Testing Your Metal
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 11 viewsLife is full of trials. When those trials occur, we're often left asking "why God?" The dirty little secret is that seldom do people actually want the answer. They just want to pray for a specific outcome. When we dedicate our lives to Christ, we have to shift our perspective on all things in life, including our trials. That moves us to approach hardship with a very different tone; one which prioritizes how God may be strengthening and preparing for His glory.
Notes
Transcript
Handout
God Isn’t Unfair; Your Perspective Is Just Off
God Isn’t Unfair; Your Perspective Is Just Off
PRIMARY Hang-Up: Something happened —> It was unfair.
We all have things we want; but what is our “want” based on?
Humans have tricky hearts… Jeremiah 17:9
9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?
WANTING does not equal DESERVING <— HUGE DIFFERENCE!!!!!!
When we experience hardship, we are quick to question God’s goodness but hardship is purposeful.
Seeing PURPOSE in TRIAL is a perspective shift we don’t appreciate enough.
ANALOGY: Physical pain serves a purpose.
STORY - Episode of “House” where patient goes into the hospital saying he hurts everywhere. Dr. House asks the patient to explain. The patient proceeds to point at different parts of his body and each time he presses on a body part he says, “Owwww!” Dr. House sighs and then grabs his finger to which the patient screams in pain. Dr. House sarcastically says, “You idiot, your finger is broken”.
Pain indicates weakness, damage, but exists for the purpose of IMPROVING OUR RESILIENCY.
Pain in exercise —> Makes us stronger.
Pain in interaction —> Makes us smarter.
Pain in all forms leads to some form of greater survivability… THAT’S WHY WE HAVE IT!!!
Some feel no pain: congenital analgesia—> Considered a extremely dangerous condition!
Scripturally, we know that spiritual discomfort also serves a purpose. James 1:2-4
2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
God permits trials and uncomfortable times because it causes us to test ourselves and learn to shift our perspective from one that desires “no pain” (hedonism) to one that deserves purpose and meaning.
Not only is pain purposeful, but it is actually beneficial!
There is BENEFIT in trial that God intends for us...
12 Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone. 14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.
Appears that TRIALS prepare us for BLESSING.
...better seen (recognition).
...better experienced (contrast).
...better internalized (intimacy).
TRIALS also prep us for FUTURE GLORY; consider His instruction to the Hebrews leaving Egypt...
14 You will be blessed above all peoples; there will be no infertile male or female among you or your livestock. 15 The Lord will remove all sickness from you; he will not put on you all the terrible diseases of Egypt that you know about, but he will inflict them on all who hate you. 16 You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God is delivering over to you and not look on them with pity. Do not worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you. 17 “If you say to yourself, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I drive them out?’ 18 do not be afraid of them. Be sure to remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and all Egypt: 19 the great trials that you saw, the signs and wonders, the strong hand and outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you fear.
1) I will bless… 2) You must do… 3) Remember how I carried you when you doubt...
Same model applies to our lives today!
When we look at trials as inherently bad, we are ignoring that trials exist for purpose.
SHIFT: With Christ, we stop looking at trials as fair/unfair or just/unjust; we instead look at it as opportunities to improve our utility.
We become spiritually smarter and stronger… more useful for difficult tasks God as prepared for us!
Read James 1:12-15 and note how James ties trials to preparing us to endure things that would draw us away from Christ. How can having a worldly attitude during life’s trials damage our relationship with God? How can it train us to lean less on God and more on the world?
Read about God instructing His people to occupy the Promised Land in Deuteronomy 7:14-19. Note how God connects the doubt the Hebrews may feel with his faithfulness in past trials (v19). How does this demonstrate that God uses trials today to help strengthen our faith for His work in the future?
Asking For Help The Right Way
Asking For Help The Right Way
So are we to just be silent as we suffer during great trials? NO!
We ask for help, but we ask with a perspective that shows our alignment with God.
James’ solution… Asking for God-centered Help
CONCEPT: “Wisdom” is the key to perspective.
5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, 8 being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.
Sincerity in our petition is key —> No spiritual schizophreniacs! (God isn’t a vending machine)
Paul’s solution… Leaning on spiritual drive and purpose
CONCEPT: The spirit will persevere beyond any worldly trial and end in eternal victory.
16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Focus on the divine rather than the worldly… and nothing worldly can overcome you.
Peter also takes this “focus on the divine” stance… 1 Peter 4:12-13
12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you. 13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed.
We all have different ways of coping and these different approaches may resonate with us during different seasons of our life.
The important thing is to realize that redemption from our trials doesn’t come from temporary comforts and momentary rewards; it comes by the perfect Will of God.
THEREFORE, if God gives us reprieve, PRAISE HIM.
HOWEVER, if God permits us to continue being tried, PRAISE HIM MORE because He is bringing you closer to eternal glory.
Read about James’ “wisdom approach” to enduring trials in James 1:6-8 and Paul’s “spirit following approach” to enduring trials in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
1) Which of these perspectives do you resonate with more?
2) Does your perspective change depending on the nature of your trial?
3) What is common across both of these approaches to life’s trials? Where is the focus and how does it differ from how many people “living in the world” try to endure trials?
Who Are You Focused On?
Who Are You Focused On?
So many ask “Why God?”, not wanting to hear the answer.
They don’t want to know “why”.
They want to know when the trial will be over or how to get the result they want.
INSTEAD we should ask “Why God?” with sincerity, actually seeking His wisdom and strength.
IF ALL ELSE FAILS, lean on the spirit who gives BOTH PATIENCE AND WISDOM.
We do no live for this world. If that is going to mean anything beyond simple slogans and empty rhetoric, we have to be prepared to approach out trials with that same eternal focus.
