Psalms 88:18 (NASB) #verseOfReflection
18 You have removed lover and friend far from me;
My acquaintances are in darkness.
Did you ever feel like...you were being watched?
For some reason when strange/weird/foolish things happen in my life that are no result of my own actions I begin to wonder if something else is going on. Like, if perhaps I'm being punk'd or there's some catch to everything that is happening at the time. Have you ever felt like that? Things are going well and then all of a sudden you hit this downward spiral. Or maybe it's a situation where you know things aren't the best but then all of this "extra" comes out of the woodworks making it worse than it was before.
What should be obvious to most people is that we face many a trial, difficulty, obstacle, and try to (should) learn from the experience. Often times people may come into our lives only for a season, but how do you determine what the lesson was to be learned if there's a lesson at all! How about in that rare occasion that God himself has allowed or caused your current test/situation/dilemma? No matter how much good you do to others and for others, there is no way you'll get through this life without being tested, especially for those who prescribe to the beliefs of Christianity
I've endured a number of tests recently (in my mind it seems like a lot, but maybe it was one big test with multiple parts). I'm sure that some of them were directly from God, not to test me to see if I was strong enough, but to show me how dedicated/committed I am (or not) to him and what it is that I lack in my own natural ability. Sometimes the test isn't about proving how good your are, rather it's focus is to show you what you're missing or how unfocused you can be (have become). I mean, if there was something I needed to know and it was as simple as God telling me, he could've done that. A lot of pain, anguish, and frustration (as well as time, which equates money) would've been saved.
As we've talked about in previous posts, there are times when the results/outcomes/expectations are taking too long and/or we must continue to experience pain as a part of the test or trial. Some days you just feel like it's not fair and you haven't done anything to be enduring this type of "mess". Maybe there are those times when you don't want to say anything because it will feel like you're complaining and at the same have to tell somebody so you don't lose your mind!
If I've learned anything, especially in these last 3 years it's that the tests are to make us strong, help us correct/address weaknesses, and become better than who we are in the present moment. If you truly want to do great things, reach the world, help people...it will take a lot of preparation and you just may one day find yourself in a situation that you could not have been prepared or trained for, and in that test you get all the preparation and training necessary.
A lot of times when God tests me these days I don't like it. Yet, I know that I have to be tested over and over again, as it's the only way I can become a better me, in hopes of us becoming a better we, so that we may truly help all of them.
Sumthn2Ponder (s2p):
- What test are you experiencing currently?
- Do you feel any of the tests in your life (past/present) are from God?
- How have you changed your response to testing in your life over time?
Links for Consideration(L4C):
In case you need it
Strong Enough (Matthew West) Lyrics
