Under Pressure!
By Julia Fowler, Worship Arts Pastor
Text: James 1:12-14 (The Message)
”12Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. 13-15Don't let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, "God is trying to trip me up." God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one's way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.”
I hear it all the time. People facing the repercussions of dangerous or unhealthily choices then asking, “why is God doing this to me?” Often this misplaced responsibility is thrown at God – I think it’s just easy and natural for us to blame someone else. James clarifies the truth between God’s tests towards believers who are working out their faith versus our misplacing responsibility on God when we choose to do evil or we make sinful decisions that have unfortunate consequences.
In James he basically writes, hey look, God is going to allow sometimes to come into your life that are hard but if you hang in there and are loyal to follow God with all your heart anyway, there’s a great reward – a blessing – life now and life eternally. BUT don’t blame God for the circumstances and hardships you cause yourself because you give in to doing things that aren’t Godly. You are responsible for your own actions and therefore you are responsible for the results of those actions. Grow up! Take responsibility. Turn back to God and he will help you. This doesn’t mean everything will immediately go “all good”, but it does mean at least you’ll be heading in the right direction again, and maybe avoid some further mistakes and rough consequences to come.
Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, even under pressure helps us in our times of weakness. If you are feeling under pressure this week, I encourage you to face it knowing God is with you in all circumstances. He will give you the strength and peace you need to overcome.
Blessings. Julia
Post a Comment