When obstacles hit your life, your first response might be “No thanks, I need straightforward breezy.” However what if these very obstacles are literally good presents designed to set you free? What if God is utilizing each problem to improve your life in methods you by no means imagined?
This may problem your considering, however stick with me. There’s profound knowledge right here that would remodel the way you view each tough scenario you face.
The Knowledge Behind the Wrestle
Jim Rohn mentioned one thing good: “Don’t want for issues to be simpler, want so that you can be higher.” The deeper I dig into scripture, the extra good this turns into. James 1:17 tells us that each good and ideal present comes from our Heavenly Father.
Take into consideration what makes a present good. For those who’re heading out for a mountain climbing journey in Colorado subsequent week and all of the sudden notice you don’t have correct mountain climbing boots, somebody providing you with boots that match completely can be precisely what you want. An ideal present is one thing you want, whether or not you notice it or not.
God is aware of what we’d like. John 3:27 says we can not obtain something until it’s from the Father, and that features our powerful occasions, obstacles, and challenges. If He’s an ideal Father, typically these obstacles are precisely what we’d like for our progress and freedom.
Breaking Free from Unhealthy Dependencies
Over the previous yr, God has moved some individuals I cared about away from me, individuals I had helped and cherished. Via this, He confirmed me to not be reliant on anybody else. Proverbs tells us that worry of man is a snare, however belief within the Lord brings security.
For those who’re a individuals pleaser, an ideal present for you wouldn’t be all of the sudden pleasing everybody. It will be realizing that some individuals, irrespective of how laborious you attempt, you’ll be able to’t please, and also you’re not meant to please them. The Apostle Paul mentioned he couldn’t be each a individuals pleaser and a servant of Christ.
God makes use of obstacles to set you free out of your dependancy to different individuals’s opinions and your emotional attachment to cash. Do you belief within the Lord or do you belief in your checking account? Jesus mentioned on the finish of Luke 16 that you just can not serve God and cash. You’ll both love one and despise the opposite.
When you have an unhealthy dependancy to cash as your supply of id, security, safety, standing, and significance, what may God do? He may take it away to set you free from that dependancy and assist you to notice that He’s supply and cash is only a useful resource.
Your Mindset: Fortress or Temple?
The way in which we predict guidelines our life. Our mindset is both a fortress or a temple for the dwelling God. A fortress is constructed to maintain one thing out. A temple is constructed to ask somebody in.
God is reworking our lives. He’s renovating us, restoring us, rebuilding us, renewing us. Restoring our considering is a main piece of our non secular stroll as a result of stress is an inside job. Stress isn’t attributable to externals. After we say “He’s actually stressing me out” or “This example is so anxious,” we’re lacking the reality.
Stress is attributable to the way in which you understand conditions, by the way in which you concentrate on them. It’s an inside job, and stress is non-obligatory.
Keep in mind when Jesus was sleeping on the boat in the course of the storm? The disciples have been freaking out, however Jesus simply mentioned, “Peace,” and the water grew to become calm. He didn’t get up confused. He merely addressed the scenario. Stress was non-obligatory for Him, and it’s non-obligatory for you too.
The Behavior of Self-Condemnation
Most of you already know the verse that claims there’s no condemnation in Christ, however you like to condemn your self as a result of it’s turn out to be a behavior. It’s not your id, it’s a behavior, and habits might be damaged. The Holy Spirit is a genius at breaking unhealthy habits, however now we have to provide Him permission.
Typically we fall in love with the behavior of being a sufferer. We get hooked on an id that’s undeserving of Christ’s dying on the cross. We develop a “How do I beat myself up right this moment?” routine.
The Recreation-Altering Query
Right here’s the half that may problem your theology: Was Jesus punished sufficient for sin? Did He say “It’s completed”? Are you saved by your works or by grace? For those who’re saved by grace, not by works, then why do you retain beating your self up?
Is your self-condemnation useful to one thing that was already completed? For twenty years, I’ve been educating individuals how to earn more money and crush it in enterprise. However right here’s the connection: your online business drawback is a private drawback. For those who proceed considering you must condemn your self despite the fact that there’s no condemnation in Christ, it’s going to have an effect on your online business outcomes.
Did the Father pour each final ounce of wrath, anger, and indignation upon Jesus? If the Father has any capability to be offended on this life, then what precisely did the cross do?
We can’t be schizophrenic in regards to the gospel. We will’t be double-minded, considering “It’s completed, however I nonetheless must beat myself up.” The gospel is both essentially the most highly effective, astonishing, superb, unbelievable excellent news ever, or it’s a lie. Which one is it?
Strolling as a New Creation
You’re known as to stroll as a brand new creation, and for most individuals, that’s really more durable than self-condemnation. Beating your self up is straightforward, very worldly, and the enemy loves it. However strolling as a brand new creation, having boldness and freshness, singing a brand new track? That’s riskier and scarier for most individuals.
It’s comfy to only beat your self up and say you’re nugatory, no good, a dirty sinner. You’re used to that. However it’s not serving to anybody, and it’s disrespectful to the cross.
Strolling as a brand new creation with out hating, judging, shaming, or condemning your self or anybody else? That’s a a lot bolder ask than persevering with to flog your self.
Every part Is About Your Freedom
Every part that God is doing in your life is about your freedom, your launch, your improve. You may’t have a loving God who’s all the time offended at what you do. It doesn’t compute.
There’s by no means going to be a scenario that isn’t about your freedom. Each frustration, each agitation, each impediment is a chance to ask two nice questions: What are you doing, God? What am I to do about this?
As an alternative of reacting to the issue individual, impediment, or circumstance, ask what you’re imagined to study and what you’re imagined to do.
Blessing These Who Oppose You
When individuals say detrimental issues about you or throw stones, bless them. The individual bashing you, backstabbing you, or making stuff up about you? They’re helpful souls to Christ. Each single one in every of them.
Even the one who drops hate feedback is a helpful soul. You’re not the decide. Everybody who voted otherwise than you, reads a distinct model of the Bible than you, is a helpful soul. Thank God for them, bless them.
First Peter 3:9 says don’t commerce evil for evil or insult for insult, however as a substitute bless so to obtain a blessing. If you bless people who find themselves nasty to you, you really get a blessing too.
You Can’t Fail, Solely Study
With God, you’ll be able to’t fail a check, however you’re given limitless tries to move. If somebody agitates you, frustrates you, sends you off the rails, and also you don’t study something from it, you’ll get the lesson once more. Names may change, however the lesson stays as a result of He loves you an excessive amount of to allow you to keep the identical.
After we take into account ourselves useless to sin and alive to God, one thing should shift in how we view ourselves. We transfer away from sin habits by specializing in what we wish and delighting in what’s good for us, not by condemning ourselves and performing like Jesus on the cross wasn’t sufficient.
If it was completed, if it was sufficient, should you’re saved by grace and never by what you do, then stroll within the new creation. Which may be scarier than condemning your self, nevertheless it’s the liberty Christ died to provide you.