Inconveniences
Scripture: Hebrews 12:3-11
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” (from Proverbs 3:11&12)
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
So, Friend, what is your prayer focus lately? When I first started following Jesus my main prayer was “God, break me.” Break my bad habits, whatever you have to do to keep me walking with you and growing in you, do it, I give you complete control.” It was a dangerous prayer, I went through a lot of heartache, a lot of pain, but I do not regret praying that prayer. You see I know how messed up I was before Jesus came into my life. I know how much I needed Him to change me and rip all out that sinfulness out of me, all of that stubborn stupidity out of me. Especially the things that I had grown very fond of and attached to in my life, you know those pet sins, the things we know are wrong, but we do enjoy…
Anyway, lately my prayer focus has turned back to something similar though a little less aggressive. I find myself often praying, “God make me fit for Heaven.” I think we all want to fit in, we want to belong, the question is where do you want to fit in? Who do you want to fit in with? Do you want to fit in with the world, do you want to fit in with broken people who celebrate their brokenness, or do you want to fit in in heaven? Fit in with God’s People? And we can apply that across the board, do you want to fit in with people who are broke and poor, or do you want to fit in with people who are rich and successful? Do you want to fit in with people who are clean and sober, or do you want to fit in with people struggling with or embracing addictions?
So how does God answer that kind of prayer? Well let me tell you, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11)
So, we had a little breakdown on the farm, the disc-bine broke (hay cutter for those of you not raised on a farm) ok, no big deal, order the parts fix it. My son gets ready to go out and cut more hay 3 days later, but it is still broken, something else. He calls me at work to tell me it is still broken; he asks me what I think. My heart sinks, the old feelings of pessimism start to rise up. The feelings like “I just can’t get ahead.” The stress of knowing my last customer of the season has been calling me for a week asking when I am going to get His hayfield cut. At that Moment there is the opportunity to drop into the spiral of anxiety worry, stress, and pessimism. But I pray, and God fills me with hope. God brings to mind the experience I have had fixing equipment (a lot of experience with broken equipment as I tend to buy cheap, old equipment that needs a lot of fixing) and I remember a weak spot in the gear box of the disc bine.
I call my son back, he orders the part, I head to the field after work and in 15 minutes take the gear box off and confirm my suspicion. And realize that God is still at work in the inconveniences of my life. He is teaching me to think differently. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Sometimes that means learning new facts from the Bible, but in that Moment for me it meant allowing God to train me to think with Hope, with Confidence and Peace instead of Anxiety. That’s how we fit in in heaven with a mindset a mind “SET” in hope, peace, and faith. A trust and a Joy that God is always for us, we are eternally blessed, not cursed.
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Prayer: God help me to realize that you are there in the inconveniences of my life, speaking to me, holding out the answers, there ready to help me. Forgive me when I whine, grumble and complain. And teach me to trust you. To trust you with joy and with peace knowing that you are working all things together for my good, according to your will.
Amen.
Point to Ponder: Am I expecting life to be easy, or effective in making me more like Christ? Do I desire comfort, or do I desire true eternal success that may come with a bit of momentary pain and discipline?
Verse to Memorize and Meditate on: Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Application: When things don’t go exactly according to your plans and your desires today stop and ask and think what God might be trying to show you and do in you at that moment.
