Christian Living

---

Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday November 30, 2010

Do you ever yearn for a life of ease, of simply praying and the prayer being answered almost as soon as it is offered? To live in such a manner as to always have more money than month? To be loved and to love, to breathe in God's air and know that all is well, to prosper, while developing strong character?

Forget about it. The above develops marshmallow character.

Helen Keller put it like this:

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."

So much for my dream of flowery beds of ease, though the dream is nice.

We often comment on Paul having wrestled with beasts at Ephesus and spending long months in dank prison cells. We can romantically and imaginatively identify with such suffering, because most of us have not nor will likely be called upon for such suffering. But how many can really take it down where the rubber meets the road keep on going for the Lord when dealing with Paul's heart rending lament, "Demas hath forsaken me" for whatever reason. If spiritual and emotional stabbings left physical scars my back and that of most pastors, our backs would look like that of an alligator.

If I/we are honest about it, this reality should not surprise us at all, but would confirm the clear teaching of the Word of God about living for Jesus in a hostile world. On many levels we are taught subtly and overtly that if we properly live for Jesus our live will be a bowl of cherries and whipped cream. There is no record contextually of such a life in the scriptures. Miss Keller was on the mark when she stated that character is developed via trial and suffering.

Luke wrote concerning the way the early converts to Christ were taught to live in Acts 14:22:

Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

These new converts were instructed to expect a tough road as they walked with Jesus along the path the Lord chose for them. Why should we expect anything less than what we are shown in the Word of God? To continue in the faith in spite of "much tribulation" is the only true discipleship message.

I don't know just how the Lord is calling upon you to suffer for His names sake, but I do know that you must count it all joy and understand it is God's method of developing Character.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE