Continued from Part 2.
Using the truth of Scripture as the lens for which we interpret gut-wrenching circumstances, helps us untangle the mystery and confusion surrounding them:
Foundational truths:
1) God is good. There is none good but God alone.
2) God loves His children. Definitively proven at the cross.
3) Ultimately all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
4) God wants to work in us to transform us into the likeness of His Son, to purify His Bride. He is much more interested in our Christ-likeness than our comfort.
5) God disciplines us, but we must cooperate with the training process. "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons.... He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Using the truth of Scripture as the lens for which we interpret gut-wrenching circumstances, helps us untangle the mystery and confusion surrounding them:
Foundational truths:
1) God is good. There is none good but God alone.
2) God loves His children. Definitively proven at the cross.
3) Ultimately all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
4) God wants to work in us to transform us into the likeness of His Son, to purify His Bride. He is much more interested in our Christ-likeness than our comfort.
5) God disciplines us, but we must cooperate with the training process. "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons.... He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Now we can add observations from Part 2 to build upon those foundational truths,
6) God causes or allows trials. God granted satan's request in at least two instances.
7) God sovereignly engineers every circumstance for our benefit and the benefit of others. Though we may not be able to see it at the time through the pain and confusion.
8) Through trials we come to KNOW God more. Everything else in this world pales in comparison to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. As His children, our greatest desire should be to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.
9) Through trials we come to see who we really are. Both the disgusting, helpless, hopeless state in our complete depravity apart from Him and the forgiven, cleansed, righteous, empowered, supremely loved state as His adopted children.
9) Through trials we come to see who we really are. Both the disgusting, helpless, hopeless state in our complete depravity apart from Him and the forgiven, cleansed, righteous, empowered, supremely loved state as His adopted children.
10) Trials cause us to evaluate what we really believe about God and His Word. It's where the rubber meets the road. It's where we find out if we are for real or just playing the game and talking the talk. It doesn't necessarily mean the pain and darkness are diminished, but that we seek Him, cry out to Him, trust Him, wait on Him, and obey His word and the promptings of the Spirit in the middle of it.
11) God is glorified when His children trust Him and respond in faith. And it's the greatest apologetic to a watching world. If God's own children don't believe Him, why should anyone else?
12) Aslan is not a tame lion. His ways are so much higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts. We are so limited in our understanding, but God is infinitely wise and can see the whole picture. If we think our circumstances are painful and confusing, just consider the cross. The perfect, pure, innocent Lamb of God, took on Himself all our vile, corrupt, slimy, scuzzy, despicable, horribly shameful thoughts, words, and acts - He became sin. The perfect fellowship of the Trinity which had existed since all eternity past was severed as the Father totally abandoned His own Son - "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" And the creator of the universe allowed Himself to be killed by His own creation. And we think our stuff is painful and confusing.
Here's a little glimpse of what this all looks like. You might need some kleenex.
12) Aslan is not a tame lion. His ways are so much higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts. We are so limited in our understanding, but God is infinitely wise and can see the whole picture. If we think our circumstances are painful and confusing, just consider the cross. The perfect, pure, innocent Lamb of God, took on Himself all our vile, corrupt, slimy, scuzzy, despicable, horribly shameful thoughts, words, and acts - He became sin. The perfect fellowship of the Trinity which had existed since all eternity past was severed as the Father totally abandoned His own Son - "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" And the creator of the universe allowed Himself to be killed by His own creation. And we think our stuff is painful and confusing.
Here's a little glimpse of what this all looks like. You might need some kleenex.
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