If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a number of experiences that are not meant for you personally at all. They are designed to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what takes place in the lives of others. Because of this process, you will never be surprised by what comes your way. You say, “Oh, I can’t deal with that person.” Why can’t you? God gave you sufficient opportunities to learn from Him about that problem; but you turned away, not heeding the lesson, because it seemed foolish to spend your time that way.

The sufferings of Christ were not those of ordinary people. He suffered “according to the will of God” (1 Peter 4:19), having a different point of view of suffering from ours. It is only through our relationship with Jesus Christ that we can understand what God is after in His dealings with us. When it comes to suffering, it is part of our Christian culture to want to know God’s purpose beforehand. In the history of the Christian church, the tendency has been to avoid being identified with the sufferings of Jesus Christ. People have sought to carry out God’s orders through a shortcut of their own. God’s way is always the way of suffering— the way of the “long road home.”

Are we partakers of Christ’s sufferings? Are we prepared for God to stamp out our personal ambitions? Are we prepared for God to destroy our individual decisions by supernaturally transforming them? It will mean not knowing why God is taking us that way, because knowing would make us spiritually proud. We never realize at the time what God is putting us through— we go through it more or less without understanding. Then suddenly we come to a place of enlightenment, and realize— “God has strengthened me and I didn’t even know it!”

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November 5, 2010

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Today God brought a number of things together in a way that I could see Him working in and through my life and the lives of those I love. People met other people, needs were met and I was able to make some sense of my most recent business dealings. But it all came together and made sense NOT because I got all the answers I needed and all problems were solved. It all seemed to come together because I was looking for and at Jesus.

 And God says…”I am the way, the truth and the light. Seek first the kingdom of God and all these other things shall be added to you. I came to give you life and life more abundantly. Look to Me and you will find the answers for all your questions. It is not easy to seek Me in the midst of a storm, but when you stay connected with Me there is no need for seeking and the storms come and go and you hardly pay them notice”.

“The Lord will keep you from all harm–he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121:7, 8