Insight from Hard Times

I appreciated the July production of Christianity Today’s article entitled Reflections on Hard Times. The next few days I’d like to share some quick quotes with you. The first is by Phillip Yancey.
“If I pray with the intent to listen as well as talk, I can enter into a …state, that of meditation and reflection. Okay, my life savings has virtually disappeared. What am I learn from this seeming catastorophe.”

I love that concept. It can be taken from James 1:2-5. Be grateful for the tough times, because if you walk through them with a joyful spirit, character qualities mature beautifully. However verse five indicates that if we lack wisdom we are to ask God for it and He will give it to us liberally.

“Okay God,” I might say. “I know that if I have the right attitude about this hard time I’m experiencing, my character grows. But what else do you have in mind for me. If you’re the sovereign God – all powerful, you could have prevented this. How do you want this to be for my best? What am I to learn from this? How am I to grow through this? Thank you that you are my loving Abba Papa.”