Pastor John Collins : Unbearable
From Pastor John Collins:
“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 (NKJV).
Sometimes life just beats you up and sometimes your faith is
tested more than you think that you can bear. It is important to begin and
maintain that relationship with Jesus so that you can be sure that all of your
struggles in life will produce the results that you seek. You should be seeking
first and always to obey the Lord and get to heaven and your entire life should
produce godly fruit that is evident of your conviction.
When you are not striving to do the will of God and you are
living your life doing your own will and pursuing your own desires then you can
be sure that any pitfalls that you fall into are not about testing your faith
but are about providing opportunities for you to begin to pursue your faith. If
you are a person who devotes each day to becoming more Christ-like then you can
be sure that all of your struggles are not in vain but are a product of your
learning to trust in God and also learning what is approved of by God while
strengthening your character and preparing you for heaven.
Only the pure and
the approved get to go to heaven and just believing in Jesus does not mean you
will be welcomed into Paradise.
Remember that even the demons believe.
Perseverance is a challenge for everyone. It is not easy to
feel burdened and tormented in life and it is not easy to deal with all that
may happen that produces loss and hurt and scars. The beauty of submitting to
the will of God and in obeying the Lord and in calling upon Jesus is that you
know that when your faith is genuine, their strength is your strength and their
hope for you is complete and they won’t let go. God really does want you to
make it home to Him and Jesus really did die for you so that you could go
there.
Life is difficult and times are tough and it is nothing new.
Give your life to Jesus and commit to being loyal and obedient in your faith
and know that no matter what you go through in this journey He will be there
for you. Trust that you do have what it takes to persevere and it is worth it
to try and try and try. Hold on to the hope that the Lord has given because He
does love you.
“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12 (NKJV).
