I noticed an interesting juxtaposition in 1 Corinthians 16:9 yesterday:
It is interesting and validates both the Word and my experience. I find that when there are many opportunities to serve God, there is a corresponding attack from the enemy. Several times when I have been on trips overseas, things at home have broken, or issues have arisen with which my wife typically does not deal.
Like Paul when we engage with helping people, even our kids, in their relationship with God, we will be resisted.
It is a part of the journey.
- A wide door for service has opened
- There are many adversaries
Like Paul when we engage with helping people, even our kids, in their relationship with God, we will be resisted.
It is a part of the journey.
I can readily attest to that! A thought that occurred just a few days ago as I notice this pattern, that the resistance functions as a pruning that Jesus talked about in John 15. Usually an advance has to do with emerging fruit in some way, and the pruning (as Jesus informed us) is to produce even more fruit through us. It seems usual that the resistance, or opposition, reveals some dead wood in us, or the the way we are doing things in the work He has given. It's better when it's gone!
ReplyDeleteThat I have seen as well. Also I have seen that those with whom I am engaged distracted by either issues in their family or work. It seems as though just as they are diving deep into the Word their world falls apart. That has happened more times than I can count and it took me about 30 years to figure out that it was the enemy doing everything he could to keep men out of the word.
DeleteI am a slow learner.