Packing Again...

Hence my online absence.

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you
are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.

But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. "

1 Peter 4:12-13

Do not be surprised. I am always surprised. And I always think it is something strange that is happening to me. And I am not talking about the fact that I have to pack and move. That would be silly. I have yet to encounter the rejoicing stage. How do you do this? There probably isn't a big how involved. You just do it. I don't think you are rejoicing that the situation is happening to you. Are you? I can see how you might be able to encounter this after the fact and be grateful that God allowed things to happen that he did. This is often true for me. But I cannot imagine rejoicing in the moment when you or a family member experiences a life threatening health matter. For example, I was not thrilled to see a machine pumping tar black liquid out of my grandmother's body as I sat in the hospital holding her hand. At the very least you are rejoicing that Jesus is Lord, that He loves you, that His character and His love for us never changes. "Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ..." I am grateful that Christ suffered for us, and grateful is an understatement. But, how do I get to the point that I WANT to participate in the sufferings of Christ. Sorry God. I don't. Am I super immature? Is God going to keep taking me back to these places until I learn to relax in Him and rejoice that I am participating in the sufferings of Christ? Not to mention that anything I may need to endure could never come close to what Christ suffered. Do my fiery trials even qualify?

In James (the Bible) it says that if any of us are lacking in knowledge, that we should come to you and ask... So I am asking. Lord, change my understanding or perhaps give me some understanding.

Until then, I'll keep packing.

Discipline

Do what you are supposed to do

when you are supposed to do it

whether you like it or not.