How Did He Do It?

Have you ever thought of changing ‘who you are’ in order to ‘fit’ into a certain group? 

“If you lived on the world's terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God's terms and no longer on the world's terms, the world is going to hate you.”  John 15:19 (the Message)

Jesus didn’t change who He was during His 3 year earthly ministry. If you’ve read anything about Him, you know that He never tried to fit into a certain group.

Instead, Jesus was confident in who His Father was and never questioned His identity or His purpose in life.

While on earth, He led others. He could have chosen any 12 men to be His apostles. He picked 12 ordinary men that at times fell asleep when asked to stay awake; showed insecurities; messed up when He asked them to perform; denied who He claimed He was; wanted to change Him to be someone they thought He should be; showed unbelief in Him; were confused by His plans; even one who would betray Him. ‘And they all left him and fled.’  Mark 14:50

People hated Him, wanted to kill Him; His character was always being assassinated. ‘For not even his brothers believed in him.’ John 7:5

When looking for a role model to show us how to resist temptation, Jesus is our biggest and the most important person. He’s been there and done that.
‘The devil led Him to a high place…’  (Luke 4:5-8)

He knew that the cross was coming, yet He continued to Shepherd the lost sheep. He continued to speak of grace and mercy for the people that let Him down or disappointed Him.

Is your work stressing you out? Or perhaps you are dealing with news of family origin that brings added stress to your family; or you’ve just received a bad health report; or someone you trusted has betrayed you. How did Jesus handle such situations in His life?

He did it by never allowing those in the world to hinder His relationship with His Father in Heaven. He did it by constantly searching out a quiet place to pray and ask His Father for wisdom. He did it by ultimately accepting His Father’s will in His life.

Perhaps you are at a point where you question God’s intentions for your life. You think, ‘why should I keep trying? He hasn’t answered any of my prayers yet and besides, I’ve made so many mistakes that it would take a miracle to turn my life around. It’s easier to just keep doing what I’m doing.’

Eve, who was lured by Satan to eat the forbidden fruit, (Genesis 3:6) could have been banished from existence. Perhaps she too thought, ‘God is never going to answer my prayers again, I have seriously messed up my life this time.’ But after making poor choices, God did answer her prayers. God graciously provided Eve with clothing (Genesis 3:21) and when God could have banished her, He didn’t choose to form another woman to be the mother of all living things, He chose Eve! ‘Then Adam named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all people everywhere.’ (Genesis 3:20)

Paul, an educated man, who use to persecute Christians (as Saul in Acts 9) taking them from their homes and jails to be stoned, could have continued this life as a successful Pharisee. God literally stopped him in his tracks, ‘He fell to the ground…’ (Acts 9:4) and God began to use Paul’s intelligence, strategic thinking and the passion Paul had for his persecution of Christians, by channeling Paul’s energy and passion elsewhere into representing Christ to the world powers of his day!

Bathsheba, someone that was not as modest as she should have been when bathing in view of others; committed adultery by having an affair outside of her marriage which produced an illegitimate child; and then to have the child die. We aren’t told if this child might have been her first and only child; we never read that she repented. But we can assume she did because God ended up blessing her life abundantly! She married David and sat as Queen on the throne; she birthed another child with David, named Solomon.  Solomon was the wisest man on earth and the primary author of Proverbs, a book full of warnings against sins and foolishness as well as advice on raising children. He penned Proverbs 31, ‘The Wife of Noble Character.’  How would Solomon know about warning others not to sin and be foolish with their lives?  I suggest that Solomon would have known to write about these things from his upbringing and so this gives us insight into what his mother taught him as a child. ‘These are the sayings of King Lemuel, an oracle that his mother taught him.’ (Proverbs 31:1)
(note: there is indication that Solomon used the pen name of King Lemuel)

So do you see how God can use people right where they are, even if they’ve messed up?  That changing who you are to fit into what you believe the world says you should be, is not the solution to a better life. God really doesn’t want you to alter who you are to please anyone else, except Him.

Can you ever imagine that someday you will speak of your current situation, as something good? Bathsheba and Paul used their past mistakes as training grounds for improving their life. Their past humbled them into dependence upon their God to lead them forward.

One of my sons told me that a gal from his church was asking for prayer and midway through the prayer request she paused and said, ‘Scratch that.’ She explained that if her prayer request was answered, she might not feel the need to depend so readily upon God in her life.

Think of your circumstances as a task from God. A job He has given to you; a way for you to share in His redemptive work. Is it a bit more palatable when you think in these terms?

The choice is yours. God gives each of us free will. How will you use yours?

Instead of asking God, why was I made like this or why can’t I be like so and so? Start asking, how can I learn from my past mistakes or from my current situation? God wired each of us with certain talents, how can we use these for His glory? God allows ‘stuff’ to happen to build character. It’s about fulfilling His plan in your life, not your plan. Solomon asked God for wisdom. I’d start there.

One of my favorite authors, Max Lucado, in his book, Six Hours One Friday, shares a lesson in anchoring deep in the Word-because storms will come-no doubt, they will come. The anchor allows movement of the object being tethered but the object is not allowed to drift further than the anchored rope that it’s attached to. If you and I anchor deep in God’s Word, then we are prepared for the storms that come in our life because we are protected from wandering too far in our thinking. And it’s our thinking that leads us astray.

How did He do it? He put His faith in God’s will for His life and never looked back.

Let’s Pray. Father, thank you that we don’t have to try to be someone we’re not; You made us uniquely perfect and in Your image. Father, if there is one person reading this that feels they are inadequately made; please show them how special they are by encouraging them and blessing them with wisdom to know their true identity. Thank you for using us even when we are broken. Thank you for showing us that despite all the cracks in our character and personalities that You are all powerful and can lead us into transformed lives. We love you, Lord. In Jesus’ strong name we pray. Amen.

Until next time~

Blessings, Nancy