This song is a bit like a complaint/honest feelings toward God that echo my own heart. It cries for God to remind us that He keeps us in His grace. He holds us, keeps us, helps us "weather storms when we don't see good tidings".
I just got back my paper today that was a study of Paul through the book of Philippians. I'd like to say it was like being DISCIPLED BY PAUL! Paul’s life is one marked with seemingly obvious reasons for one to grumble. On the contrary, his life and words in Philippians reveal God’s hand and role in face of trial, resulting in rejoicing. He has gone from a place of status and comfort, to a life of spiritual and physical suffering caused by his faith. He is unexpectedly compassionate, humble, grateful, and joyful. You think, Paul, how are you rejoicing? Why weren't you complaining about the lack of support you had? Why did you think more of the jail keeper's life, than your own opportunity to escape prison? Paul responds unnaturally to his circumstances not because they are not hard but because there is a greater truth that he holds.
Some insight from observing Paul's life:
- Where as once joy, confidence, and contentment were found in things outside of God, faith is believing that such things can only be found in God.
- Turning to God daily is a process of placing our confidence in God's word, not our initial feelings or desires.
- Paul's fruit of faithfulness causes a ripple effect
of ongoing fruit.
In the situational pressures, he responds in steadfast faith. His compassion opens opportunities for a jail keeper to be saved. This ripples into the jail keeper's family, then on and on. Paul's ability to suffer well strengthens the early church to have such boldness and contentment. Paul's faithfulness left a legacy (of course all under God's plan) to encourage today's church.
That's
Paul's life. Then back to mine. GRUMBLE GRUMBLE. No that ain't my stomach
grumbling. (although it often is). It's my mouth, my complaints, my
discontentment. The root issue: my heart. I feel entitled for things to
go my way. I place myself above God's ordained plans that are working for good.
I react with my initial feelings infected with selfish desires. I reap a
vicious cycle of negative consequences that feed off of each other. I can't
justify my circumstance as reason to grumble- clearly Paul didn't!
When I look at Paul, I'm encouraged to say no to me, and yes to God.
How
have you been responding to issues this week? Are you grumbling or rejoicing?
Do
you believe that God is trustworthy?
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