1 Peter 1:6b …now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine.
If my faith is being proved genuine, at very least to myself, by means of its continuance and growth through these difficult times, then I need to affirm and others should know that it is the faith of a Christian-Hedonist that is being tested and confirmed.
Psalm 84:5 What joy for those whose strength comes from the LORD,
who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
6 When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,
it will become a place of refreshing springs.
The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.
7 They will continue to grow stronger,
and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.
If God himself, standing by me, is my strength and strength is the means by which we may experience victorious joy in the battle against doubt and bitterness and anger and apathy and temptation which constantly attack the one in grief, then I have found my joy even as I walk through the valley of weeping.
How could I ask for more than the Apostle Paul who described himself as, “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing”? (2 Corinthians 6:10) This is what a Christian Hedonist seeks: Strength in God, Joy in God that frees one to pursue the priorities of God to the glory of God which includes the believers eternal joy.
Psalms 50:15 “…call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”
God gets glory by our rejoicing in him for the sanctification he accomplishes by means of our trials. Sanctification means holding on to faith and growing in holiness as the necessary prelude to glorification.
Hebrews 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please God.
Hebrews 12:14 without holiness no-one will see the Lord.
If you are not finding your strength in Christ which gives you joy amidst grief, then I encourage you to find out what a Christian Hedonist is and become one.
http://www.desiringgod.org/about/our-distinctives/our-beliefs/what-is-christian-hedonism
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2 comments:
Why I should be surprised that God leads us where He plans, and ties us all together in His plans! I am still often amazed by that!
Once again, I haven't read the blog in a long time, but felt 'motivated today to check in. The amazement comes from God repeating His messages to me in such a timely fashion. A message that has really caught my attention.
Yesterdays reading (Feb 10th) from 'God Calling', called 'The Life Line':
"I AM your Saviour, your Saviour from sins' thralls, your Saviour from all the cares and troubles of life, your Saviour from disease.
I speak to you both. Look to Me for salvation. Trust in Me for help. Did not My servant of old say, "All Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over me?" But not all the waters of affliction could drown him. For of him was it true, "He came from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters."
The life-line, the line of rescue, is the line from the soul to God, faith and power. It is a strong line, and no soul can be overwhelmed who is linked to Me by it. Trust, trust, trust. Never be afraid.
Think of My trees- stripped of their beauty, pruned, cut, disfigured, bare, but through the dark seemingly dead branches, flows silently, secretly, the spirit-life-sap, til, lo! with the sun of Spring comes new life, leaves, bud, blossom,fruit, but oh! fruit a thousand times better for the pruning.
Remember that you are in the hands of a Master-Gardener. He makes no mistakes about His pruning. Rejoice. Joy is the Spirit's reaching out to say its thanks to Me. It is the new life-sap of the tree, reaching out to Me to find such beautiful expression later. So never cease to joy. Rejoice.
Although you do not always receive feedback to your blog, do not feel that no one is being affected or encouraged by what you are sharing. I, for one, appreciate your raw honesty and find encouragement that even you in your position in the church, wrestle with your pain, strength, and joy. I am glad to know that I am not alone and that you having gone through this experience yourself will be able to minister so much more effectively to those that God brings across your path. Your blog is a huge help!! I want you to know that.
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