Sometimes our--my--faith becomes merely resignation. I look at my circumstances, sigh, and say, "That's just the way it is--the way it will continue to be--so I'll just muddle along doing my 'churchy' Christian things. Oh well." The problem is, of course, that resignation is just a step away from hopelessness.
In some cases the circumstances are not "my fault." Someone else's actions put me in this place. Or sometimes (always, actually) my circumstances were ordained by God. I wasn't asked or consulted as to whether this is really a situation I wanted to deal with in my life, now--or, maybe, deal with for the rest of my life.
The problem, I think, is that I believe that my circumstances are all about me. They are never all about me. The circumstances I have gone through--or are going through--are always about the people He has surrounded me with. Resignation blinds me to the opportunity of loving those He has sent to me to experience His love. How many people do I encounter each day because of my circumstances that leave my presence not knowing that they are loved--that they have value and worth in the eyes of the God who formed them in His image? Resignation blinds me to those sitting right next to me in church who are going through similar times of difficulty--similar circumstances; people who have been sent into my life that we might be mutual encouragers, that we might weep together and rejoice together, that we might be encouraged by His love for us demonstrated through their love for us. Have you failed to see those that God has already sent to you for His encouragement; yet, you just brushed them off, too busy resigning yourself to the truth that "my life is tough." He's sent them to you, and you have let them know that you have "no time for them right now"--you're too busy feeling resigned to your "fate," too busy feeling sorry for yourself. Faith disguised as resignation is really just self-centeredness. I refuse to embrace His plea to me--"please, for love's sake, consider others--those around you that I have sent into your life--better than yourself. Love them as I have loved you. Don't let your circumstances, those around you, those who criticize your actions keep you from fulfilling the love mission I have assigned to you. Take on the form of a servant, one whose circumstances are irrelevant to his "assignment" given him by his Lord and Master."
Should I continue to pray to God about my circumstances? Absolutely! He pleads with us to cast our cares on Him, to come to Him for rest as He shoulders our troubles with us. And the circumstances may change in marvelous ways. Things are never hopeless that are placed in surrender into the hands of the omnipotent God. (Yet, to be honest, they may get "worse" by human definition.) But one thing never changes: my call to serve and minister to others as He gave up Heaven to serve and minister to me. Talk about a change in circumstances! Yet, He lived His life loving all those who came into His presence. His circumstances were never all about Him. The brain-dead disciples, the poor and destitute rejected by society, the confused Pharisee who "snuck" into see Him in the middle of the night, the hurting, sinners, the one weeping in the garden, those seeking a Bread King, the doubters, those who had denied Him--all who met Him He loved. He was not resigned to His circumstances. He saw His circumstances as the door through which He could demonstrate the love of God. And what circumstances grew from that demonstration? Multitudes who have embraced the reality of God's love and forgiveness for all eternity.
In some cases the circumstances are not "my fault." Someone else's actions put me in this place. Or sometimes (always, actually) my circumstances were ordained by God. I wasn't asked or consulted as to whether this is really a situation I wanted to deal with in my life, now--or, maybe, deal with for the rest of my life.
The problem, I think, is that I believe that my circumstances are all about me. They are never all about me. The circumstances I have gone through--or are going through--are always about the people He has surrounded me with. Resignation blinds me to the opportunity of loving those He has sent to me to experience His love. How many people do I encounter each day because of my circumstances that leave my presence not knowing that they are loved--that they have value and worth in the eyes of the God who formed them in His image? Resignation blinds me to those sitting right next to me in church who are going through similar times of difficulty--similar circumstances; people who have been sent into my life that we might be mutual encouragers, that we might weep together and rejoice together, that we might be encouraged by His love for us demonstrated through their love for us. Have you failed to see those that God has already sent to you for His encouragement; yet, you just brushed them off, too busy resigning yourself to the truth that "my life is tough." He's sent them to you, and you have let them know that you have "no time for them right now"--you're too busy feeling resigned to your "fate," too busy feeling sorry for yourself. Faith disguised as resignation is really just self-centeredness. I refuse to embrace His plea to me--"please, for love's sake, consider others--those around you that I have sent into your life--better than yourself. Love them as I have loved you. Don't let your circumstances, those around you, those who criticize your actions keep you from fulfilling the love mission I have assigned to you. Take on the form of a servant, one whose circumstances are irrelevant to his "assignment" given him by his Lord and Master."
Should I continue to pray to God about my circumstances? Absolutely! He pleads with us to cast our cares on Him, to come to Him for rest as He shoulders our troubles with us. And the circumstances may change in marvelous ways. Things are never hopeless that are placed in surrender into the hands of the omnipotent God. (Yet, to be honest, they may get "worse" by human definition.) But one thing never changes: my call to serve and minister to others as He gave up Heaven to serve and minister to me. Talk about a change in circumstances! Yet, He lived His life loving all those who came into His presence. His circumstances were never all about Him. The brain-dead disciples, the poor and destitute rejected by society, the confused Pharisee who "snuck" into see Him in the middle of the night, the hurting, sinners, the one weeping in the garden, those seeking a Bread King, the doubters, those who had denied Him--all who met Him He loved. He was not resigned to His circumstances. He saw His circumstances as the door through which He could demonstrate the love of God. And what circumstances grew from that demonstration? Multitudes who have embraced the reality of God's love and forgiveness for all eternity.
"Use my circumstances, Lord, just as they are, to make me visible evidence of Your love to everyone you send my way."
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