I was thinking about this statement some this week as often when someone gets treated well or takes time to relax we use this phrase "You deserve it!!" We usually mean that they have had a hard time and we are so glad they are having a good time now, but I started thinking about it a bit more….I know, tearing apart people’s words, how novel! But does that mean people going through a rough time, deserve that as well? I started thinking about it as I was reading some verses in the bible about trials. Sometimes I think we think they should be abnormal, we don’t really want to hear about them, it is scary as it could happen to us…..or it is hard to share with others as we don’t want to be viewed as "one of those people who complains about their life all the time." So, I was looking at what the bible says…Do we "deserve" a good time? <p>
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4, KJV.<p>
This one speaks of how through trials we can perfect and lacking nothing!! That sounds pretty good, but through trials? Count it all joy? That is so hard!!! <p>
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” 1 Peter 1:7, KJV.<p>
If we are tried in the fire, which is not nice, not comfortable, we will be found to praise, honor and glory when Jesus comes back! That sounds nice, but not being in the fire…..<p>
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” James 1:12, KJV.<p>
This one promises the crown of life when we endure being tried….and the verses go on. <p>
So, I guess I stopped to think, yes, we are happy for friends when they have wonderful things, but I think we need to be praying for one another as it seems like it more expected to go through trials and if we can go through them with joy, maybe on the other side we will reap the rewards and not because we deserve them, but because He has loved us and sacrificed for us!
You are right! We are not entitled or deserve to have a good time or be happy, but God allows us to be anyway! He wants us to have fun and be happy despite all the horrible things we might go through. We won't always feel happy, but we can always have joy in the fact that we know God is going to bring us through the fire more refined than before. He is definitely in full control and He will take care of all our needs, so in that we can ALWAYS find joy…even if we don't feel happy. =) Thanks for the deep thoughts! It definitely makes me think twice about telling people they deserve a rest! LOL
I think that thought had never occurred to me before as clearly that we people don't really deserve the trials either, but we are to be happy in both…..I am so happy for people when they get good things, but being happy when we have hard times, well, it just seems so foreign.
Nice work summing up some of these thoughts, Martha. I've thought about all the "prayer requests" people have. They are typically for dealing with difficulty. Then "praises" are for something "good" happening. I think it is so easy to define "blessings" as what makes our life on earth easier, when I've really come to believe that God blesses us in both the easy times and the very tough times. Often the tough times are the times we grow the most spiritually. Why aren't we thankful for these? Naturally, and selfishly, it is hard to be thankful. And yet that is the way we are instructed. Bless you and your family.