There was a day
once when I had
God figured out.
In those days, I
was sure the
Lord was going
to do exactly
what I, imagined
He was supposed
to do. In my
ignorance, I had
it all figured
out. I even had
this beautiful
picture of kind
and gentle Jesus
who would never
allow me too
much suffering.
I also started
to construct in
my mind’s eye
how the Lord was
going to give me
exactly what I
wanted and
rightly
deserved. I
wonder what
Jesus was
thinking while I
was trying to
play God and
dictate how He
would govern
this created
life of His.
Was Jesus amused
at my blatant
stupidity, or
was He merciful
because my brain
capacity wasn’t
any more
intelligent than
a box of rocks.
What does this
God of ours
think? I just
can’t help but
wonder what
Jesus is
thinking about
with my endless
mistakes, my
absurd ideas of
what He is
supposed to be.
Jesus, the God
of heaven and
the Creator of
all things had
some naïve man
He created,
telling Him what
He is going to
do, how He is
going to do it,
and that
everything needs
to be completed
first thing in
the morning.
Man, was I in
for a big
surprise when I
gave my life to
the Creator of
the stars. I
think my thought
process was
like, “Shoot I
just hit the
lottery. Jesus
and I are best
buds. I got the
golden ticket
now.” I can only
speculate but
Jesus was most
likely thinking
here is another
rookie who has
no clue what he
just signed
himself up for.
I think a lot of
us might go to
God for many
reasons. I
confess I was a
shattered human
being when I
crawled into
church in Kansas
City that Sunday
morning. I also
admit I am no
super saint, and
what I have
learned so far
is that God has
His own agenda.
All I wanted
when I went into
church that day
was for God to
fix all of my
earthly
problems, and
eradicate any
pain from my
life.
Instead, God put
me closer to the
flame. He was
making sure I
realized that He
was in charge,
and that He
wanted a genuine
disciple.
Looking back
it’s like God
pushed me to my
very limit of my
ability to bear
a trial and then
He would turn
the heat off.
Then He would
raise the
temperature
again, and each
time it seemed
to just get
hotter and
hotter. God was
fulfilling my
prayer of
gaining
strength. God
was peeling back
layer after
layer of all of
my impurities,
and replacing
them with
strength,
wisdom, and
perseverance. My
friend, this is
the molding hand
of our God in
action.
It is quite mind
blowing to live
the journey of a
Christian.
Sometimes you
just can’t
believe you got
through the last
test.
Scripturally, we
can get a look
behind the
scenes of what
is happening to
each of us as we
stand the test
of a true
disciple.
“Does Job fear
God for
nothing?” Satan
replied. “Have
you not put a
hedge around him
and his
household and
everything he
has? You have
blessed the work
of his hands, so
that his flocks
and herds are
spread
throughout the
land.
But
now stretch out
your hand and
strike
everything he
has, and he will
surely curse you
to your face”
(Job 1:9-11).
In this dialogue
between our Lord
and Satan we see
Satan for who he
really is. First
he accuses God
that He could
have no
worshippers
unless He bribes
the people with
blessing, and
secondly he
slanders Job’s
true faith as
circumstantial.
These few verses
really show us
that Satan isn’t
going to allow
the test of
discipleship to
be an open book
test.
Our test is not
only for us to
learn and grow
in faith, but
it’s to show the
evil one that
God does have
true faithful
believers who
trust Him, no
matter the
hardship. So I
guess that once
I started
running to
Jesus, Satan was
standing before
the throne of
God making his
case against my
true faith.
Satan probably
said, “Donnie is
a phony, as soon
as he realizes
you are not
going to fix
things the way
he wants, he
will certainly
walk away from
you.”
Well if I told
you the truth, I
would admit I
almost quit a
couple of times.
I swear I heard
a voice just
tempting me to
quit, just
whispering in my
ear to just walk
away and all the
pressure would
disintegrate.
“Your life will
be restored to
joy and pleasure
if you just
leave Jesus
alone,” the
voice said.
Looking back I
take no credit.
I mean I swear
it was like
something just
carried me
through it all.
All I did was
not walk away. I
just picked up
that Bible and
kept reading,
and kept praying
and just holding
on one more day,
and then
another.
God forced me
through
suffering to let
go of this
world, and look
toward His
kingdom. Jesus
allowed the exam
to prove my
faith to Satan,
but He also used
the anguish to
get me to have
an eternal
perspective.
When I was in
longsuffering I
started to
change my
prayers, I
started to
change my
perspective. I
realized after a
couple of years
that God wasn’t
going to change
the
circumstances
even though I
kept praying for
Him to do so.
Instead I
started praying
to understand
His will for my
existence.
Instead of
hoping for that
idol that I kept
praying for, I
let go of this
world and
started
daydreaming
about what
heaven must be
like. God forced
me to make a
decision on my
own sanity.
Would I hold on
to this world
and all of its
idols, or would
I start looking
toward His
kingdom?
God didn’t
create us to
chase
ever-changing
worldly idols.
He created us to
experience the
glory of God.
These worldly
idols are the
worst
cancellation
prize any person
could ever get.
Jesus created
the planet
Jupiter while He
was probably on
the phone with
one of the
angels. Jesus
was most likely
making the rings
of Saturn while
half asleep on
one of His
heavenly
hammocks.
Jesus is
an extraordinary
God, who can
multitask like a
champ. I mean
imagine what
Jesus can do
when He is not
on the phone or
taking a nap.
Yea, I know what
you’re thinking,
Jesus wouldn’t
be sleeping on a
hammock─He would
have one of
those sleep
number beds.
Those are just
details guys,
but remember
Jesus is just
trying to
develop you as a
person in those
tough hours.
Remember the
trial you’re
facing right now
is to develop
you as a person,
and as a
Christian.
Remember
as you drink
tears by the
bowlful and eat
your bread of
tears, God has a
plan for it all
(Psalm 80:5).
Jesus wants His
people to have
tasted all forms
of life through
emotions. How
does God make a
person really
understand and
experience real
joy? They
experience true
sorrow and true
longsuffering,
first. How does
God expect any
person to be
able to have the
blessing of
compassion? When
that person is
so broken their
eyes finally
awaken to the
suffering of
others. How does
Jesus expect us
to ever have an
eternal
perspective if
life is just
biscuits and
gravy?
Take a look at
yourself for a
minute. Look at
what our Lord
has done. How is
it that you have
been able to
single out and
discern the
truth through
all the garbage
being spewed out
these days? How
is it that
you’re not
online right now
shopping for the
perfect packaged
“feel good”
religion to
satisfy that
“itching” ear?
How is that you
noticed freedom
getting flushed
down the toilet?
How is that you
have been able
to separate this
world from
eternity?
It’s because
King Jesus
develops His
people. You, my
friend, are
being molded and
equipped to be a
weapon of
righteousness
for the kingdom
of heaven. Jesus
is telling you
through your
circumstances
that life is a
huge training
seminar so you
can achieve the
eternal
perspective. I
guarantee that
Satan does not
want you seeing
that wisdom. All
the enemy ever
does to us is
ruin our current
blessings by
telling us they
are not good
enough. Satan
just keeps
poking thoughts
over and over in
our heads
telling us that
life would be so
much better if
we were not
married anymore.
Life would be so
much easier for
the family if we
could just
unwind with a
few cold beers
again. Life
would be so much
easier at work
if we just
conform to the
worldly norms
again.
The enemy
doesn’t want you
realizing that
life is just
about getting to
Jesus.
The enemy wants
you so confused,
angry and
intoxicated that
all you can
think about is
your current
dilemma. The
secret to making
things work is
to let go of
this world and
start running
full-speed into
eternity. When
the enemy starts
off again with
his lies,
recognize that
he is trying to
get you knocked
off the path.
Stay the course,
and remember the
last time you
decided to buy
that new car you
couldn’t afford,
but you just had
to have? What
happened?
Yea for a
couple weeks,
maybe a month,
that car was
amazing and then
the sweet flavor
got chewed away
like─a piece of
old bubble gum,
and then you
woke-up to
reality again.
Blessings
Don McReynolds
McReynoldsdon@ymail.com