There For The Grace Of God Go I

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience havee its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  If any of you lacks wisdom, let Him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all his ways.
James 1: 2-8 NKJV

We know a man.  A man whose life has dealt him many a blow of adversity.  So far has the road our friends life has traveled, that one of my friends would comment that he must have already used up nine lives in his various trials and tribulations.  And yet, in my heart I know this friend as a man of the faith, a man of God.   My memories of him in days gone by as a rock in Christ are many.  For it is he who steadfastly held to his testimony in Jesus even as others would marvel at how he could even be alive.  His photograph of the "Old man" he once was did more to illustrate the truth of Romans 6 to me than any preacher ever could.  He would often proudly displayed  this symbol of his former life as if to say to all who saw it, "Look what Christ has done in me!"  Those of us who know him are witness to the fact of our Lords work in his life, and our own.  If anything, he is a reminder to those who know him of our loving Gods restoration.  Yes, his live has been one of trials, but along the way our Lord has also redeemed his child.  Still, one of the questions I'm left to ask of our heavenly Father is, "Lord, what seperates me from my friend?"  Yes, I have had my own struggles and trials, but nothing compared to my brother.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father!"  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.  For I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us.
Romans 8: 14-18 NKJV

There are plenty of passages throughout scripture that deal with the trials we might face in our lifetime.  For it is common knowledge that adversity does not discriminate in who it strikes.  However, our character will not be defined by how many trials we overcome, but how we overcome our trials.  Will we shrink back in fear at the first sign of adversity, or will we chrage ahead in Christ knowing that it is Christ Jesus whithin us who is our strength?  Most of us are familiar with the story of the trials of Job {Job 1: 1-13}.  Job was a man of God, and yet God allowed satan to test him through adversity.  Would Job falter under satans attack?  No, for when it was all said and done, Jobs response as he sat in his distress speaks volumes to us even today.

Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity?  Curse God and die!"  But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks.  Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?"  In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Job 2: 9-10 NKJV

It is clear that Jobs wife must have been expecting the old man to shrivel under the adversity brought upon him.  However, it is also clear that Job understood the big picture, that throughout it all, it is God who ultimately holds our  life in his hands.  I think of our friend and wonder just what our Lord has in store for each of us.  How will we respond to whatever calling he chooses to place onto our hearts?  Be it good or bad, we must understand that it is only through Christ Jesus within us that we will come through victorious on  the other side of lifes adversity.  There for the grace of God go I!

~Scott~