Last Friday I admonished you to fight the good fight; to not
cower, but to resist the devil’s attacks; to deepen your faith and trust in the
Lord. On Monday I wanted you to understand that in the midst of challenges, the
Lord is preparing you—strengthening you, for what is to come.
Today, I want to revisit that matter of challenge and invite
you to “settle in” to your challenge. Merriam-Webster tells us that the verb
“settle” means 1. to end (something, such as an argument) by reaching an
agreement 2. to make a final decision
about (something) 3. to move to a place
and make it your home. Each of these nuances of “settle” are appropriate in
this context but I’d like to focus on the idea of moving to a place and making
it your home.
The early “Settlers” did this. They travelled from wherever
they had been, found a new place to settle, and made their homes there. They
established businesses and services, they manufactured and harvested and did
all that was needed to thrive where they were.
So again, I want to invite you to settle into your
challenge. This means that you accept that this is where the Lord has allowed
you to be right now and for whatever reason(s). This means that you have
resolved that you will not be constantly striving to get out of this place. This
means that you find ways to thrive in the midst. You are asking yourself, “what
can I do and what should I do, right now, to make this place livable? To be
able to thrive?” And as Christians, we always have to ask ourselves, “How can I
give God glory in this season?” Divorce…death of a loved
one…single-parenting…debilitating illness…unemployment? Yes, even in the midst
of those challenges or worse, we ask those questions. We may ask them through
tears. We may ask with hurt and resentment (God can handle that). We may ask
and really not be sure that God can or will do anything. But we can ask. We can
settle in.
Be encouraged, God will strengthen you…
The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my
invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk
[not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon
my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! Habakkuk 3:19 AMP
…and in His timing, He will deliver you…
Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and
to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 2 Peter 2:9 (read verses 4-9 for greater
encouragement)
…so settle in and allow the Lord to do the work in you that
He desires to do…
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges
come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is
forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of
anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed,
not deficient in any way. James 1:2-4
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