How do you know? (Full Version)

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CEmom -> How do you know? (7/29/2008 1:45:23 PM)

I'm a paid youth worker. I've been asked to fill out a refernce for a program that provided a 3 year leadership program for young christian who want to serve. The young man who I'm filling it out for has a great faith, very strong knowledge of the bible, is able to witness to friends etc. I think he would do great in the program.

The point of my post is this. As I'm pondering his application I wonder if those more seasoned then I can predict, guess, figure out those who when life get tough, death, illness etc, which of those christians turn away. Is it dependent on which trials they face? Is it dependent on the support they recieve? Is it dependent on how srtong their spiritual life is?

Why do trial seems to strenghten some and not others?

Any thoughts?

Alissa



allisonbrett -> RE: How do you know? (7/31/2008 11:40:40 AM)

Some strengthen though trials because they put their focus on the Lord. Others become weaker because they relied on themselves. My husband and I have faced some extremely trying times in the past few years. We have fought to keep our focus on the Lord and trusted that HE will make a way when we can't. The entire thing has strengthed our faith in amazing ways. We have spent consider time dweling on getting to know the Lord in a much deeper way.

I know another couple facing very similar circumstances. They have focused only on what they can do and not on what God can do. They are in a very drastically different situation than we are today even though our struggles are almost identical. (financial and business). This couple has drifted far from God, they may be facing divorce and are focused only on the world around them. We have tried to encourage and share with them but they can't or won't see beyond their problems.

I think it all comes down to where our focus is when it comes to trials and tribulation.

"Focus on our giants and we stumble, focus on God and our giants tumble" from the book Facing our Giants by Max Lucado ( I think).



Little_1 -> RE: How do you know? (8/2/2008 11:26:25 AM)

2 words come to mind:

1 Focus
The Bible encourages us to "magnify the Lord" but quite often we magnify our problems and our spiritual focus is way off-shot! We may need to re-set our spiritual focus (so to speak).

2 Distance
Are we short-sighted or long-sighted? Spiritually short-sighted and we only see our immediate problem; whereas if we have long-sighted vision - we can look with the eyes of faith at what God is perhaps wanting to achieve in our lives through trials and tribulation in the bigger picture..

Someone who is more likely to come out of a trial stronger rather than defeated is someone who magnifies the Lord in their life and not their situation and realises that trials are opportunities for spiritual growth and blessing.

[8|]



Little_1 -> RE: How do you know? (8/2/2008 11:48:40 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: allisonbrett

Some strengthen though trials because they put their focus on the Lord. Others become weaker because they relied on themselves. My husband and I have faced some extremely trying times in the past few years. We have fought to keep our focus on the Lord and trusted that HE will make a way when we can't. The entire thing has strengthed our faith in amazing ways. We have spent consider time dweling on getting to know the Lord in a much deeper way.

I know another couple facing very similar circumstances. They have focused only on what they can do and not on what God can do. They are in a very drastically different situation than we are today even though our struggles are almost identical. (financial and business). This couple has drifted far from God, they may be facing divorce and are focused only on the world around them. We have tried to encourage and share with them but they can't or won't see beyond their problems.

I think it all comes down to where our focus is when it comes to trials and tribulation.

"Focus on our giants and we stumble, focus on God and our giants tumble" from the book Facing our Giants by Max Lucado ( I think).


I did not read Alison's post until after I posted and notice that we both mention 'focus'. One of the things the Lord spoke to me about at the start of this past year of personal trial, is to focus on the Lord and not to listen to the winds of adversity or look at the rising waters of problems which threaten to sink me. Focus on God and His Word and He will take us safely through the storm. Every time I have found myself sinking in despair, I have prayed using God's Word, spoken God's Word to the storm and kept my focus on Him and I can testify that throughout this past year (which has been one of the difficult times in my life) - God has been faithful and it has been the most blessed spiritual year I have experienced.



rcjames -> RE: How do you know? (8/2/2008 1:59:42 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: allisonbrett

Some strengthen though trials because they put their focus on the Lord. Others become weaker because they relied on themselves. My husband and I have faced some extremely trying times in the past few years. We have fought to keep our focus on the Lord and trusted that HE will make a way when we can't. The entire thing has strengthed our faith in amazing ways. We have spent consider time dweling on getting to know the Lord in a much deeper way.

I know another couple facing very similar circumstances. They have focused only on what they can do and not on what God can do. They are in a very drastically different situation than we are today even though our struggles are almost identical. (financial and business). This couple has drifted far from God, they may be facing divorce and are focused only on the world around them. We have tried to encourage and share with them but they can't or won't see beyond their problems.

I think it all comes down to where our focus is when it comes to trials and tribulation.

"Focus on our giants and we stumble, focus on God and our giants tumble" from the book Facing our Giants by Max Lucado ( I think).


I think you are making way more out of this than the situation warrants. You are being ask about your familiarity with his past and present. You are not being ask to prophesy about the future.

You might take Peter for an example; who of all the dicicples would one consider to deny Christ first (Judas excepted for he was never a diciple)? Certainly not Peter.

Give an honest apprasial of what you "Know" at the present, and let the future take care of itself.

Thanks
RC



DSmitty -> RE: How do you know? (8/9/2008 6:31:25 AM)

Yeah, I agree with RC. You can only give them what you know about the guy based on history thus far.

Something else... if someone is in a trial and seems like they're not doing well under it, that doesn't mean that they won't ultimately be stronger. They may seem outwardly or may even feel inwardly like they're drifting, but God forges things through those experiences that we don't all see right away.

My wife and I with our three kids were homeless for a year. I was a programmer before the tech crash... I was doing pretty well. We hit rock bottom. We lived with anyone who would put us up... we lived in a hotel... some days we didn't know where we would spend the night, but praise God we never slept in our car or on the street. When we did finally get a place our problems didn't all just melt away. It was a long, hard road. Then two and a half years ago my brother died. I was asked to do the funeral - it was the first time in my life that I ever saw my Dad cry. My wife called me as I was getting ready to do the funeral and basically started fighting with me because a check that I had been given bounced, and we were overdrawn. Not unusual for us, but at that point I was wishing that it had been me and not my brother that had died. I didn't feel very close to God... but He was always close to me. I didn't feel like I had a wonderful, God-ordained marriage. But I have a loving wife who stuck with me through homelessness and we're in it for the long-haul, no matter what. Looking back I can see where God really worked some things in us that made us stronger and more competent to minister. And I believe that in today's economy with the way things are and the way things are going to be, we have and are going to have a relevant message.

We will all face trials and tribulations. And when your cup gets bumped, what's really on the inside is what spills out. But that's OK. It just makes room for more of Jesus.



FROGkissin -> RE: How do you know? (8/11/2008 12:31:59 AM)

I firmly believe that we can confidently give a recommendation for a person if the Holy Spirit does not totally shut the door. Listen to that still small voice.

A 'recommendation' is not a 'guarantee' and whatever the outcome, God will use the situation to further His purposes. I could tell you a hundred stories where God used a person that some people would not have chosen. I could tell you a hundred more where God's 1st choice was a person very much "in process"
--definitely not ready for the magnitude of the experience -- yet through it all, grew into it! We cannot hope to understand.

I personally am very grateful for the ministry leaders who took a chance on me. I am equally grateful to them for mentoring me in my own process of growth, sometimes stepping back and watching to see if I would sink or swim, and celebrating with me in praises to God for bringing my minisrty into its own fruitfulness.

Alysa



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