Tough week already?
Are you on tap to have a tough week? Or perhaps you got a bad case of the Monday’s (see Office Space clip for reference link)? Maybe you are just stuck in a longer season of challenges. Maybe nothing appears to be going right in some or all areas in your life; such as relationships, health, finances. Because you are a believer, intellectually you know it is going to be okay because you do have faith in Christ, but doubt and heart ache is creeping in due to the onslaught of things going wrong.
I have experienced these same emotions due to setbacks within the past few weeks. Please don’t think I am some perfect, sage human. I am far from it. In fact, I write about what I am currently going through or about what God puts on my heart as an encouragement to myself as much as I hope it encourages you. God gave me a vision to write and so here I am showing up.
Are these events really setbacks or, as my Pastor talked about on Sunday, is God re-routing you according to His will? So how does one overcome challenges and setbacks?
You need to change your thinking. The best way to do this is to make sure you are talking to God on a two-way radio. Often, we Christians just blast out our prayers to God megaphone like, but we need to remember to listen. Also, make space to read the Word (the Bible) every day (add some scripture in your prayers- it’s powerful). Notice the scripture below doesn’t just say pray, but to listen.
The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. (Isaiah 50:4 KJV)
This past Sunday my church’s sermon referenced Acts 16 when Paul and Silas are beaten and put in jail. Paul originally felt his mission was to head to Asia, but then was given the direction by the Holy Spirit to re-route to Macedonia (north of modern day Greece). Macedonia was not a piece of cake to spread the gospel. They did not role out the red carpet, instead Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in jail. How did Paul and Silas deal with this setback that was a mission from God? They chose to worship the Lord loudly in front of the other prisoners and jailer; the walls shook, the doors flew open and their shackles released. The prisoners and the jailer become Jesus believers. (read the full account here link).
What amazed me was Paul and Silas didn’t sink into a big drawn out pity party for themselves. They chose worship and went into prayer and praise. I got to thinking, how were they able to muster such strength? Could I be that strong? If I were Paul, I might have felt doomed or that I had made a mistake somewhere along the path of God’s plan. He was in step with God every morning; he wasn’t just praying, he was meditating on the Word, he was listening and walking it out. This wasn’t the first time Paul and Silas fervently prayed and publicly praised God. They must have felt a steadier confidence in Christ when they could just slip away in the crowds. This time the experience was bleak (torture and shackles) but the kingdom reward was great. What a miracle to participate in…some supernatural shaking and watching your captor choose Christ.
So what happens when the miracle does not appear immediately? You fervently continue to seek your relationship with Christ. And you fake it until you make it! Kidding…kind of. Psalm 126:4 KJV states “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.”
Go to work even though you are in pain, but remain confident in your faith. And by work I mean literally work, but also be a witness for Christ. If Paul and Silas didn’t worship in public and chose to focus on pain then the jailer and other prisoners wouldn’t come to Christ (not to mention it being firmly planted in God’s word to strengthen our faith today). What happens when we sow seed even when in pain? Psalm 126:6 KJV states “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
See how God has plans to transform your pain for glory? Your relationship with Him brings you joy and bounty because He loves you. It does not mean you have completed your assignment, but you will be refreshed to continue on your journey.
FYI, I can parent from the toilet.
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Be a blessing,
Coach H