Standing Under Pressure
Several years ago, I was a young single Mother living in abject poverty, and literally facing homelessness with my 7 year old daughter on the rough streets of Charleston, SC. To this day, I do not recall there ever being any other time in my life when I have ever felt so truly desperate and alone.
During that time, I was approached by a business owner of less than reputable connections. He knew of my dire situation, and wanted to "help" with a business proposition. All I had to do was sign the paperwork, and stick with story when questioned by authorities. If I did this, then he promised that I would be set up and cared for for years to come. I would live comfortably without a care in the world, and I would never again need to fear for my child's welfare... There was a millisecond, in which that proposition sounded tempting. But I immediately remembered something I heard years before, and that was this:
"Sin will always take you further than you intended to go, keep you longer than you intended to stay, and make you pay so much more than you ever thought you would have to pay."
Turning to him, I replied: "I am a Christian. What you are asking me to do is illegal, on top of being a lie and a deception--and it would dishonor my God. My character is not for sale."
He dismissively waved away my response: "I knew that you would say that. Don't answer right away. Just take a few days to think about it."
"My answer will be the same tomorrow," I returned. "I am a follower of Christ, and I cannot dishonor Him."
"Well," he answered mockingly, "I don't see your Jesus coming through for you."
Over the years, I have thought many times about that scenario. I thank God for giving me the courage to stand and do what was right, if only in a very small and humble way. Although God's provision and way through that difficult time was far less than earth-shattering or glamorous, it was provision nonetheless. It wasn't a banquet feast, but it was "Manna" in the desert. And I recognize how Satan sought to use the desperation of those moments to weaken me--morally and spiritually--and to permanently cripple my Christian witness. I shudder and cringe at the thought of who I might have become and where I would be today, if I had caved in to the enormous pressure of the moment and chosen to take the "easy" short-cut that was offered. My life, even if comfortable, would have been twisted and marred, made ugly through hypocrisy, faithlessness, and integrity lost.
But there is another reason why this situation so often comes to mind-- it is because I see similar situations happening to people all around me. I see their desperation; I hear it in their stories. And I also see and hear people leaving off their professed faith in Christ, when circumstances seem too overwhelming, and the odds insurmountable. I hear the same question that was posed to me back then: "Where is God?" Or, even worse, "God has abandoned me and no longer cares."
The simple, unvarnished truth is, I do not know why God allows certain things. And, despite the fact that God helped me to stand strong in the midst of my own desperate situation, I would be lying if I said that there have not been many times in my life when I have inwardly wondered the same things. There have been more than a few times in my walk with Christ when I have felt completely disillusioned. And I often struggle to accept the fact that there are many people of unscrupulous principles, whose efforts thrive and produce wealth, while there are millions of others who suffer, despite their faithfulness and virtuous conduct.
And, in the midst of all these questions, another, almost imperceptible question starts to form in my mind: Why, exactly, do I follow Christ?
If we follow the train of thought and methodology of the "Prosperity Gospel" teachers of our times, then God's "failure to follow through" would almost certainly be cause to abandon our Faith. But the truth is that Jesus never promised that it would be easy; in fact, He promised that we would experience trials and tribulations. God does promise to forgive us for our sins when we repent; but He does not promise to always deliver us from the consequences of our choices. Contrary to popular messages from "Christian" leaders nowadays, Jesus never promised wealth. Instead, He instructs us: "Take up your cross, and follow Me."
The truth is that I do not follow Christ for what He can, might, or will do for me. I follow Him for Who He is and what He has already done. I still deal with disappointments, disillusionments, setbacks, and numerous heartaches of many kinds... My hope is not in this life, but in the life that is waiting for me on the other side of eternity. There will come a day when He will wipe away every tear. In that day, suffering and hardship will come to an end, and become nothing but a washed-away memory. In that day I will no longer need to stand strong under pressure, because I will finally have entered into His Rest... for countless millenniums into eternity.
...And then it hits me: this life is nothing but a blink compared to the vastness of Forever Hereafter. This life, with all of its trials and heartbreaks, is my one and only chance to truly shine brightly for Christ. Someday in Heaven, when all the saints are gathered round, and stories of the great Heroes of the Faith are being told and retold, will I look back with empty sorrow and hallow regret for the missed opportunities that came my way-- those chances to catch a glimpse of God's glory, disguised as mundane hardships, or even bitter heartache?
Sometimes God delivers His People from the fire, yes; but, more often than not, He is the God Who stands with His People while in the furnace. If you find yourself under intense heat today, know that God is refining you into pure, precious gold-- and a clear reflection of Himself. If you find yourself surrounded by darkness while under unbearable pressure, remember this: that is how God has designed Nature to create diamonds out of rocks... Something Beautiful and Priceless is being formed out of your Darkness...
Stay calm through the chaos... Daylight is coming.
During that time, I was approached by a business owner of less than reputable connections. He knew of my dire situation, and wanted to "help" with a business proposition. All I had to do was sign the paperwork, and stick with story when questioned by authorities. If I did this, then he promised that I would be set up and cared for for years to come. I would live comfortably without a care in the world, and I would never again need to fear for my child's welfare... There was a millisecond, in which that proposition sounded tempting. But I immediately remembered something I heard years before, and that was this:
"Sin will always take you further than you intended to go, keep you longer than you intended to stay, and make you pay so much more than you ever thought you would have to pay."
Turning to him, I replied: "I am a Christian. What you are asking me to do is illegal, on top of being a lie and a deception--and it would dishonor my God. My character is not for sale."
He dismissively waved away my response: "I knew that you would say that. Don't answer right away. Just take a few days to think about it."
"My answer will be the same tomorrow," I returned. "I am a follower of Christ, and I cannot dishonor Him."
"Well," he answered mockingly, "I don't see your Jesus coming through for you."
Over the years, I have thought many times about that scenario. I thank God for giving me the courage to stand and do what was right, if only in a very small and humble way. Although God's provision and way through that difficult time was far less than earth-shattering or glamorous, it was provision nonetheless. It wasn't a banquet feast, but it was "Manna" in the desert. And I recognize how Satan sought to use the desperation of those moments to weaken me--morally and spiritually--and to permanently cripple my Christian witness. I shudder and cringe at the thought of who I might have become and where I would be today, if I had caved in to the enormous pressure of the moment and chosen to take the "easy" short-cut that was offered. My life, even if comfortable, would have been twisted and marred, made ugly through hypocrisy, faithlessness, and integrity lost.
But there is another reason why this situation so often comes to mind-- it is because I see similar situations happening to people all around me. I see their desperation; I hear it in their stories. And I also see and hear people leaving off their professed faith in Christ, when circumstances seem too overwhelming, and the odds insurmountable. I hear the same question that was posed to me back then: "Where is God?" Or, even worse, "God has abandoned me and no longer cares."
The simple, unvarnished truth is, I do not know why God allows certain things. And, despite the fact that God helped me to stand strong in the midst of my own desperate situation, I would be lying if I said that there have not been many times in my life when I have inwardly wondered the same things. There have been more than a few times in my walk with Christ when I have felt completely disillusioned. And I often struggle to accept the fact that there are many people of unscrupulous principles, whose efforts thrive and produce wealth, while there are millions of others who suffer, despite their faithfulness and virtuous conduct.
And, in the midst of all these questions, another, almost imperceptible question starts to form in my mind: Why, exactly, do I follow Christ?
If we follow the train of thought and methodology of the "Prosperity Gospel" teachers of our times, then God's "failure to follow through" would almost certainly be cause to abandon our Faith. But the truth is that Jesus never promised that it would be easy; in fact, He promised that we would experience trials and tribulations. God does promise to forgive us for our sins when we repent; but He does not promise to always deliver us from the consequences of our choices. Contrary to popular messages from "Christian" leaders nowadays, Jesus never promised wealth. Instead, He instructs us: "Take up your cross, and follow Me."
The truth is that I do not follow Christ for what He can, might, or will do for me. I follow Him for Who He is and what He has already done. I still deal with disappointments, disillusionments, setbacks, and numerous heartaches of many kinds... My hope is not in this life, but in the life that is waiting for me on the other side of eternity. There will come a day when He will wipe away every tear. In that day, suffering and hardship will come to an end, and become nothing but a washed-away memory. In that day I will no longer need to stand strong under pressure, because I will finally have entered into His Rest... for countless millenniums into eternity.
...And then it hits me: this life is nothing but a blink compared to the vastness of Forever Hereafter. This life, with all of its trials and heartbreaks, is my one and only chance to truly shine brightly for Christ. Someday in Heaven, when all the saints are gathered round, and stories of the great Heroes of the Faith are being told and retold, will I look back with empty sorrow and hallow regret for the missed opportunities that came my way-- those chances to catch a glimpse of God's glory, disguised as mundane hardships, or even bitter heartache?
Sometimes God delivers His People from the fire, yes; but, more often than not, He is the God Who stands with His People while in the furnace. If you find yourself under intense heat today, know that God is refining you into pure, precious gold-- and a clear reflection of Himself. If you find yourself surrounded by darkness while under unbearable pressure, remember this: that is how God has designed Nature to create diamonds out of rocks... Something Beautiful and Priceless is being formed out of your Darkness...
Stay calm through the chaos... Daylight is coming.
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