Jordan and I are so excited about the release of our upcoming booklet, By Invitation - Your Place at the Feast. This project has definitely been a labor of love and we pray that all who
“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” ~C.S. Lewis
One of my favorite quotes is from the movie The Count of Monte Cristo. In the movie, the Count is attending the birthday dinner of Mercedes' son, Albert Mondego. He gives the birthday toast and during that toast, he says something that has always stuck with me. When talking about the storms of life, he repeats something Albert said weeks earlier when he was accosted in an alleyway, and adds some extra words of wisdom to it. He said,
Every single one of us has times in our life when storms rage and we wonder if one of these times we will be washed away with the tide. Yet somehow, we stand strong. We are somehow gifted with the strength to withstand the raging waters and go on. We will be told at different times in our lives that God will not give us more than we can handle. He lets it rain and He lets the winds blow, because He knows it is for our good. He knows exactly what lessons we need when we need them. And He is merciful in His comfort.
So, when we face those storms in life, let's quote the Count of Monte Cristo and say "Come on! Do your worst, for I will do mine!" Then we will lean on the strength of the Lord and learn and grow from the experiences.
And instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me? Why is this happening to them? What have I done to deserve this?”ask instead, “Why not me? What am I going to do with this? What am I supposed to learn from this experience?”
Sometimes the phrase, "walking through the fire" also perfectly describes the tests and trials of life. Because it is supposed to be a purification process, and if we allow them to, the times of joy, affliction, happiness, sadness, and every other wave of life’s emotional rollercoaster will strengthen and mold us into the sons and daughters of God we should be, preparing us bit by painstaking bit to receive the greater blessings the Father has instore for us.
We are currently in the final days of this part of our existence, Satan is running rampant creating fires, both physically and emotionally, and we are definitely being tried like we have never been tried before. For this reason, we must remember that no matter what trials assail us, no matter how violent the storm rages or how hot the fires burn, if we keep our eyes fixed on the lighthouse that is the Lord, He will never let us be lost in the sea of despair, and when the smoke clears, we will find Him standing front and center, having never left us.
Another of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes demonstrates perfectly the work God is doing in this refining process:
“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”
There have been so many times when I’ve felt like my life is a construction zone and walls are getting knocked down and rearranged. From dealing with day to day struggles as we raised our children, to watching them struggle to raise their own families now in this changing world, to dealing with my current health struggles, to combatting the spiritual warfare that grows more prevalent by the hour. The construction is ongoing. Every time a trial hits and I'm working my way through it, I imagine myself not just being remodeled, but overhauled, because I know there is so much work left to be done in me. And God is definitely not finished building!
When opposition comes, no matter how hard it is, we should welcome it, because God is helping to prepare us, making each of us into a place in which His holy spirit can dwell. The rebuilding pains will hurt, but in the end, they will be worth it.
Jordan’s Thoughts:
“Many times, I have felt like Job in the Bible. And without the Holy Spirit in my life, I would not have been able to bounce back like he did. Everything and everyone was removed from his life, but the Savior celebrated Job's life. And just as He did with Job, the Lord gives back ten-fold to all who wait on Him. He renews my strength every day, and I have felt my faith continually increase.
Like Moses, I am not mighty in speaking, but God opens my mouth and helps me speak His word when He needs me to speak it. He takes me in His hands and turns my weaknesses into strengths. He has a plan for me and has been rebuilding me piece by piece. When I get to a point where a trial is so hard that I feel like I am totally alone and that I am about to fall apart, the Lord sends me comfort. He also puts people in my life to help me. Those special people know who they are and the Lord knows their names. I am more grateful for them than I can say.
No matter what happens, no matter what trial I face, the Lord is there to comfort and carry me through. He has taken me by the hand and guided me through indescribable drama, and I will never let go of His hand. I’m holding onto it for life. Jesus is the Master Teacher, and I will always be a willing student.”
