More of Him. Less of Me.

This week has been very challenging for me personally, and God has been so faithful to comfort me in so many ways.  In the midst of adversity, it's so easy to allow ourselves to be beaten down by life and people, but God has been showing me some things this week that I just felt really led to share.  In that spirit, and for no other reason, I felt that perhaps somebody else needed to hear this from the Lord today too.

When I am put through the trials and fires of life, God desires that I might come out of them refined as gold (Job 23:10).  In all circumstances, God is looking for an opportunity to teach me more about Himself.  Yet, in my flesh I want to retaliate, to defend myself, to fight back when I feel I've been mistreated, misunderstood, or judged unfairly.  But God has been showing me, in very tangible ways, what Jesus meant when he commanded us to "turn the other cheek."  I have a choice. And this is the biggie:  My choice reflects what is going on in my heart and in my walk with Christ.  It impacts my testimony. Furthermore, my joy must not be dependent upon my circumstances.  Ever.  People will always disappoint, but my hope should always be in Christ and what He is doing in and through whatever adversity I might be facing. After all, He allowed it to be so.  Finally, I must remember God to be the Righteous Judge that He is (Psalm 7:8). All of us will face our Creator on judgment day, and I am going to have to give an answer for how I have lived this life. How I responded. What I said, and how I behaved.  In light of that, suddenly all these temporary trials seem so incredibly insignificant.  

His love is not a pampering love. It's a perfecting love.  

I think it's time for me to be quiet and just trust Him.  

How about you?

Oh Lord, that I might come forth as gold.  Let my testimony not be tarnished by the ugliness that lies deep within my heart.  Cleanse me, Lord.  Let these temporary trials cause me to say, "More of You, Lord, and less of me."  In Jesus' Name, amen.