Strong tea. Okay, I actually drink coffee more often, but the principle remains the same. The best tea or coffee has to go through some sort of process, usually involving heat, to become its best. It's the same for a Christian. In order to conform to Christ's image, we must go through processes that often involve things we don't enjoy.
How does these things fit into the journey from guilt to grace? Foremost, going through a trial does NOT always mean that you are doing something wrong. God will send trials at times to bring us back to him after we have wandered away from Him. He wants to restore fellowship with us. This chastening, or discipline, occurs to restore fellowship, not as payment. When we repent, the whole issue is over. We should feel remorse at our sin, and strive not to repeat it. But even if we sin again (and we will), the depth of His forgiveness covers our sin. Wallowing in guilt over the situation will only hinder us from serving Him. I'm convinced that while remorse and repentance brings us closer to God, guilt serves Satan's purpose to cripple God's children. He desires that we live in grace, not fear and guilt.
Recently I encountered great conflict which still isn't completely resolved. My first reaction involved throwing up my hands, sobbing, declaring that I was pulling out of the situation entirely, and let the carnage lay where it fell. I didn't want to fight and I didn't want the pain. So THERE! Frankly, I don't enjoy conflict and trial. I believe that I will never be thankful for pain and anguish. You're probably never going to hear me say, "Praise God that hurt so badly and that I cried for days."
So, why is it necessary to go through trials if we don't have to like them? Why can't we sail to Heaven on flowery beds of ease? That would be my preference. Like Daffy Duck, I'm not like other people: pain hurts me. But, the fact is humans learn more from trials than from success. We gain more compassion for others by going through pain. And we learn to trust in Him more when we cannot help ourselves. And the lessons learned and the trust gained helps us not only to grow more Christ-like, but strengthens us for future conflicts.
How do conflicts help us? Often during a conflict we lose stuff that we just don't need. All things that grow need a good trim from time to time. Some of the things I have trimmed away (or lopped in some cases) during a trial include bitterness, judgmental attitudes, fear of the future, and self-doubt (not all of it, but some-I still have plenty-so I'm sure I'm not done with trials).
In the meantime, I gained many things. In the midst of a terrible time, when nothing seems humanly possible, there stands no choice but to look to Him. Once we put our faith in Him and let Him handle the impossible, He faithfully delivers us, and we gain trust and confidence and peace. It's that peace in the tempest that I wrote about two days ago. I don't think there's a better feeling than knowing you can completely trust Him. And then later, when a friend faces a similar trial, we find new compassion for their needs and can be used by God to help them through the hard parts by sharing how faithful we found Him. We're more than we were when started, we're stronger and more refined.
Leaves picked, cleaned, crushed, dried, and steeped turn into soothing hot tea. Beans picked, roasted, ground, and brewed into steaming java glory. Christians tried, conflicted, refined, and conformed to Christ-likeness. Each better, stronger and more desired than at the start. It's all in the processing.
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