as I experience things that are challenging and exhausting and invigorating all at the same time: I know that God knows. He knows how much of what I will need each and every day. Then He offers it to me. The choice to receive it is mine. It's a simple concept, really. One that I can claim in my own life. One that I can claim in the lives of the many that I am privileged to pray for. And one that I must implement in tangible ways as I consider the fact that God's desire is for me to turn my strength and provision and encouragement around in order to meet needs in other people's lives.
God knows what He can expect from us. He selects our trials carefully and perfectly, providing the strength to get through it, and the grace to actually thrive while doing so...then eventually uses the whole thing to encourage, bless and strengthen others as they walk through what God has allowed them to walk through. And then they help someone else...and so the process continues.
Pretty cool the way God works it all out, if you ask me.
Be encouraged, friend. Regardless of which part of the process you find yourself in today, He is at work in your life just as He has been in mine this week, this weekend and even today. His strength, perfect. His timing, flawless. You can trust Him.
I think that's what He's trying to say to all of us: We can trust Him.
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