Ouch: Walking The Talk

Faith and trust in God was the underlying theme of this week's posts. Yesterday I shared some of my tests of my faith that God shows up. But it ended up being a hard hard week. I won't share the details, but I ended up having to live out what I was "preaching."

Wherever you and I shine the glory of God we must know that we will be tried and tested on our testimony. I am always listening to Heaven and seeking God so that in all things I am in place with what pleases Him.

If you are new in teaching, writing or speaking let an old woman clue you into a sure fact. Whenever you sense God is calling you to communicate patience I promise you that you will be pushed to the limit of your patience while you preparing and delivering that message. When you close and all of you say "Amen," you will know patience to a greater level than you did initially.

I can only guess what Bruce Wilkerson went through in his study and writing of "The Prayer of Jabez," since Jabez's name means pain and suffering.

I never back off when I begin a project or even a post here at Thrive Christians, but I do brace myself for the testing. As I was keying in the ending of yesterday's post "In God We Trust," I thought, "Oh boy...wonder what's next?" Within minutes the storm kicked up and I had to trust God or despair.

The good news: He went before me. He was with me. In the end, life is better for all of us working through this challenge. I will be blessed greater than before because of this storm. Nowhere in my Bible does God tell me His Way is easy, but He tells me, in Him I can do all things.

I've never loved God more and I've never seen Him work more miraculously in my life and others. Easy; NO....amazing life .... OH, YES!!!


This week I keep thinking of the disciples near the end of Jesus life on earth wanting front row seating in Heaven. James and John's mother asked Jesus to position her sons in the "best seats."

Matthew 20:22-23 But Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?’* They said to him, ‘We are able.’ 23He said to them, ‘You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.’

Walking out our testimony and teachings involve "drinking the Cup." Sad to say on days like yesterday I used to feel heroic. But now, I know this is privilege. To share in the sufferings of Christ is my reward.

Henri Nouwen, "Drinking the cup is an act of selfless love, an act of immense trust, an act of surrender to a God who will give what we need when we need it."