When in the crucible--in a storm--what is our ballast?

When we are in a crucible experience--one of those storms in our lives--what is our ballast? James wrote (James 1:2-8) that we should count it all joy when we find ourselves in the crucible. Why? Because our faith is being tested and when our faith is tested it produces steadfastness. When steadfastness has its full effect, we become perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. So what is the ballast? James continues: do we lack wisdom? Ask, but ask in faith, without doubting “for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” Our faith, that is being tested, as it goes through the pounding of the sea, is the ballast! Without it we will be double-minded, unstable, like a ship without ballast, driven and tossed by the wind.
Abba, Father, I thank you that my trust in You becomes the ballast in the storms in my life! Amen!

If we live for happiness, hard times will cause us to question God!

We live in country that celebrates our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We as a country struggle at times with how to best make sure these rights are available to everyone. Even Christians disagree as to the best policies, laws and approaches we need to insure these rights are not infringed upon in any way. But in our zeal to defend these—especially the pursuit of happiness—I wonder, have we come to think that everything that was created was created for our well-being, so that we might be happy? If anything interferes with that right, like going through hard times, we fight back and wonder what God is doing. Have we, as those who follow Christ, been duped into thinking that our main purpose in life is happiness? No wonder living out Luke 9:23 is so hard: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Five truths about God when in the crucible

 

In Isaiah 41:10 we read that there are the five truths about God that should sustain us when we go through a hard time in the crucible!

I am with you!

I am your God! 

I will strengthen you!

I will help you!

I will hold you!

What more could we possible need or want as we endure hard times in the crucible experiences of our lives than to know that God is with us, that He is our God and that He will strengthen, help and hold us!

Character development in hard times.

In Romans 5:3-5 Paul outlines the reason that we can rejoice when we go through hard times, those crucible like experiences. He does this through a list of traits that each build on the previous. Looking at the list backwards, we know that what is most desired when in a hard time is hope. Paul understands that hope is produced in the life of someone whose character has been developed and proven.  And what produces that kind of character? Paul reminds us that our character is developed as we endure hard times. But exactly  what is character? Or more importantly what does Paul mean by character? In 1 Peter 1:7 Peter describes the various trials we go through as the proving ground for our faith. He writes that the "proven genuineness" of our faith comes from being "tested by fire." The Greek words for "proven genuineness," "tested by fire," and "character" all have the same root which means "to be tried as metals by fire and thus purified." No wonder Paul writes that our character produces hope--character is not just the way someone thinks, feels and behaves--it is a life that is proven genuine by the hard times we experience.  As one goes through those hard times and sees how the Lord continues to time and again sustain and transform, our hope soars and we rejoice!