September 4, 2022

Passage Read: Romans 4-5
Meditation Verses: 5:3-5

Thought

Afflictions produce patience, patience produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. Because we must endure affliction and can't do much to change it, we have to learn endurance and patience. Though we might be in a hurry to find a way out, yet the way out does not always immediately present itself, so we must endure. And as we endure, if we still seek to do what is good and right, we are developing tested and proven character. And that tested and proven character should highlight hope, because we're growing in spiritual maturity and looking forward to being free of this world, eternity with Christ becoming more real to us, and the love God has for us is poured out on us by His Spirit. As He is pleased with us, so He affirms His love for us.

Application

Lord, I can't say I handled this last affliction so well. I am glad to be out of it, but I don't feel improved by it. Instead I feel more afraid to go into any "Christian" context. Should I have done more to push back against the errors I saw or was backing off the right thing, believing they wanted only as much truth as they already accepted. I still have much to grow in. When I did speak up, trying to be as non-threatening as possible, it came across to some as inappropriate. But was it? Now I'm more sure of the lack of spiritual hunger among the leadership. Now there seems more evidence that they might be Christian, but not committed to knowing and obeying God better. Maybe I should have pushed sooner and more clearly, even if it meant being encouraged to leave even sooner, instead of avoiding conflict.