Read 1 Peter 1:6,7
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ...”
Raise your hands if you’ve ever been sleep deprived. :) Admittedly, that...uuhhh...”pleasure” has never been mine to experience. Well, at least, up until these last few days I’d never suffered through the problem of insomnia of any kind. Prior to this current situation, I’d been one of those brothas who could close my eyes and just drift off anywhere, i.e. - subway car, airplane, passenger seat, standing on my head, I'm just sayin'. ;-) I'd prided myself on literally being able to cop ZZZZ's almost anywhere...under most circumstances. However, while temporarily staying with my brother and subsequently attempting a few good nights sleep for several days on his living room couch.....my skills were challenged and I was eventually found to be 'Sleepless in Crown Heights'. Sadly, the lumpy, short, leather couch won. I lost.....and boy, did I ever. As a result, I "transformed" into a grumpy, irritable, ornery son-of-a-gun!
For some folks, sleepless nights are a result of a heavy, worrisome or overactive mind. For others, it’s a noisy environment (or person) or uncomfortable environment....or person. Then for others still, a lumpy bed, scratchy sheets, change of diet or a number of other things can be the blame. Regardless of what the culprits are, the results ultimately end up being the same: a tired and sometimes lethargic, ornery, short-tempered, moody, impatient human being. An individual who certainly can’t be confused with your best self. Recently, I've had the unfortunate pleasure of being introduced to that person in me.
Oddly enough, experiencing the results of my lack of sleep got me to thinkin' about how Jesus’ death shows us how to live. Yup. "How?!", you say? Welp, I'm glad ya asked! :-) I know...it may seem a bit contradictory or maybe even a little far out there to say that a death can teach a person how to live. I mean, a death - albeit the Son of God’s - informing us on how to live? It’s almost common knowledge that the life of Christ gave us a perfect template on how to live. Few people would argue that. But most folk would not assume that the death of Christ was an example of how to live. 1 Peter 2:21 reads,
“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps...”
This verse highlights the example in His dying rather than in His living. He died not only for us...but as an example to us: to show us how to live; how to love; how to forgive and care for those who’ve sinned against us. The fact is that you learn more about the character of a person in their “dying” rather than in their “living”. For the most part, the truest revelation...the truest picture of you & me comes in the times of our deepest trial. Contrary to belief, trials don’t make who you are. Actually...they REVEAL who you REALLY are. Trials reveal character, i.e. what is TRULY on the inside. Adversity reveals virtue or the lack thereof. The greater the trouble and the more severe the adversity.....the purer the revelation of what we are. As the saying goes, “a tree is best measured when it’s down.” The strength of a thing is best measured when it is tried and tested. That being true of us was also true of Christ Jesus. We see the truest, purest revelation of the character of Christ in the time of His greatest trial: His dying and death on the cross. We find that in His dying, that He was as perfect as in His living. In His dying, He gives us revelations of His character that teach us how to live.
To be sure, getting a surprise visit by your realest self may not be your most fave thing. However, there is great benefit in it. Simply put - if we never recognize or acknowledge and allow God through adversity to show us who we really are, then we can never manage and address those frailties and character flaws that might hinder our relationships or sabotage our growth. We never allow God the opportunity for Him to do the corrective work in us that He desires. I don't know why - but God in His wise sovereignty chooses to do His most profound transformative work in us through adversity & crisis. Unfortunate is the one who goes through life perceiving themselves to be something other than who they truly are and thereby delaying God's refining work. A crisis is a terrible thing to waste. So let us use it for what it's for: growth & maturity. Painful, uncomfortable crisis & trial indeed reveal who we really are. However, glory be to God that those things can also be the very tools the Master Builder uses to refine us and make us whole in Christ, “lacking in nothing”. James 1:2-4
Yay CRISIS! Now, lemme try and get some sleep! Sheesh!;-)
"Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of." ~ Charles Spurgeon
1 Peter 1:6,7; James 1:2-4
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"For if we are beside ourselves [mad, as some say], it is for God and concerns Him; if we are in our right mind, it is for your benefit." ~ 2 Corinthians 5:13 (Amplified Bible)
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