Spurgeon's Morning Entry for February 18th goes perfectly with both One28's theme for the year, Contending for Christ, and J Sarr's sermon this morning on the importance of trials in proving and refining our faith:
"Show me wherefore thou contendest with me" - Job 10:2
Perhaps, O tried soul, the Lord is doing this to develop your graces. Some of your graces would never be discovered if it were not for your trials...how can you know that you have faith until your faith is exercised?
God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order to make us better Christians. He trains His soldiers not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and sending them on forced marches into hard service. He makes them ford through streams, swim through rivers, climb mountains, and walk many long miles with heavy knapsacks of sorrow on their backs. Well, Christian, may not this account for the troubles through which you are passing? Is not the Lord brining out your graces and making them grow? Is this not the reason that He is contending with you?
I post this as a reminder myself to find it all joy when God takes away my comorts and privileges to make me a better Christian, and such is my prayer for all of you.
2 comments:
Of course, technically the one28 theme for the year is "Look Only to Christ" with the 07SR theme as "Contending for Christ," but we can overlook it for Spurgeon's sake.
It is also helpful to remember that part of the purpose of our life is trials. The goal is not to achieve some level of faith so that we are comfortable and at ease. The goal is to glorify Christ. What better way to bring glory to the God of the universe than to trust Him to see us through difficult trials! Knowing this, should we not eagerly await them, knowing that through the power of the Holy Spirit we shall persevere to the glory of Christ!
Someone said recently that God never promised us to be rested. It makes sense, then, that we should always be ready for trials!
Post a Comment