Monday, August 26, 2013 [Chances Go Around]
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
"Chances go around."
My pastor, Thomas Johnson, used to say this all this all of the time, and I've found that it's true - life happens to everyone! The fact that we follow Christ does not exempt us from hardships. It actually opens us up to the possibility of even greater hardships, rejection, and pain.
Last night, Jim and I talked with one of our YoungLife kids, who was promoting a Christian Club at Stamford High to incoming freshmen. He was telling us about the rejection, mocking, and ridicule that he went through simply because he dared to invite his classmates to join this club. This is the reality of sharing our faith. We will feel rejected; people will mock the message and ridicule us for even sharing it. I remember the friends that I lost when I began following Jesus and the people that have turned cold in recent days when I've shared my faith in conversations. But, had it not been for experiences like these, Jim and I wouldn't have been able to comfort and encourage our young brother. He is on the front lines - a missionary to his school reaching the unreached teens of Stamford with the Gospel. We stand with him as he continues on his mission. Sometime in the near future we'll be looking for someone to do the same for us as we are going through.
What am I saying? We often are discouraged by our struggles - that's a natural feeling. But, there's another way to look at this. If we never go through anything, how can we be of comfort to someone else when they are going through? Chances go around. Encourage someone who's going through hardships. Pray with someone who is struggling. Lift up someone who is down. The day will come when you and I will be in need of the same. Who knows? God may be allowing you to experience hardship knowing that you will cross paths with someone who needs to hear your story of victory (John 9:1-3).
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Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."
Proverbs 11:25, "Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered."
John 9:1-3, "As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him."
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Kenny Sullivan
Grace EFC, Stamford, CT
(201) 218-0751
שלום
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