Dancing in Fire

Well...here I am once again banging my head against the wall and praying to make it just one more day without my head exploding. Yes, I had succumb to a form of depression where you know that there is nothing more you can do but allow the world to unfold around you as it will. While living in this virtual land of self pity I came to an epiphany (to all the jokesters that are reading this: No it didn't hurt). In the Word of God, I found a scripture in the book of Romans that I have read many, many, times but never quite read.

There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! Romans 5:3-5 MSG

"We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in (surrounded) with troubles" I don't know about you but this is exactly how I felt this morning, completely and utterly surrounded with no way out. Even still, through my tears this morning I shouted, "Give up Satan, I will never stop doing God's work." Even though that line may never be in a praise and worship song, I believe to God's ears that is sweeter than sugar. Believe it or not, once I said this I felt better. It was then I remembered what God had told me so many months ago, "Prepare for Greatness," according to this verse this is how we prepare. Troubles are what create our character more like God's. These are the times that forge us into the person that will one day carry God's greatness to the world.

I love how the verse goes on to say that through these troubles we will develop into the man or woman that God wants us to be. Like always God then ends it with a promise, we will eventually see all the things that God has poured into our lives. I know as I look back at some of the hardest times in my life, I see the incredible blessings I was allowed to be a part of. Whether it was at Basic Training where I was able to speak to over 60 men for 7 weeks about God and Jesus by praying for them every night. Or coming to Alaska and finding the job I was offered was gone and being able to come to Fairbanks to lead a young adult ministry. No matter where life takes us, if we praise God through our troubles, it will be alright because God will direct our path and will make sure His will is done.

Okay, so why the old man sticking out his tongue. Answer, because that's what I feel like doing to those that are causing my current predicament. I know that the troubles are good for me but I don't have to like them.