May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. 2 Thessalonians 3:5 NIV
Life is a mixed grill. It brings you a fair amount of what we term the 'good' and the 'bad'. At least, that is how we interpret our experiences. We call something good because it appears good at the start, and we call something bad because our limited understanding sees it that way. I have come to understand now that God's way of seeing things is very different from ours. With him, nothing is bad, because for all who belong to him, all things work together for good. For all who have surrendered control to Christ and accepted his Lordship over their lives, everything that happens to them will be a testimony to the power and wisdom of God.
No wonder Paul was praying here that God would direct our hearts into God's love first and then his perseverance. His love is what makes the experiences bearable, but you have got to know his love before you can stand for God in all the experiences. God's love is not like man's: just interested in pampering and shielding. Whilst God also pampers and shields, he brings in experiences that will teach us perseverance. You see, God's primary desire is not to make us comfortable, but to build our character. He wants to test what is in us, so he can entrust himself to us. When he knows my life will glorify him, he will spare no expense in teaching, grooming and preparing me for impact.
I must therefore prepare my heart for his love and his perseverance. Both are a complete package, needed to make me complete and perfect. In both, the nature of God is revealed in me: God wants the world to know and experience his love through me, and he also wants the world to know that in Him, life may not always go the way you plan it, but at least, you have the confidence that the love of the Master of the Universe would not let you go to waste. His time of favour is here.
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