THE GRACE THAT SAVES ALSO TRAINS

Posted by Justin Huffman 

The grace of God that saves us also trains us: “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us…” (Titus 2:11-12).

God’s grace teaches us to adorn the gospel with our behavior (Titus 2:9-10), to deny ungodly desires (Titus 2:12), to live well in this present age (Titus 2:12), and to look for the coming of our Savior (Titus 2:13-14).

First, God’s grace teaches us to adorn.

The context of Paul’s saying that the grace of God trains us is that Paul is graciously telling us what God requires of servants.

It is God’s grace that he tells us what is right and good in the details of daily life.

The grace of God saves, yes, but it saves by teaching! It trains us to battle against sin, to battle for our marriages, and not to battle endlessly with our employer.

The grace of God delivers us from — among other things — our own solutions. So, Paul tells Titus, the grace of God teaches us to adorn the gospel with our behavior. Our chief concern is no longer our personal rights or selfish interests; our goal in life grows beyond ourselves to embrace the cause of Christ in the world.

God knows the areas where we struggle to implement the gospel, to live out the implications of the gospel. It is at this difficult-but-essential point of personal application that God’s Word meets us with its sufficient, equipping instruction. You adorn the gospel, you make the doctrine of God our Savior look beautiful, by … working hard at your job each day, by being a trustworthy, reliable employee.

The grace of God teaches us to adorn the gospel by doing the difficult work of faithful, cheerful, trustworthy participation in the plan of God for us — whatever mundane, unglamorous details may be involved in this endeavor.

Second, the grace of God teaches us to deny.

There’s no way around it. God’s grace brings salvation, freedom, everlasting joy … but it also brings self-denial as a means to these very ends. The grace of God brings with it the power to say “No!” to sin, in all the various ways it presents itself to us (Romans 6:2, 11-18).

The adjective “worldly” in front of “passions” in Titus 2:12 is important, because strong desires are not in and of themselves bad. It all depends on what it is you are passionately desiring! Jesus desired [same word] to take the Lord’s Supper in Luke 22:15; Paul desired to meet with other believers face-to-face in 1 Thessalonians 2:17.

The problem with many Christians is that we are saying “No!” to the wrong passions, to the wrong lusts!

We long to be in God’s Word, communing with God in prayer, seeking out the fellowship of the saints … but we say “No!” to these desires. The grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness, to say “No!” to worldly passions — and to say “Yes!” over and over again to our longing for Christ.

Third, the grace of God teaches us to live.

The Christian who is adorning the gospel with their faithful service, who is turning away from sin and to Christ each day, is truly and deeply living.

The grace of God teaches us this life matters and teaches us to live it well. But the grace of God also teaches us that living “well” means more than merely living for our own pleasure or purposes. It means living righteously, godly in this present age.

There is a right way to live, and a wrong way to live.

It is not merely a matter of personal preference or perspective. There is an objective standard for “right” — and that standard is God. The grace of God teaches us this present life matters … and it teaches us how to live it well, how to live it in a way that is truly, eternally good!

Finally, the grace of God teaches us to look.

Jesus Christ gave himself for us! This is the amazing revelation that is the Christian gospel. Jesus gave himself in order to redeem us from all lawlessness, from all sin. Not a single stain left. Jesus came to redeem us from all sin, and you and I must rest in his ability to do what he came to do.

But Jesus gave himself, not only to redeem us from sin but also to purify for himself a group of separated saints who are zealous of good works. They are not just saying “No!” to worldly lusts; they are saying “Yes!” to the glory of God being displayed in their lives. And Christians do this by looking to Jesus each and every day.

This is the lesson we must learn over and over again: to live in this present world, but not to live for this present world.

We live in this world, looking for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ! We adorn the gospel in order to dimly reflect the glory that will be on full display in that final day of Christ’s return! We deny worldly passions because our affections are set on the superior pleasure of seeing Christ face to face. We seek to live right in this present age because we know there is a standard of “rightness” that transcends this world, and by whom this world will one day be judged.

Posted at: http://servantsofgrace.org/the-grace-that-saves-also-trains/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=SocialWarfare

Salvation by Propitiation

 Kevin DeYoung  

There are many biblical ways to describe Christian salvation.

Salvation can be understood ritually as a sacrifice, as the expiation of guilt through the death of Christ on the cross.

Salvation can be understood commercially as redemption, as a payment made through the blood of Christ for the debt we owe because of sin.

Salvation can be understood relationally as reconciliation, as the coming together of estranged parties by means of Christ’s at-one-ment.

Salvation can be understood legally as justification, as the declaration that sins have been forgiven and that the sinner stands blameless before God because of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness.

There is, of course, more that can be said about salvation. But each description above captures something important about the nature of Christ’s saving work.

And each description holds together because the death of Christ is—not over and above these images, but inherent and essential to these images—a propitiation.

Propitiation is used in the New Testament to describe the pacifying, placating, or appeasing of God’s wrath. The easiest way to remember the term is that in propitiation God is made pro-us. Unlike expiation, propitiation has a relational component to it. Christ’s death not only removed the moral stain of sin; it also removed the personal offense of sin.

The English word propitiation comes from the hilasmos word group in Greek and almost always refers in the ancient world (when applied to God) to appeasing or averting divine anger. The root word is used several times in the New Testament—as hilasmos (1 John 2:2; 4:10), as hilaskomai (Heb. 2:17; Luke 18:13), and as hilasterion (Rom. 3:25; Heb. 9:5). The term is clearly a biblical word and a biblical concept.

Over the years, many have objected to propitiation, arguing that notions of God’s anger are not befitting a God of love. Critics think propitiation makes God rather like some petty, blood-thirsty pagan deity who must be bought off with a bribe. But God’s wrath is not arbitrary and capricious; it is part of his immutable justice and holiness. In the Old Testament there are more than 20 different words used to express Yahweh’s wrath, totaling more than 580 occurrences. And with John the Baptist’s warning about the wrath to come (Matt. 3:7), Jesus’s declaration that wrath remains on the unbelieving sinner (John 3:36), and John’s imagery of the wrath of the Lamb (Rev. 6:16), we cannot make the New Testament a “good cop” to the Old Testament’s supposed “bad cop.”

The wrath of the biblical God is distinct from the peeved god of the pagans in at least three ways.

(1) The God of the Bible is eternal and immutable, never losing his temper, flying off the handle, or judging his creatures capriciously.

(2) The God of the Bible is not appeased by a bribe, but by his own blood (Acts 20:28).

(3) The God of the Bible, though justly angry with sin and with sinners, nevertheless sent his Son to be our propitiatory sacrifice out of love. The death of Christ did not make God love us. The electing love of God planned for the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus. “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). The God who has always been for us in eternity sent his Son in time to be the wrath-absorbing sacrifice that we might enjoy peace with God for ages unending.

Leon Morris beautiful describes propitiation in his classic work The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross:

Propitiation is understood as springing from the love of God. Among the heathen, propitiation was thought of as an activity whereby the worshiper was able himself to provide that which would induce a change of mind in the deity.

In plain language he bribed his god to be favourable to him. When the term was taken over into the Bible these unworthy and crude ideas were abandoned, and only the central truth expressed by the term was retained, namely that propitiation signifies the averting of wrath by the offering of a gift. But in both Testaments the thought is plain that the gift which secures the propitiation is from God Himself. He provides the way whereby men may come to Him.

Thus the use of the concept of propitiation witnesses to two great realities, the one, the reality and seriousness of the divine reaction against sin, and the other, the reality and the greatness of the divine love which provided the gift which should avert the wrath from me.

Because of this propitious gift, our sins can be removed, our debt can be paid, our relationship restored, and our legal status irrevocable altered. Jesus Christ is our righteous advocate (1 John 2:1), the one who turns away the wrath of God that was justly against us. And he does so—wonderfully and freely—not by pleading our innocence, but by presenting his bloody work on our behalf, so that in him we who were deserving of nought but judgment, might become the very righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21).

Posted at: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/salvation-by-propitiation/

Say No to the Gospel of Self-Forgiveness

By John Beeson   

She sits in my office, tears running down her face. Two years ago her mother died in hospice while she lay asleep at home. She was trying to get a decent night’s rest after days spent at her mother’s side. “I just can’t forgive myself. I let her die alone. I knew I should have been there, but I was selfish. I can never forgive myself for that.”

Dozens have shared similar confessions with me. Does this resonate with you? What guilt do you bear? What burdens are you carrying because you can’t forgive yourself? If Christ has forgiven you, do you also have to forgive yourself?

If Christ has forgiven you, do you also have to forgive yourself?

Many are trapped because they can’t forgive themselves. My friend isn’t alone. And she feels trapped. Because she’ll never hear her mother offer her forgiveness, she feels like she can’t release herself from guilt.

What Does Scripture Say?  

Why can’t you release yourself from your sin? Is it because the weight is too much? Because you know you haven’t changed? Because the ripple effects of your sin can’t be reversed?

I have good news—such good news. You don’t need to forgive yourself, because you can’t forgive yourself.

I know, this answer sounds foreign. Our contemporary therapeutic culture tells us that self-forgiveness is not only a category of forgiveness, it’s actually the most important of them all. Writing in Psychology Today, psychotherapist Beverly Engel says, “I believe that self-forgiveness is the most powerful step you can take to rid yourself of debilitating shame.” But here’s the vital question for Christians: Can you point to one example in Scripture of someone forgiving themselves?

There is no category of self-forgiveness in the Bible. And what a freeing truth! Your shame and guilt does not depend on your ability to forgive yourself.

Two Kinds of Forgiveness

There are two—and only two—biblical categories of forgiveness: others’ forgiveness and God’s forgiveness. Horizontal and vertical.

Horizontal forgiveness marks us as Christians. Seeking the forgiveness of others is not optional. Forgiving one another is not optional. Paul writes:

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. (Col. 3:12–13)

It’s not enough to ask forgiveness from God; we must also ask forgiveness from those we’ve injured.

I have good news—such good news. You don’t need to forgive yourself, because you can’t forgive yourself.

As important as horizontal forgiveness is, even more fundamental is vertical forgiveness, which comes from God alone. After committing the heinous double sin of adultery and murder against Bathsheba and Uriah, David cries out to God: “Against you, you only, have I sinned!” (Ps. 51:4). How can David say this? Is he minimizing his horrifying sins against Uriah and Bathsheba?

Hardly.

David realizes that as awful as his sin is horizontally, it’s much worse vertically. He has profoundly offended his Creator—and the Creator of Uriah and Bathsheba—by devaluing one life and snuffing out another. He has offended his righteous, covenant-making God with his wicked, covenant-breaking actions.

Sing! You’re Forgiven.

But you know what David never walks through? The process of self-forgiveness. He doesn’t entertain for a second that he must forgive himself or that, once he’s sought forgiveness from God, he must self-flagellate to fully release himself from his sin. In fact, David would probably shock modern therapeutic sensibilities with how quickly he feels release. He admits that, once forgiven, he will have the audacity to sing: “Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness” (Ps. 51:14).

Have you experienced such freedom? Have you ever felt the complete forgiveness of God so deeply that you had to sing with joy?

Vertical forgiveness allows you to experience the power and release that comes through the cross—and then it sends you back to the horizontal, where you are made right in community.

Dear fellow sinners, does guilt plague you? Seek forgiveness from those whom you have sinned against. Seek forgiveness from God your Rescuer, who has purchased your salvation through the death of Jesus. And then sing! Celebrate your forgiveness. Enjoy your freedom.

John Beeson serves as associate teaching pastor at New Life Bible Fellowship in Tucson, Arizona. He attended Gordon College and Princeton Theological Seminary, and is married with two kids. He blogs at http://www.thebeehive.live/

Posted at: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/say-no-gospel-self-forgiveness/

Scripture Memory Wasn't For Me

Article by Jon Bloom

One of the most beneficial spiritual disciplines for me has been memorizing long portions of Scripture.

Now, before you click away because you assume this article isn’t relevant to you, or because you want to avoid another guilt trip that you’re not measuring up to some spiritual Christian standard, would you give me a couple of minutes? I’d like to make a case that memorizing long portions of Scripture is indeed relevant to you and is not about your measuring up, but about your joy.

Confessions of a Bad Memorizer

I know that for many, joy is not the word they associate with Bible memory. Boring or can’t do it or undisciplined might be what comes to mind. I know. That was me.

I remember once, as a young adult, deciding I should take Bible memory seriously. In the flush of idealized resolve, I bought a Navigator’s Bible memory system. As is typical of idealized resolve, it dissipated after a couple of feeble tries, and the system then went unused until I eventually threw it away.

Years later, when my church leaders encouraged members to memorize certain verses each week, I was hit-and-miss. It wasn’t a faulty program; it was a faulty me. I had a fairly bad memory to begin with. I would memorize initially, but it seemed I just lost it so fast. I figured I would never do well at memorizing.

Plus, I harbored some skepticism about whether Bible memory really made much of a difference. I figured it was good — like a comprehensive workout at the gym is good — but I wondered if the actual value wasn’t somewhat inflated, considering all that extra work and time. I had some theological education, attended a theologically rigorous church, read theological books, was involved in Christian ministry, and generally read through the Bible every year in my devotions. How much more would memorizing do for me?

A Memorable Discovery

It was actually an experience in my devotions that pushed me toward a memorable discovery. In my late thirties, I had just completed the book of Hebrews (again) in my reading plan, and it left me a bit frustrated. Hebrews is so rich, so full of glorious truth. But every time I read through it, it was like I just skipped across its surface. I wanted to dive in.

Then I had this unusual thought: I need to memorize this book. Wouldn’t that get me deeper into it and have it get deeper into me? Then I did math: 13 chapters and 303 verses. Seriously? Could I, a bad memorizer, memorize 303 verses? And retain them?

I knew that John Piper used a memory technique taught by pastor Andrew Davis to memorize larger blocks of Scripture. So I decided to try it.

I found this technique worked! It took me quite a while, but I committed all of Hebrews to memory. And as I did, it was like swimming in the book. Deeper dimensions of the text and its application opened up for me. I followed the author’s flow of thought in ways I hadn’t seen before. I learned the warp and woof of each chapter. But more than all that, there were moments I worshiped Jesus as I saw him through the lens of this book — moments that I had not experienced in my read-throughs.

That experience of more profound worship of Jesus made me hungrier to know even more of him. So after Hebrews, I made the crazy decision to memorize the book of John. It took a long time, but again, it was wonderful. It was a long, deliberate, nourishing walk with Jesus. From there I went to Romans, then to Philippians, then to 1 John, then to 1 Corinthians (which I nearly completed — I need to get back to it), and then to a number of psalms.

The memorable discovery was not that I, with my bad memory, surprisingly could memorize big chunks of Scripture, but that doing so yielded joy. The exercise, the discipline, of reciting and repeating forced me to meditate on Scripture in ways I hadn’t done before. As a result, I saw more, understood more, enjoyed more complex tastes of God’s goodness (Psalm 34:8). Bible memory, specifically longer sections, turned out to be not merely exercising a few more muscle groups in the Bible gym, but rather a means to more profound worship and more fuel for prayer.

The Bad Memory Myth

Now, knowing I’ve memorized a few books of the Bible might make you skeptical of my claim that I have a bad memory. If so, that’s only because you don’t know me. My wife and kids will confirm. I regularly blank out on names of people I should remember (I dreaded the reception line at our wedding). I regularly can’t recall specifics of a past conversation or event or book I’ve read that I should remember. Which means I live with a measure of social anxiety that one or both will happen in a public setting (because they do).

I think my brain’s file-retrieval system is below average — less like an orderly file cabinet and more like a messy desk with piles of stuff on it (“Ugh! Where’s that name?” Rummage, rummage. “I know I put it here!”). I do best with a lot of repetition and review. I guess it keeps things near the top of the pile, which is another benefit of memorizing long portions of Scripture.

My experience has taught me not to believe the bad memory myth — that having a bad memory disqualifies us from memorizing much (unless we’re a rare medical/neurological exception). Rather, a bad memory makes memorizing all the more needful and helpful.

Harder doesn’t mean impossible. It just means people like me have to work harder to memorize and retain than people blessed with a good memory. Which is not much different than saying that people like me have to work harder to lose weight and keep weight off than people blessed with naturally faster metabolisms.

God is not egalitarian in his distribution of talents (Matthew 25:15), spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4–6), roles (1 Corinthians 12:18–20), bodies (John 9:2–3), and faith (Romans 12:3). We all have weaknesses that require us to labor more than others must. And this is really good for our souls. It teaches us perseverance and endurance as well as humble dependence on God and appreciation for others’ strengths.

Start Small and Realize a Benefit

I share with you my experience as a bad memorizer for two reasons: (1) if you’ve never attempted memorizing long portions of Scripture, it’s likely well within your reach; and (2) it really is all about joy. If you hear any shouldimplied in what I’ve written, don’t hear it as a legal should that you must do to please God or achieve some elite spiritual rank. Rather, hear it as an invitation to joy — like a friend who says, “You should visit the Grand Canyon”; or a prescription for joy, like a doctor who says, “For the sake of your health, you should really consider getting some exercise.”

If you’d like some specific coaching on how to get started with a particular memorizing technique, I’ve provided that elsewhere. But if you’re new to this, here’s my simple counsel: start small and realize a benefit. Choose a meaningful psalm (like Psalm 27) or a meaningful chapter that’s not too long (like 1 Corinthians 13). Or if you really want to try your hand at a book, I recommend Philippians. Give it a try, stay with it, and taste the joy.

Once you discover you can really do it, and you discover that it yields joy, you will very likely want to keep going. And that’s the beginning of the adventure. Keep venturing! Because there’s a lot of glory to see and savor.

Jon Bloom (@Bloom_Jon) serves as author, board chair, and co-founder of Desiring God. He is author of three books, Not by Sight, Things Not Seen, and Don’t Follow Your Heart. He and his wife have five children and make their home in the Twin Cities.

Posted at: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/scripture-memory-wasnt-for-me?utm_campaign=Daily+Email&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=71471029&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-95f1hGhNcSwT8-15WO4RoUrtHlQPRWnZ23n9pqPdo8QzGTSdB9iBTa3BRpkXkJm9v_QIl3bBLSI6if5FrxU-v90GvqeQ&_hsmi=71471029

10 Habits of Discerning People

Hannah Anderson   

One glance at the headlines will tell you that the world is a dangerous, confusing place. From natural disasters to church scandals to heartbreak closer to home, it can feel like nowhere is safe. Maybe the best thing you can do is just hunker down and try to survive. But what if God wants more for you than survival? What if he wants you to thrive and enjoy his goodness despite the brokenness around you?

In John 17, Jesus prays for his followers—people like you and me—who are overwhelmed by the world around them: “I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them. . . . Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:15, 17).

Instead of retreating from the world, God intends to equip us to meet its challenges with confidence and joy. Instead of changing our circumstances, he intends to change us by making us people who can discern the difference between what’s good and what’s not. Or as Paul puts it, God intends to transform us by renewing our minds so we’ll know what is good, perfect, and acceptable (Rom. 12:1–2).

So what do discerning people know that the rest of us don’t? What do discerning people do that makes them uniquely capable of navigating a broken, complicated world? At least 10 things.

1. They live in right relationship to God.

The first thing that sets discerning people apart is that they’re humble. They know how much they don’t know. It’s tempting to rush into situations or decisions confident that we already know the answer. Maybe we think we’ve already learned the “right” answer. Or maybe we rely on our gut instinct. Either way, we don’t pause long enough to remember that our minds are limited, and our hearts are easily led astray. Scripture is clear: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 1:7). In other words, discerning people know that God—not their experience or instinct—is the source of wisdom and ultimately the source of safety. From this place of humility, discerning people seek help from the One who gives it freely and abundantly.

2. They focus on finding goodness in brokenness.

In a sin-cursed world, we can quickly become distracted by the brokenness and begin to believe it’s more powerful than God’s goodness. But when this happens, we also begin to make decisions from a mindset of fear and self-protection. Trapped by negativity, we’ll only have eyes for what’s wrong. We’ll shrink back from any kind of risk and hunker down in our safe places, seeing anyone who is different from us as a threat. Isolated and alone, we’re unable to enjoy what goodness the world offers.

Discerning people know that God made the world good and that he sustains it in goodness. Yes, the world is cursed by sin but through Christ, God is redeeming it and us. “I would have despaired,” David wrote, “unless I had believed I would see the goodness of God in the land of the living” (Ps. 27:13). Discerning people have confidence in divine goodness.

3. They know the difference between the way things are and the way things should be.

As much as discerning people look for goodness in the brokenness, they don’t deny the brokenness or pretend it doesn’t exist. They’re not idealists. They know the “way the world works” isn’t always the way God intended it to work. So they evaluate everything by the authority of the Scripture and the person of Jesus, testing it to see whether it meets God’s standard of goodness. Sometimes this means rejecting the status quo or questioning their own long-held beliefs. But through it all, they know God is the ultimate standard of what is right, and they must submit all things—even their most deeply held customs and practices—to him.

4. They invest in things and relationships that will last.

Because the world isn’t yet what it should be, we all experience trouble and difficulty in this life. When we do, we can be tempted to comfort ourselves with fleeting pleasure: expensive gadgets, addictive substances, unhealthy relationships, and mindless entertainment. At first, these things may bring us a kind of relief. The new car or that third glass of wine will make you happy, at least temporarily, but you’ll quickly need another hit when the initial pleasure wears off. And you’ll be running in circles trying to find it.

Discerning people know that lasting happiness comes from eternal things. They aren’t immune to suffering in this life, but they invest in relationships and things that bring long-term stability instead of short-term relief.

5. They know the importance of truth.

In a world of #fakenews and #alternativefacts, it can seem like we live in competing realities. “Your truth” isn’t “my truth” and whatever we personally want to believe becomes truth for us. This makes for a fractured world where we’re isolated from even our friends and neighbors.

Discerning people know that truth isn’t a private matter and that we must have shared truth to flourish. They’re willing to submit themselves and their ideas to scrutiny, knowing that opinions and commentary do not replace facts. And when they encounter information they’ve never heard before, they test it, not by their own opinions or emotions, but by the larger body of shared truth. Ultimately they know we all must submit to the One who is “the way, the truth, and the life.” In this sense, discerning people are honest people. Honest with themselves, honest with the facts, and honest with others.

6. They listen to experts.

Not only do discerning people walk humbly before God, they also walk humbly before their fellow man, deferring to those who have more experience and knowledge than they do. In a world of search engines and social media, it can be tempting to believe everyone’s opinion on any given subject is equally valid. But access to information isn’t knowledge, and tips and trick aren’t skill and expertise. Discerning people know it takes years of study and life experience to become an expert, and they honor that.

They also know the difference between an expert and an elitist. An expert is someone who has expertise in a particular field of knowledge, while an elitist is someone who thinks they have expertise in every field of knowledge. In Romans 13, Paul tells us to give honor to those who deserve it. Discerning people know to honor those whose life experience or education give them particular insight—whether it’s a mother who knows her child better than anyone else or a doctor who knows her field. In both cases, a discerning person will honor the specific expertise of each.

7. They pay attention to words and actions.

One thing that makes the world so confusing is that people behave inconsistently. Politicians promise one thing but do another. Husbands and wives vow faithfulness only to cheat a few months or years down the road. It’s hard to know whom you can trust. At its root, this disconnect between our words and actions reveals a deeper disconnect in our hearts. The book of James describes this as being “double-minded” and says double-minded people are unstable in all their ways.

Discerning people know that people with mixed motives will be unstable, so they don’t trust them. They pay attention to the difference between a person’s words and actions and aren’t easily swayed by lip service.

8. They embrace goodness wherever they find it.

In the chaos of the world, we tend to cluster in like-minded groups, believing our tribe will give us a sense of safety and security. Sadly, this “us vs. them” approach can blind us to the weaknesses within our group. It can also make us miss the good things that happen outside it. Discerning people know that both good and bad exist in every space. That’s why Paul tells us to think on “whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and of good report” (Phil. 4:8).

Rather than toeing the party line, discerning people are committed to finding goodness wherever it may exist. “If there be any moral excellence,” the verse continues, “and if there is be anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.”

9. They pursue the best possible solution, knowing that no solution is perfect.

Because the world is broken, our decisions will be inadequate in many ways. We simply don’t have the ability or the options to find perfect solutions. But if we wait for the perfect, it’s likely we’ll miss the good. So discerning people know how to make pragmatic decisions. This doesn’t mean that the ends justify the means or that we can do whatever we what. It means learning the difference between “unprincipled pragmatism” and “principled pragmatism.” Unprincipled pragmatism takes advantage of the brokenness, using and manipulating it for self-serving purposes. Principled pragmatism, on the other hand, accepts the reality of brokenness and tries to make decisions that promote healing and wholeness, all with an eye to the day when God sets all things right.

10. They use their wisdom to help others.

Instead of seeing discernment as a source of superiority, discerning people use their insight to serve those around them. Whether it’s in their church, their family, or their neighborhood, they use knowledge to build up and unify—not tear down or create division. Sometimes this means having the patience to wait while others think through what you already know. Sometimes it means foregoing your preferences for the good of others. Sometimes it might even mean being misunderstood precisely because others can’t yet see what you do. But because discerning people know the difference between what’s good and what’s not, they also know to evaluate their own actions. They resist the temptation to flaunt knowledge or prove themselves right. They know that any wisdom they have is given to them for the common good.

God hasn’t left us alone in this world. Through the Spirit and the Scripture, he is renewing our minds so we can discern his holy and perfect will. But this process requires humility and a willingness to be changed. God isn’t interested in our being right so much as our being made right—right with him and right with each other. As we grow in wisdom and the knowledge of Christ, we’ll increasingly meet the challenges of a broken world. And little by little, we’ll experience all he’s planned for us. Little by little, we’ll be made good and discover all that’s good in the world around us.

Editors’ note: 

A version of this article appeared at Crosswalk.com. Hannah Anderson’s book All That’s Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment was a winner in our 2019 Book Awards.

Hannah Anderson lives with her family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where her husband, Nathan, pastors Brookhill Baptist Church. Hannah is the author of several books ,including Humble Roots: How Humility Grounds and Nourishes Your Soul and the newly released All That’s Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment. You can find more of her writing at sometimesalight.com, hear her on the weekly podcast Persuasion, or follow her on Twitter.

Posted at: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/10-habits-discerning-people/

How a Man Loves a Woman

Article by Ben Stuart, Pastor, Washington, D.C.

“How do I love my wife well?” Young husbands frequently ask me this question, and it is a great one to ask. They are often faced with a laundry list of good tips: prioritize date nights, lead family prayer times, organize evening devotionals, take walks together, buy her flowers, write poetry, help around the house, etc.

I have found that these lists can be extremely helpful examples or extremely tyrannizing laws. If you anxiously try to accomplish them all, the stress could steal the joy of your marriage.

So, what do we do? Is there one guiding principle that can help us navigate marriage well? I believe so. I believe we see it clearly in Genesis.

God Initiates

Genesis 1:2 presents a problem: “The earth was without form and void.” “Formless” means quite literally that it lacked form; it had no structure. “Void” means that it had no content. It was not full of anything. No form, no fullness. No structure, no content.

Then God initiates. He spends the first three days of creation building structure: first air, then sea, then land. He fashions the static systems necessary to sustain life.

Then in the following three days he fills these structures with content. He fills the air with birds, the sea with sea creatures, then the land with animals.

God sees formlessness and void and responds by bringing form and fullness. He creates order, but not stuffy, stifling order. It is order specifically designed to maximize the flourishing of life! This is our God. He brings structure, then content; form, then fullness; order, then flourishing.

Foundations for Flourishing

“Men are meant to create structures so that life can flourish.”TweetShare on Facebook

You see a similar rhythm play out in Genesis 2. God places the man in the garden. Though the garden is truly a “delight,” it is not yet all that it could be. Thus, God commands the man “to work it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). God charges the man to take the raw materials he has been given and structure the environment in such a way that promotes the flourishing of all the living things under his care. This is the role of man in the image of God!

Men are meant to create structures so that life can flourish. We create farms where the conditions can be perfectly calibrated to maximize the fruitfulness of the trees. We create ranches where animals can grow strong. We create financial structures where investments can reach their full potential. And, in the home, we create an environment where our wives and children can flourish in every area under God.

This is the mindset we are meant to take into our marriage: “How do I structure our family life so that everyone can flourish?” Certain constants will be present in every Christian home: study of the Bible, prayer, time together, time apart, etc. And yet we have the freedom to organize these constants in a way that best suits our particular spouses and children.

Crucial Questions to Ask

Therefore, as husbands we wake up every day and ask ourselves, How can I best organize the time, energy, money, and relationships that the Lord has given me to enable my wife to best flourish as a woman under God? Regarding time, have I given her enough time alone, away from the kids, to meet with God devotionally? How much time does she need? How will I create that space?

Have I given her enough time to meet with other women for support and encouragement? Have I given her enough time with me? With regard to our money, have I allocated it in the best way in order to fund those things that stir her affections for the Lord? How can I make that happen? What best helps her rest well? Vacation? Hobbies? Books?

“Jesus Christ gave all in order to create the ideal circumstances for us to flourish as children of God.”TweetShare on Facebook

For some of you the greatest gift you can give your wife is a night to get dressed up and hit the town. Others of you could go for a cheaper date night and use those funds to buy some lumber so she can build a picnic table (don’t laugh; that’s where my wife comes alive!).

With this approach, we are not tyrannized by a list of things we are supposed to be doing, but rather we are liberated to be excellent students of our wives. We are free to consider how we can use the resources God has given us to best love them.

Just Like Jesus

In many ways that is what Jesus did for us. He gave his life in order to create an environment where we can flourish under God. What do we need to be fully alive in God? The word of God? He came and preached it. The removal of our sin? He took it away on the cross. The indwelling power of God? He released the Spirit into us! A community of brothers and sisters? He created the church.

Jesus Christ gave all in order to create the ideal circumstances for us to flourish as children of God. We husbands are called to love our wives the same way. We give of our resources so that they can be all they were meant to be as the daughters of God. This pleases him and blesses them.

Ben Stuart (@Ben_Stuart_) is pastor of Passion City Church, which he helped plant in Washington, D.C.

Posted at: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-a-man-loves-a-woman

Confused by Hosea?

By Colin Murphy

Reading Hosea can be a confusing experience. You may wonder, what is this book all about? Why is it in the Bible?   

In this article, I want to discuss how you can discover the treasure of Scripture—that is, Jesus Christ—in the book of Hosea. And I want to give you three questions that Hosea answers for our lives today.  

Unlocking Hosea: A Living Parable 

Hosea is part of that strange section of our bibles known as the Minor Prophets. These little gems can be difficult to interpret, but once unlocked, you find treasure!  

The book of Hosea may feel complex, but interpretative help is found when we realize that it is intended to be approached as a living parable.  

God loves using parables to convey truth. Consider Jesus and His use of them! A parable is simply a word picture designed to illuminate truth. The word picture runs parallel to the truth the storyteller is trying to convey.  

Chapters 1-3 of Hosea present this living parable to us. The painful tale of Hosea and Gomer, a faithful husband and an unfaithful wife. Like any other parable, even a living one, the characters and the storyline point to a greater truth—the relationship between God and his people! 

The Greater Truth 

The marriage of Hosea the Prophet and Gomer the wayward woman run parallel and point to the covenant relationship between God and his wayward people: 

“Go and take yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” (Hosea 1:2) 

What is going on here? Well, God’s people, Israel, have been unfaithful. Consider the weight given to the living parable and then to the greater truth. While chapters 1-3 describe Gomer’s unfaithfulness to Hosea, chapters 4-14 describes Israel’s unfaithfulness to God.  

Gomer leaves Hosea for other men (plural) and even bears the illegitimate children of her lovers (3:1, 1:6)! And, God uses the story of Hosea and Gomer’s marriage to show that God’s people have done the same to Him: 

There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murdering, stealing, and committing adultery. (Hosea 4:1-2) 

Israel has been unfaithful and chased after other lovers.  

What We Can Learn from Hosea 

For us today, I believe Hosea can help give us answers to three big questions.

1. What does unfaithfulness look like?

2. How does God love us despite our unfaithfulness? 

3. What does God desire from us in return?  

What does unfaithfulness look like?  

If you enjoy satire, God employs much of it in the latter part of Hosea to illustrate the unfaithfulness of His people. Chapter 7 is particularly illustrative. God’s wayward people are called a “heated oven” (7:4), “a cake not turned” (7:8), “a dove, silly and without sense” (7:11), and “a treacherous bow” (7:16) 

What does this all mean? They are a people burning with passion for half-baked, silly, and useless things.  

Fellow Gomers, do you relate? Have you burned with passion for half-baked, silly, and useless things? This is what unfaithfulness looks like. 

How does God love us despite our unfaithfulness? 

Hosea gave gifts for Gomer. And God gives gifts to his people.  

While we want to identify ourselves with Hosea, because of his Christ-like character, it is also helpful for us to think ourselves as Gomer in this parable!  

You are probably thinking, “Did he just call me what I think he did?!”  

Before you take too much offense, let me explain why being in the same camp as Gomer is a great place to be. Consider the wonderful gifts Gomer receives in this story: betrothal, redemption, and affection! These gifts show us a beautiful picture of God’s love in action.  

Betrothal  

So he (Hosea) went and took Gomer… (1:3)  

Hosea chose Gomer despite her sin. We don’t know about Gomer’s past, but we know that it was against all worldly logic that Hosea, a Prophet, a Man of God, would take her to be his wife.  

And this is our story, along with all of God’s people throughout history: God chose us, adopted us as sons and daughters, despite our sin. (John 15:16, Ephesians 1:4-5, Romans 8:29-30, Romans 9:6-21). 

Redemption 

So I (Hosea) bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. (3:2) 

Hosea entered into a covenant with Gomer. He would maintain his loyalty no matter what. He would go so far as to redeem his wayward wife from slavery!  

We too, as God’s people, have been bought at a price. We too have been redeemed from slavery! Christ the True and Greater Husband, our redeemer, paid for our freedom with His blood. (Ephesians 1:7, 1 Cor 6:20, 7:23) 

Affection  

“You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you.” (3:3) 

Hosea reassures Gomer that despite her former sin he will keep his promises. He will love her and be loyal to her.  

Christ has redeemed us from horrifying sin. Despite our past his affections for us, as his blood-bought people, run red-hot. (John 15:9-17, Romans 5:8, 8:38-39)  

The parable of Hosea and Gomer foreshadows the perfect, redeeming, and passionate love that God in Christ has for all his people throughout history. Rejoice fellow Gomers!  

What does God desire from us in return? 

Hosea 6:6 answers this for us: 

 “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”  

He wants us to know him, and desire him. This is for our good and for our joy, because as new creations our core desires mirror his. Christ alone is what will fulfill us.  

So, get to know the one who chose you, redeemed you, and loves you with relentless affection. Love him. This love and knowledge will be what leads you to a life of blessing and obedience unto him.

From the beginning, God’s intention was for us to know and enjoy him, and that has not changed!  

Posted at: https://unlockingthebible.org/2019/03/confuse-hosea-heres-need-know/

10 Popular Psalms to Increase Your Joy This Easter

By David Wetherall

Which psalm is your favorite? I pray that these 10 psalms increase your joy and make your soul overflow with love for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

1.) Psalm 1  

Blessed is the man 
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, 
nor stands in the way of sinners, 
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 
but his delight is in the law of the Lord, 
    and on his law he meditates day and night. 

It is only because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that I can call myself blessed. For it was his act of redemption that took me from my walking “in the counsel of the wicked” to my delighting “in the law of the LORD.”  

2.) Psalm 2 

Now therefore, O kings, be wise; 
    be warned, O rulers of the earth. 
Serve the Lord with fear, 
    and rejoice with trembling. 
Kiss the Son, 
    lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, 
    for his wrath is quickly kindled. 
Blessed are all who take refuge in him. 

Here’s a word for both those who have great authority and those who are below someone with great authority: No earthly authority can compare with the authority given to Jesus Christ!

He came as the Lamb, sacrificed for us at Easter, but he will come again as the Lion. Psalm 2 tells us that we have nothing to worry about if we take refuge in Christ!

3.) Psalm 16 

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; 
    my flesh also dwells secure. 
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, 
    or let your holy one see corruption. 

You make known to me the path of life; 
    in your presence there is fullness of joy; 
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin so that we could be free from sin. Instead of leaving us to our own corruption, he has promised to perfect us.

His victory over death on Good Friday and Easter Sunday mean we have access to the “path of life.” In him we have joy. Not just now, but forevermore!

4.) Psalm 18 

The cords of death encompassed me;  
    the torrents of destruction assailed me;  
the cords of Sheol entangled me;  
    the snares of death confronted me.  

In my distress I called upon the Lord;  
    to my God I cried for help.  
From his temple he heard my voice,  
    and my cry to him reached his ears. 

The Easter seasons reminds us of an important truth. When we face great difficulty, when it seems like evil is going to win, God hears our cry. Even if it seems like he does not hear you, he does.  

Good Friday reminds us that Jesus understands this feeling too. He suffered greatly on the cross. Pastor Colin writes concerning this:  

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). That’s his promise. But there will be dark times in your life when you cannot feel the love or presence of God. When these times come, you need to know Jesus has been there. 

5.) Psalm 20 

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! 
    May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! 
May he send you help from the sanctuary 
    and give you support from Zion! 
May he remember all your offerings 
    and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! 

In the Old Testament, people had to offer sacrifices to atone for their sins. These were regular and repetitive. But that changed when Jesus shed his blood on the cross as the perfect lamb and rose again. Jesus’s offering was a once-for-all sacrifice to atone for our past, present, and future sins.  

God will remember this sacrifice, as Jesus “always lives to make intercession” (Hebrews 7:25) for us. I pray that we always remember Christ! 

6.) Psalm 23 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 
    I will fear no evil, 
for you are with me; 
    your rod and your staff, 
    they comfort me. 

Perhaps you are thinking, David was hand-picked by the Lord to be king. It’s no wonder he did not fear evil given his close relationship with the Lord.  

But you were hand-picked too as an adopted son or daughter (Ephesians 1:4-5)! Also, Jesus Christ defeated death and evil on the cross! What then is left to fear? 

7.) Psalm 37 

In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; 
    though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 
But the meek shall inherit the land 
    and delight themselves in abundant peace. 

Jesus has defeated death and evil on the cross. It is imminent that one day there will be no more wickedness. Today, I do not have to look very far to find evil. But there will soon be a day when, no matter how hard I try, I will not be able to find it.  

Meekness is the way of the future. As Christ displayed an unmatched meekness on the cross, so we should imitate his meekness as we strive to be holy.  

8.) Psalm 90   

For we are brought to an end by your anger; 
    by your wrath we are dismayed. 
You have set our iniquities before you, 
    our secret sins in the light of your presence. 

As sinners, we deserve God’s wrath. God’s anger is not unfair but fair. Not injustice but justice. But God descended to earth, took on flesh, in order to die for our sins.  

Jesus faced the death we had brought upon ourselves so that we could face life eternal.  

9.) Psalm 91  

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High 
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, 
    my God, in whom I trust.” 

Reader, I urge you to join the psalmist here and say, “My refuge and my fortress, Jesus, my savior, in whom I trust!”  

10.) Psalm 103 

Bless the Lord, O my soul, 
    and all that is within me, 
    bless his holy name! 
Bless the Lord, O my soul, 
    and forget not all his benefits, 
who forgives all your iniquity, 
    who heals all your diseases, 
who redeems your life from the pit, 
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 
who satisfies you with good 
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 

This Easter season, remember the work of Jesus Christ, our savior. Forget not that he paid the penalty for all your sins. Forget not that he took on the death you deserved and gave you the life he earned. And forget not that he crowns you as a royal son or daughter in him.

Posted at: https://unlockingthebible.org/2019/04/10-popular-psalms-increase-joy-easter/

Four Things Jesus Finished on the Cross

By Colin Smith

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’  With that, he bowed his head and gave up his Spirit. (John 19:30) 

At Easter, Jesus went through the agony of his suffering, enduring all the pains of hell. He has cried out from the depths, but now he’s announcing his victory. He moves into death, not defeated, but triumphant: “It is finished.”

What did Jesus finish? 

1. The long night of his suffering 

I put this first because John described how someone held up a sponge soaked in vinegar on a stick, and the Apostle says, “When Jesus had received the drink, he said ‘It is finished.’” Matthew Henry says: 

When He had received that last indignity in the vinegar they gave Him, He said, “This is the last. I am now going out of their reach.” [i] 

This was the end of his excruciating suffering. Jesus knows suffering from the inside—more than anyone has ever known it. But he is not suffering now. He’s done with that. It is finished. He’s not in the grave either. He’s at the right hand of the Father where he intercedes for us.  

That is of massive importance for us. A suffering world needs a savior who knows about suffering. A savior who is overwhelmed by suffering, a savior who remains in suffering is of no use to us.  

We need a Savior who has triumphed over suffering. That is what we have in Jesus. He was plunged into indescribable suffering, but he was not overcome by it. He came through it and he triumphed in it.  

2. The full course of his obedience 

Remember why Jesus came into the world. The Son of God became a man to live the life you and I would have to live in order to enter heaven. Jesus lived the perfect life. There was no sin in him.

The night before he died, he was able to say to his Father, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4). Spurgeon says: 

Examine the life of the Savior from Bethlehem to Calvary, look minutely at every portion of it, the private as well as the public, the silent as well as the spoken part, you will find that it is finished, complete, perfect.[ii]  

Jesus said, “I have not come to abolish [the law] but to fulfill [it]” (Matthew 5:17). Every commandment of God was fulfilled in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Throughout his life, Jesus loved God the Father with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength, and he loved his neighbor as himself. He’s the only person who has ever done it.

Jesus’ perfect life of obedience was now complete and he was about to lay it down, so he said, “It is finished.”  

3. The decisive battle with his enemy 

The life of Jesus was a life of suffering, it was a life of obedience, but it was also a life of conflict with our great enemy the devil. Look at the world today and ask the question: 

Where does evil come from? Why do so many marriages fail? Why do wars keep happening?  

Jesus spoke with absolute clarity about Satan or the devil. Confronting the devil was the first act of Jesus’ public ministry. The Spirit led him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Throughout his ministry we see Jesus casting out evil spirits that were holding human lives in bondage.  

The story of this conflict goes back to the beginning of the Bible. Satan tempted the man and the woman and led them into sin that caused them to lose the joys of the paradise of God.  

They got the knowledge of evil and came under the power of the evil one. That’s been our story ever since. It is the explanation of what we see in the world today.

But God promised that a Redeemer would come, saying to Satan, “You will bite his heel, but he will crush your head” (Genesis 3:15). What a picture!  

God’s promise in Eden is precisely what happened at the cross. In Christ’s death, he breaks the devil’s power:

Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:15)

When Jesus died, he went beyond the reach of Satan. Satan could no longer tempt him. The devil could no longer afflict him or cause him to suffer. When Jesus went into death, it was “game over” for the devil and “game on” for us. The decisive battle with the enemy had been won.  

4. The complete work of his atonement 

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He came to give his life as a ransom for many, and on the cross he says, “It is finished.” He has borne the guilt of our sins. He has endured the punishment of our hell. The divine wrath has been spent on him. The justice of God has been satisfied in him. 

The perfect sacrifice has been offered. Complete atonement has been made. Hell has been vanquished. The condemnation has been removed.  Now the Redeemer says, “It is finished.” Jonathan Edwards wrote: 

Though millions of sacrifices had been offered; yet nothing was done to purchase redemption before Christ’s incarnation… so nothing was done after His resurrection, to purchase redemption for men. Nor will there be anything more done to all eternity. [v]

What can be added to Jesus’s redemptive work, his death and resurrection? It is finished! His long night of suffering is over. He’s no longer on the cross. The full course of his obedience is over. The decisive battle with his enemy is over.

Christ finished. You haven’t. But with him you will. 

Posted at: https://unlockingthebible.org/2019/04/four-things-jesus-finished-cross/

Trusting God In Your Waiting Season

by Katie McCoy 

When I was about 8 years old, my family had a bunch of people over for a pool party. I was so excited to jump in with the crowd until my parents told me that since I’d just gotten over being sick, I’d have to sit this party out. (Between the colds and earaches we got to know the pediatrician’s office pretty well). I was disappointed, to say the least. I had my very fashionable goggles and was ready to go, only to find out that “for my good” I would have to sit on the sidelines…by myself…when everyone else was having a party. To my eight-year-old social life, this was devastating. All the people were there, the pool was right there – all I had to do was jump in! I was supremely bummed.

But later, as I was sulking on the porch, my parents surprised me with the reason for the restriction: In just a few days I’d be getting on a plane and traveling 3,000 miles to see my favorite childhood friends. My little 3rd-grade heart was elated! All of sudden I didn’t feel so left out. Another sniffling nose or earache would have made for a rather miserable trip. When I realized that what seemed like a joy-stealing restriction was actually a preparation. Once I realized what was coming, I didn’t mind temporarily sitting off to the side.

While the days of pool parties may have passed, there are still times when it seems like I’m sitting on the sidelines, waiting for some divine revelation to make sense of all the “why’s.” Maybe you’ve been there too, asking God, Where do I go from here? What’s the next step? or Is this ever going to change?

Sometimes we feel stuck waiting for the answer. Or, perhaps we’ve convinced ourselves that we have the answer, but God doesn’t seem to be on the same page. The solution is seemingly right there – you could just jump in! But, for whatever reason, you’ve been given what seems like a joy-stealing restriction or another closed door and you’re left wondering whether God really is the caring, involved Father that He says He is.

But learning to wait on the Lord seems to be an unavoidable aspect of the Christian walk. Miles Stanford said, “God does not hurry in His development of our Christian life. He is working from and for eternity! So many feel they are not making progress unless they are swiftly and constantly forging ahead.” (Principles of Spiritual Growth) If the pace of our lives is in His hands, then even our seasons of silence are for a purpose that goes way beyond our current circumstance. In fact, one biblical woman shows us that how we wait for God is just as important as what we’re waiting for Him to do.

Hannah had wanted just one thing from the Lord – a son. After enduring years of being reproached in her society, ridiculed by the child-bearing second wife, and perhaps feeling forgotten by God, she pleaded with the Lord: “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life” (1 Sam. 1:11). She prayed, wept, and poured out her soul (v. 15). Then, without any guarantee that the Lord would even fulfill her longing, Hannah got up and “her face was no longer sad” (v. 16).  She trusted the heart of God even before she even knew His answer. She had surrendered herself to whatever He had in store.

But what’s even more striking about Hannah’s request was her focus. In the deepest cry of her heart, her focus was still not on her own happiness. She had already determined that, should God give her the one blessing she wanted – she wouldn’t hold onto it for herself. Hannah vowed that if the Lord gave her a son – the one thing in this life that she wanted – she would give that son back to the Lord, dedicating him to His service.

Perhaps we can learn something from this woman in waiting. Hannah surrendered to trusting the will and timing of God, even if it meant giving back the very blessing she’d hoped for all these years. God did give Hannah a son (1:20), and Hannah gave her son back to God (1:28). It was only when she determined to give God glory in whatever He chose to give her that she was finally blessed with it.

It’s true – we don’t have any guarantee that our specific request will be given. If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to hear Hannah’s story and think “Ok-great! All I have to do is want God’s will above all else and then He will have to say yes!”  Our hearts could be entirely surrendered and yielded, and in the wisdom of God, our circumstances may stay the same.  But perhaps what Hannah’s story would teach us today is that when we pursue God for who He is more than for what He can do, our waiting seasons don’t have to be miserable. When we rest in the truth that the same God who ordered our steps (Ps. 37:23) is our loving Father who wants only our good, and gives only good things to His children (Matt. 7:11), then our seasons of waiting can become times of expectant hope. What may seem like a setback or a delay is actually His perfecting preparation. Like Hannah, when our hearts are more intent on displaying the reality of God than obtaining His blessings – when we let go of those hopes we cling to so tightly and surrender to His perfect will – perhaps then we come to a place where He can act for and through us.

What do you find yourself waiting on today? Will you trust that even in your seasons of silence, God has a refining purpose? Sure,  you could jump into the convenient, “quick-fix” solution, tired of feeling restricted and like you’re on the outside looking in. But God has promised that He is good to those who wait for Him (Psalm 27:14) and that if you’re called according to His purpose, He will work all things together for your good (Rom. 8:28).  He has only good in mind for you! Even more, The Lord has already promised that He will fulfill His purpose for you (Psalm 138:8) and that none of those who wait for the Lord will be ashamed (Psalm 25:3). Will you trust his kind intentions for you, even when it feels like you’ve been forgotten? Will you wait for Him to act when it seems like you’ll never see the results?

For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! (Is. 64:4). Will you wait on the Lord in your waiting season?

Posted at: https://ftc.co/resource-library/blog-entries/trusting-god-in-your-waiting-season