Setbacks, mercy, and God!

On Sunday morning, I spoke about how God often uses our setbacks to advance His work in this world. This was a major point we see in Philippians 1:12-14 where Paul speaks about all the things that have happened to him [four years worth of "setbacks"] as a wonderful opportunity to advance the gospel.  I then mentioned other biblical and historical illustrations that open a window to this truth–including Joseph, Stephen, and Peter and John.

On Sunday night, one of the men in our church challenged us from “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy!”  I was challenged to be more intentionally merciful through his exhortation.

Then I read this on Monday morning and God taught me more about both how to properly view setbacks and how the way others treat us (i.e., Paul in prison and Joseph with his brothers) are opportunities to show mercy.  I love this quote especially:

“When we remember God is sovereign, it’s much easier to be merciful.”

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Tozer on thirst and God!

From A.W. Tozer’s The Pursuit of God:

O God, I have tasted Your goodness,
and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more.
I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace.
I am ashamed of my lack of desire.
O God, the Triune God,
I want to want You;
I long to be filled with longing;
I thirst to be made more thirsty still.
Show me Your glory, I pray,
so I may know You indeed.
Begin in mercy a new work of love within me…
Give me grace to rise and follow You up from this misty lowland
where I have wandered so long.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(HT: JT)

And here is another quote I read today (HT: FI)

“That God is good is taught or implied on every page of the Bible and must be received as an article of faith as impregnable as the throne of God.”

- A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1992), 128.

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How do you usually respond to trials?

How do you respond to trials?  Here are some possible responses from a study guide on “Adversity” written by Jerry Bridges.  Which one describes your normal response?

• I often despise God’s discipline by viewing adversity as something to be escaped as quickly as possible.
• I often lose heart, feeling that God is mad at me and must not love me very much when He allows me to suffer.
• I often get angry, asking, “Why did this happen to me?” and accusing God of injustice. However, after an initial outburst, I get over my rage.
• My anger at God may continue for months, even years.
• I often accept hardship as coming from God’s hand for my good, even when the situation makes no sense to me.
• I openly rebel against Him, thinking I know better what’s good for me.
• My primary response is one of humble submission and trust.
• I diligently apply God’s mind and will to my situation, trying to figure it out. I renounce my self-will and resign myself to God’s will—not always immediately, but usually in due time. I throw a “pity party” and invite as many friends as I can to behold what manner of suffering I endure.
• I pray for relief from the difficulty and seek legitimate means to gain that relief.
• Other

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