PRICKLY PATCH

 I was having lunch in a Mexican Restaurant during the Fall Festival at Robbers Cave.  My cousin took this picture of a little Jesus that was in the hall by the restroom of the restaurant.  First of all, I love those little Jesus'.  They are popping up more and more in my life in the strangest places.  A friend gave me one to give to my grandson.  There was the one in the cabin at Robbers Cave in my grandsons' room above their bed.  

I was thinking about this one.  Jesus is standing on a cactus.  It made me think of the "prickly patches" in our life.  Those are the things that we don't like but can't change.  Those are the things that cause us pain or hurt.  Those are the trials we go through that we didn't ask for.  Those are the relationships that are hard, the diagnosis we didn't expect, the future we thought we had but now don't.  Those are the financial problems that cause us stress.  They are all a part of life.  There is no getting away from them, no escaping, no one is immune.  So, we have to choose our response.

If you believe God is sovereign over your life, that means He has permitted or allowed things to happen in your life for a specific reason.  I am big on learning the lessons, so I don't have to take the test again.  The Bible says trials are important to perfect your faith (proving it is genuine), strengthen your faith, teach you to walk by faith and not by sight.  The trial has a specific purpose in your life.  Maybe it is to teach you patience or perseverance.  They are all to conform you to the likeness and character of Jesus so you can be a light to the world.   They are intended to produce fruit in your life to minister to others in your life.  

There came a time in my life many years ago where I came to a "crisis of belief".  It was a time of extreme trial.  I had a choice.  To believe God or not to believe God.  Would I trust God or not trust God?  I was a follower of Jesus but I rode the fence.  If I needed Him, I knew he'd be there.  But most of the time He wasn't the priority.  If I chose to totally believe Him, that meant trusting Him regardless of understanding the trial or not.  No matter the outcome of my trial, I had to take my hands off and trust Him.  It meant that He had a purpose and would work everything out for my good.....eventually.  And I didn't know what that would look like.  It meant that He had to be first, no runner up.  

I am so thankful that I chose to jump "all in".  It isn't easy.  I still have trials but He goes through them with me.  I hold onto Him and trust that He is always working.  He gives me strength and hope.  He challenges my faith and I am glad.  I don't want a stagnant faith.  I want a faith that is alive and active and genuine.  I want a life that is continually producing fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self-control) as I yield to His Spirit in my life.  I'm not sure I would have any of that without trials.  So we can actually "rejoice (consider it pure joy) whenever we face trials of many kinds because the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lack anything." (James 1:2).  So instead of resisting, trying to figure it out, blaming, questioning, or complaining, I want to submit to God and the work He wants to do through the trial.  That is always a challenge for me! But He gives me the strength and the wisdom I need.  So don't waste the trial.  Learn the lesson, lean in and walk closer to Jesus, let Him strengthen your faith and produce more fruit in your life.  

If you aren't a follower of Jesus or haven't "jumped" all in, you can call on Him and start by surrendering your life to Him.  I hear people say "I am a good person" or "I try to always do the right thing".  It's not about that at all.  It's about a relationship with Jesus.  When you surrender to Him and accept Him as your Savior, you become His child and the Bible says no one can pluck you out of His hand.  Then He works in your life through His Spirit to do good works, conform you to His likeness and glorify Himself.  But He just wants you, just as you are, warts and all!  He wants to envelope you in His love, forgive you completely, transform you and give you abundant life.   He wants the best for your life.   He is waiting for you.  Jump in!