Circumstances, Part 2

For those of us who live in the west, we are privileged to dwell in the wealthiest, most advanced nation in the world. Are we more blessed than those who live elsewhere? Don’t be deceived. Just because you know someone who lives in more affluence than you, you are still vastly more wealthy than the majority of the world, and far wealthier than most of the world’s Believers…even in these down times. Does this mean you are more blessed and they are less blessed?

What about those who teach that you must simply pray and God will enlarge your business, your influence, your contact list, your car, your account, your health, or your house? Of course, many of these folks offer the disclaimer that these things are for God’s glory. But if the truth be told, they are really to affirm our faith and God’s blessing of us.

But what about those folks who pray and trust and do not receive tangible evidences of God’s blessing? Is He less pleased with them? What of the folks who are eaten by the lions of economics, recession, downturns, disease, and poor decisions?

Read carefully. If you believe such trite theology you leave yourself circumstantially vulnerable to the devil’s attack. Your Heavenly Father’s love, blessing, and pleasure cannot be measured, determined, or observed by your circumstances. Your significance, importance, acceptance, worth, and standing with Him cannot—must not—be appraised circumstantially.

If you miss this point, not only will you subject yourself to disappointment and disillusionment if circumstances don’t tumble your way, but you will compromise your role in Father’s story. Life is not about you. It is about Him. The life you are living is not your story but the part you play in His story.

What is your calling in life? Jesus said it was to love God with everything you possess (Mt. 22:36 ff). Paul said his determined purpose was to know Christ (Phil. 3:10). Our forefathers declared, Sola Christos, “Christ alone.”

So the real question before us is, can you know Christ and love Him with everything you possess, resting confidently in your standing with Him, whether circumstances are to your liking or not?

Our Heavenly Father is determined to remind us with every passing breath that we are important to Him because of who we are, not because of what we possess or what we have done.

Do you believe Him?