Challenges

pastor2022 · Moderator Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 639

Challenges
The ultimate measure of a man is not where
he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where
he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Martin Luther King Jr.

What our friends know of us while the sun is shining is one thing -- what they find out about us when the darkness closes in is something else altogether. It doesn't take a person of very great character to reflect a bit of glory when there is beauty and brightness all around, but let a person be tested by hardship or pain and then, if there's no light coming from inside that person's heart, the darkness will be dark indeed.

Challenges show us our weaknesses. All of us have some of these, of course; there is no use denying that we do. But we may not pay adequate attention to our weaknesses until some crisis makes us aware of them. And to that end, challenges are good for us. Whatever helps us see the areas where we're vulnerable is a thing to be thankful for. Wise people want to know, as soon as possible, where they need to shore up their defenses, and challenges offer us that opportunity.

But challenges also show us our strengths. Just as we each have our weaknesses, we each have our strengths also. And just as challenges force us to look honestly at our weaknesses, the same challenges may surprise us by bringing to light some strengths that we didn't know we had. "Within us all there are wells of thought and dynamos of energy which are not suspected until emergencies arise" (Thomas J. Watson). When we have to take one of life's hard "exams," we make not make a perfect score, but often we do better than we ever thought we could.

So, when all is said and done, what's the main thing that we want from life? Is it simply ease and pleasure? If that's all we want and we're discontent when we get anything else, then we probably have our sights set too low. The fact is, there are several things, such as character growth, that should have a higher priority than ease and pleasure. And if the goodness of something is judged by what it does for our character, then we'd have to say that challenges and tests, however difficult or unpleasant, should be placed in the "good" category.

atoz · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:02 am Post subject:

P2022!

You are also a teacher!smile
A pastoral teacher and teaching pastor!smile

Xlnt as usual!

Is why we have to be thankful for satan---even for and in spite of his bad attitude: he exposes our weaknesses so we can shore them up so that he can't attack us on that point on the future!smile

"There is some soul of goodness in things evil,
Would men observingly distil it out.
For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers,
Which is both healthful and good husbandry:
Besides, they are our outward consciences,
And preachers to us all, admonishing
That we should dress us fairly for our end.
Thus may we gather honey from the weed,
And make a moral of the d-evil himself.
Henry V [IV, 1]

Romans 8:
28And we know that all things[especially the bad things] work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

1 Thessalonians 5:
18In every thing give thanks:
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

in Love of the good and the bad so we can be genuinely and sincerely thankful for the good and the bad,
atoz

lone-traveler · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:34 pm Post subject:

Job 2:10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

why?

Gen 3:22 ¶ And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

I just saw this:
Pro 17:13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

Pro 17:13 Whoso rewardeth evil/(hatred) for good/(love), evil/(hatred) shall not depart from his house.

so then the opposite must be true.. Idea

Whoso rewardeth good/love for evil/hatred, good/love shall not depart from his house.. Very Happy

Challenges
The ultimate measure of a man is not where
he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where
he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

good words there pastor2022

hugs
lone

atoz · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 6:00 pm Post subject: