Crowded to Christ (#45 of 365+)

Yesterday I overheard a woman counsel a young Christian lady who was in crisis because of poor choices she had made. She told her God loves her so much that he’s holding a huge heap of
blessings for her but he’s waiting to pour out those blessings on her life because she needed to take that step of faith and obedience. If she would simply trust and obey, she would begin to experience the kind of life God wants her to have. I’m praying that, above all the choices she must make in the next few weeks, that young lady will choose to trust and obey God. If she does, she’ll have the resources to handle whatever situations life throws her way.

Joni told the story of a woman named Margie Hamilton who went through a series of trials including the death of her husband, the birth of a severely deformed baby who required forty operations, and poverty that I assume was due to mounting medical bills. After having experienced these things Mrs. Hamilton conveyed, “All this trouble has crowded me to Christ. It’s simply mud around the gold.”

Its easy for life to get crowded with all the normal stuff. Then add to it doctor appointments and lab tests… A ledger with more debits than credits… An unexpected crisis or tragedy that sucks the air out of me… “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine” (1 Peter 1:6-7). As the previous verses indicate “all kinds of trials” can help deepen a true faith in my Lord. I say it “can” because, as with the young lady who was in crisis yesterday, God always gives me a choice.

Problems, trials, and crises—these are all valuable tests of my faith in God. As Joni said, “Recognize that the testing of your faith is more precious than refined gold.” Why? Because every test of faith is also a test of God’s faithfulness. I need to think of every test as an invitation to strengthen my faith and receive more of God’s blessings into my life. Although he may not eliminate the trial in my life (but he could do just that if I pray about it) feeling his peace in the midst of my turmoil is a miracle in itself.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16)

Lord, I need you every hour of every day. Thank you for never letting me down. Amen.