When I go through something that's hard and even begin to feel like I can't make it, I think of those saints who were thrown to the lions, burned at the stake, drowned in baptism and other horrible atrocities. How can I EVEN THINK I can't make it through something hard?
But at some point in my life, it came to me that God has set up life and the "trying of the gospel" so that it will be PROVED under all kinds of circumstances of life. I may never have to face the severe persecution that the early saints did, but I must prove that I cannot be enticed away by having 10,000 other things lure me into just not giving myself wholly to God in the way I must.
If I say I BELONG to God.... all that I am, all I hope to be, all that I have, all my talents, time, and ambitions are here for Him to have first choice of.... HOW CAN I EVER SAY, "I didn't have time to....
to do anything that HE REQUIRES or WANTS done.
I wondered yesterday, after I totally let that wedding slip from my mind because there was so much coming at me, if the saints of old could look on our lives...
Would they marvel at us?
Would they marvel with so many, many, many, many choices of things to do and things that are enjoyable that could take our time, things we could give our lives to career-wise, education-wise, status-wise, or any-other-wise.... we STILL manage to say" NO," " NO,"" NO,"" NO,"" NO,"" NO," when it is needful and we just KEEP ON PUTTING GOD FIRST.
Our pastor often says (and I agree) that even with the restrictions which the gospel places on us, we still have more "legitimate" things left to choose from to do... things we can enjoy.... that the issue is NOT what we "CAN'T DO." We have plenty we can do that we like to do.
But we still have to give God the first and the best.... and then add on whatever other pleasures and pursuits will fit into our lives after we've done that.
And the things we do for God are enjoyable. They are certainly NOT drudgery for us. It's not like we have to stop having "fun" or quit enjoying life when we go to church or take time to pray or do whatever else we must do to keep our salvation up-to-date all day every day.
We have our pleasure without giving into sin,
without suffering the pangs of guilt from that,
without feeding self-love and self glory,
without putting ourselves above the program of God,
and with the knowledge that
we will be ready to face Him when life is over
because we have put Him first
and given our lives to learning what He wants us to be
and seeking His help and grace to be that.
But even though we ENJOY being saved, we still have to push back on all the other things that try to crowd in... and crowd out .... putting God first. Putting His plan ahead of our plans. Putting what it takes to maintain our salvation ahead of our own interests and pursuits.
It's a constant challenge because we are bombarded daily with so many choices, but even though it is a challenge, our continued victory is dependent upon us working through these "choices" every time they come up and continually giving God His rightful place in our lives.
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