I am continuing on in my presentation of the same kind of different teachings. I hope those that are reading along and maybe just lurking around and reading are finding these questions very thought provoking.
1- Bad things happen to good people. What might God be trying to reveal about Himself through these types of situations? For me, I believe Denver Moore in this book stated it best, only good things come from God, bad things come from the devil but that doesn't mean God doesn't allow these things to happen just as he allowed Job to suffer. I believe in doing so, God is doing several things to reveal himself:
A- God is using other peoples sufferings so we can get a blessing. If you reach out to someone in need or in crisis, you are going to receive a blessing. It took me years to realize that if I am struggling and someone offers to help me and I turn them down because I am embarrassed, I not only robbed me of being blessed, I just took away someone elses chance of being blessed. In other words, I just robbed someones blessing!
B- God is trying to use our problems to show us how much He loves us! I may not be hitting the mark here, but I do know in many of the areas my family struggled, I have seen Gods love and grace where I wouldn't have seen it if I had not been struggling. There was a time I had no gas money & God placed it on a friends heart to call me and have me meet her at the gas station where without asking me, she filled my tank. Another time, friends showed up with food when all we had been eating was pancakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
C-By allowing us to struggle, we are able to help others. Sometimes, we have to be led through the slop in order to shine! If we never struggle, never become sick, always reap rewards, we may never bless anyone else, because we haven't endured trials. Trials make us stronger and God wants us to lean on Him so He can love us through them!
2- Recongizing our mortality puts life in perspective. What are three things for which you want to be remembered? What are you doing to accomplish these goals today?
1- I want to be remembered for helping others. I want someone to tell my children someday that when their home burnt, I made them a quilt and it gave them hope. I gave them something warm to drink on a cold day, bought them gloves to warm their hands.
2-I want to be remembered for my teachings and what I taught others...kindness, fairness, generosity, for seeing things in others no one else has, that untapped potential. I once had a student that everyone disliked, he lied, he broke others things, he stole...but he was the most amazing artist and story teller I had heard for someone his age. At the end of class I would walk around and tell the kids a positive thing about them...I would tell him that while I may not like most of his behavior, I loved his passion for art and story telling and I began to see changes in him. Remember me for those I have showed compassion to.
3-I want to be remembered as the person who would pray for anyone who asked and even those who didn't. I have gotten bolder in my prayer walk, I have prayed for people I don't even know because they looked like they needed prayer, I have stood on the streets of town and prayed for our town. Remember me as the person who prayed for others.
**Daily I work on each of these things. I don't need a star in a sidewalk to show I lived, I do these things daily and I do not ask anyone to toot a horn for me. You have mover and shakers, but I like to be the person that makes people think. I like to be the person that through my adversity, is remembered for giving glory to God!
3- Refresh your memory of the book of Job. Through all of his pain, Job remained faithful to God. What can you do to cultivate that kind of faith in your everyday life?
For me it is just being able to remember that I am daily right where God wants me to be and He holds me in the palm of His hand. I can fight it, I can argue about it, but in the end, I am where He wants to be right now, this given second and ain't nothing I can do to change it!**
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