True believes and distress 544 - 1 - 7

In my opinion, those who truly are God’s children experience distress because they are God’s children. Here I’m not talking about the escalating prejudice against Christians throughout the world, rather about the pain of seeing a train headed for a bridge that you know has been washed out and not be able to do a thing about it.

Last month my mother turned 102 and we held an open house to celebrate. 

For two days friends and family came and went most of whom would call themselves Christians. The only one that I was sure was very devout is my sister-in-law Karen, unfortunately she is a cradle Roman Catholic. My concern for Karen is that she buys and to all beyond biblical Roman Catholic doctrine. She doesn’t hear me when I say Jesus did it all on the cross and to add any additional requirements to that is basically calling Jesus a liar.

Speaking for myself, I often feel the distress that I’m just not measuring up to anything close to God’s standard and am lacking in being an ambassador in compliance to the Third commandment. I can’t imagine the pain that Peter felt knowing that he failed at such a crucial time. John 13:38, “Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.”

And how often do I failed at His requirement? Luke 9:23, "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."

Hal Lindsey developed a list detailing “Why do Christians Have Trials?”

1. To glorify God

2. Discipline for known sin

3. To prevent us from falling into sin

4. To keep us from Pride.

5. To build faith

6. To cause growth

7. To teach obedience and discipline

8. To equip us to comfort others

9. To prove the reality of Christ in us

10. For testimony to the angels

I consider having trials to be an equivalency to experiencing distress. Mr. Lindsey’s #4 “To keep us from Pride” resonates with me. God hates pride and pride is one of my primary failings. #5 “To build faith” and #6 “To cause growth” seem to do best when Christians are experiencing persecution. There has been so much Christian bashing in the last several years that there seems to be an ever widening chasm between believers and nonbelievers. #9 “To prove the reality of Christ in us” points to the third commandment.

I distress I feel due to not bringing more into the Kingdom is painfully expressed in “Why Didn’t I Tell You?” By Nathele Graham. Her thesis ends with “But now here I am in the presence of God Almighty but I don’t know where you are. I was going to tell you tomorrow, but there are no more tomorrows for me or for you. You’re not here, didn’t anyone tell you? Oh, dear God, forgive me. Why didn’t I tell you?

Yes, there will be tears in Heaven.”