Have you ever come across unpleasant situations or circumstances that you wished or prayed it changed to what you want or desire? I have been there several times and have always prayed for God to change the situation.
Sometimes, we just think God is obligated to instantly turn the situation around for us just as we want or expect and we keep asking and begging God "why can't you just do this one thing for me or turn this situation around? I have been here too.
And when the situation does not change, despite all the prayers and fasting, we begin to wallow in self-pity, seek sympathy from others or feel dejected and hated by God.
But Romans 8:35 says "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or danger or sword?
Nothing and no one can separate us from God's love irrespective of what we might be going through and whether the situation changes or not.
There
are situations we might ask Him to change and He does just that but
there are other situations we might find ourselves in and God does the opposite and
that's changing our hearts instead of the situation.
In life, God never promised us smooth sailing but promises to be with us in the storm and to give us a safe landing at the end of it all and that includes a changed heart.
Little wonder Job 23:10 says "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
He knows our weaknesses and strengths, potentials and abilities. He knows what we can bear and what we can not bear.
That's why He says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will provide a way so that you can endure it."The truth is, God is more interested in changing us than He is in changing every unpleasant situation we come across.
In every bad situation experienced, God is preparing us for a better and greater future ahead.
Life doesn't always give us what we want and God does not always grant every of our requests because He knows what's best for us and has that very best for us in store and when it's time, He unveils it.
A colleague of mine Kemi Aminu once said to me she heard a still small voice say to her in a desperate moment "You can't be smarter than God". God sure knows what is best for us.
That's why Ecclesiastes 3:11 says He makes all things beautiful in His time because He knows what's best for us and when to give it to us so we can handle the blessing better and with a mature heart.
If God should grant our every request or change every unpleasant situations we find ourselves in, we would never grow or get mature in heart. We would never know how to handle situations better.
Neither would our level of faith, wisdom, hope, patience and character be fully developed to handle situations that may arise again. In fact, your character is tried, tested and developed at such moments.
James 1:2-4 says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sister, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything."
Seemingly difficult situations are meant to refine your character, build your strength, hope and faith.
I have been in bad situations and still in perceived bad situations that I so much wanted God to change but rather, I realized I am been groomed for better days ahead.
God is changing me from within on how I perceive things, to learn to trust Him more and have faith in him when things don't always go as expected.
He grows my patience level, gives me more wisdom and causes me to stop worrying about things or people that aren't worth it nor situations I have no control about.
I have also learnt in the process to use my times wisely as well as number my days that I may apply my heart to wisdom - Psalm 90:12.
I have also learnt to over look things and the unpleasant actions of people around me and also not to react to everything.
God doesn't always grant us what we want or desire because we are continuously a work in progress in His hands. He isn't through with us yet.
In every circumstance we find ourselves in and in every day of our lives, God takes us through vital lessons as He keeps working in us causing positive changes in us.
AREAS GOD CAUSES A CHANGE IN US
1. THE MIND : One of the first things God changes in us when it seems like the situation isn't changing is our mind set.
I have realized that the more we hold on to or dwell in the perceived negative situations, the worse we become in that situation but until we let go and let God, it never gets better and this begins from the mind.
There was a time I deeply prayed for something and kept asking God to
give it to me and no one but in the process I realized that God could
have something better for me and I'm here dwelling and wasting away for
this one thing which might not be right for me and immediately, I asked for
God's forgiveness and surprisingly I felt free with no more burden in
my heart regarding that and moved on like I never needed that one thing.
Once we have a changed mind set concerning any negative situation, the situation changes. We see better, know better and trust God better for the best.
I was in the midst of three great men today after the morning prayers in church and we got talking about the mind, and one of them who is a barrister said it is not the eyes that really see but the mind and I totally agree with him.
The mind sees first and then directs the eyes to what it sees which in turn takes you there.If we think worse, it becomes worse and we see worse. If we think the situation is hopeless, then we become hopeless and throw in the towel (Proverbs 23:7).
But it doesn't have to be this way. We must learn to train our minds on what we let sit in there. No wonder Philippians 4:8 admonishes we think only on positive things.
Trust me, irrespective of how bad a situation is, we can always train our minds to think what is right and good. We can learn to think on God's word through daily studying of His word.
2. THE HEART : Another way God changes us its through our hearts. There are bad circumstances we get into that can harden the heart and trust me, there are people who have become so heart hardened due to life's difficult situations and as a result no empathy at all towards others.
Sometimes God lets us go through certain difficulties so we are able to understand, empathize and also to lend a helping hand to those who go through same situations we experienced or are experiencing.
A hard heart is usually worse than any difficult situation. Now, while certain situations might not change, a changed heart will always have peace of mind irrespective of the situation because it sees better and ahead of the present situation.
God also uses tough situations to humble a prideful heart. I have seen high and mighty men who were so full of themselves fallen and became humble (Ezekiel 36:26).
Sometimes, God wants to use you to impact lives and affect the world positively through difficult situations you may have experienced.
Rhoda's Motivational Blog was born out of difficult moments. I had two major challenges at the same time that really dealt with me and it was in that process the idea and then the blog was conceived and now it is a reality and impacting lives around the globe positively.
Through the difficult situations experienced, God can use you to encourage people live through life's challenges and bring the hope in them alive.
Despite life's difficult situations, life is still beautiful and sweet. A very good friend of mine will always say "this life is too sweet" and this can only come from a renewed mind. A mind that never lets seemingly impossible situations weigh it down.
When a situation is not changing, one of the best ways to get out of it is looking beyond that situation and forge ahead with life.
Quote for the day - "God uses the difficult moments to refine us."
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