The last five years have been tumultuous to say the least. I experienced a friend’s betrayal in a business endeavor gone awry. The death of my brother in 2015 marked a tragic end to his twenty-five-year battle with addiction leaving irreversible physical and emotional family scars. I sought relief in the one place I though had to be safe…the church. I was wrong.
When that relationship came crashing down, I began to question my faith in God and whether or not He even cared about me. It seemed like everything I tried to build was knocked down and my tiny family was becoming minuscule. I had a choice to walk away from God or stick with Him and fight for my faith, joy and happiness. I chose to stick it out. It wasn’t easy. It took a year of therapy and medication for what was called a “Major Depressive Episode.”
But through it all God began to do something amazing. He restored my faith and took me even deeper. 1 Peter 1:3-4 tells us our hope is not in this life but in the life to come. God has given us “new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.”
I began to understand that God was tearing away my idols by trials. My faith was being tested in this temporary home we call earth. I was being refined like gold.
In a nutshell, God was seeing if I was serious about my faith…or not.
“…though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1: 6-7).
No matter what you are going through, choose God. Choose joy and choose to fight for it. Choose to believe that God has a perfect plan in your pain. Like the purity of Gold is proven by fire…the depth of your faith is sometimes proven by pain.
I Love this Jodie! Great words for a New Year!! Have a Blessed day!!
Happy New
Year to you too and thanks for reading as always!!
Thankyou
On Wed, Jan 2, 2019, 9:28 PM Genuine Life with Jodie Stevens Jodie Stevens posted: “The last five years have been tumultuous to say the > least. I experienced a friend’s betrayal in a business endeavor gone awry. > The death of my brother in 2015 marked a tragic end to his twenty-five-year > battle with addiction leaving irreversible physical ” >
Hi Bob, thanks for reading!
Jodie, Faith of a mustard seed. There have been many times I have been tested and failed in my mind but then I’m reminded that small seed, flicker really was powerful enough in itself as God has continued to show his love and has overwhelmingly blessed that small seed of faith. I think my true reality of what he is capable of and who he really is was born our of those trials. Certainly I have always believed but I think it was just window shopping and now I own the land and the store! I am an absolute believer in my relationship with Jesus. At times to the point of being ridiculous! It is exactly how it should be. No questions asked. Be Blessed Jodie and keep sharing. The impact of your life share and words is rich, far reaching, and much needed. Lorrie
Sent from my iPhone
>
Hi Bob, thanks for reading!
Hi Lorrie,
Thank you so much for your comments and for sharing. I agree with you, we see more of God and what he is capable of in our trials…perhaps it is when we lean on Him the most! Bless you and Happy New Year!