I must admit, the cold and snow and winter aren't at all appealing to me... not in the least. While scraping snow and ice, I was really struggling to find ANY cause of good that the cold and snow could possibly have.
This morning when I left the house, the sun was shining brightly. The snow was melting. I was... OVERJOYED!
Sometimes I think the "snow" in our lives actually has a purpose, though sometimes it may be difficult to extract. I think its purpose is greater than we realize or give it credit for. It is easy to complain about the "snow", I did, look at my last post!
This morning I was reminded of a great truth. I believe that purpose of the "snow" in our lives is to help us appreciate the "sun".
Paul was a stud who boasted in his weakness. Paul was also a man. Weakness is not somethng men generally brag about. I can't imagine sociey was so much different back then. Men are supposed to be men... Manly, Tough, Unbreakable.
Then you have Paul, who had it all. Born to the right family. Had the right education. Had the right job and was on the "fast-track" to wealth, riches, fame and glory.
Then he had an encounter.
Isn't that what we're looking for today? A radical encounter? Often think about the encounter Paul had and how it changed his life but we fail to emphasize what he gave up, what his encounter cost.
His sight. His direction. His wealth. His job. His fame. His glory. His position. His stability.
We must consider these things when we talk about the great things he accomplished... because without self-refusal and without crucifying himself daily, he would not have attained what he did, because his dependance would not hve been on God. I believe it will be very difficult for us to effectively follow God's plan for our lives if we do not do the same.
I'm not a big fan of struggle. I like to have some of the b l _ n k _ filled in in my life. I think that it helps us feel "comfortable" and that we actually have some sort of control over what is happening to us. What we do have control over is our ability to listen and respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
I lost my job one month after I got engaged, two weeks before Christmas. I have filed countless applications to numerous places and still two months later, I am without a job. That would be nice blank to have filled in. How am I supposed to begin to provide for a wife when I barely have enough money to put gas in my tank to drive and to see her?
So then it becomes then, a matter of faith. Did Paul trust the God he encountered? Do I? Will you?