Corona Devo 3153
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other... ~Ecclesiastes 7:14
Life is yin and yang. Our days are comprised of joy of prosperity and also the difficulty of adversity. One day we are up, and one day we are down. And on some wild and wonderful days: we experience both.
In the yin and yang of things, students (including my kids!) are in the final days and weeks of the academic school year, and there is much stress surrounding and infused within the last stretches of tests, finals, projects, concerts, shows, speeches, and (let's face it): expectations.
We may not be a student, but we needn't be to feel the pressure of life's stress bearing down on us.
The Lord is with the students who are grinding-out their faith and final projects, and our Lord God is with us, Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Let's draw strength, fortitude, and hope from His Word in our heavy times:
As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. ~Psalm 119:143
But coupled with the "I can't breathe" adversity moments of our lives today, also comes the Savior's sweetness of special moments, people, and the thoughtfulness of others. (Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other... ~Ecclesiastes 7:14)
We have a senior in high school this year, and the fruition of faithful hard work coupled with graduation salutations doesn't take the pressure off, but it makes the perseverance possible. Little things here and there commemorating thirteen years of schooling remind even stressed seniors that today (even if stressful) is a day of prosperity, and to be joyful.
There is joy and prosperity in even our hardest days, and the Lord affords both in our lives, and each for His purposes.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other... ~Ecclesiastes 7:14
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In our lives as evangelists (someone who invites others to draw nearer to the Truth, hope, and person of Jesus), there are days of prosperity and adversity. Whether others accept or reject God's invitation to Himself is up to them, but offering them the invite is up to us. (Therefore go and make disciples of all nations... ~Matthew 28:19).
But still--just gathering the gumption to share about God takes guts, and we will have days of adversity.
Our daughter has purposely befriended a boy in her class who is on the outskirts of most people's friend-circles. She has worked to (first) love him in Christ as she lays the groundwork to share God's Truth with him. She listens. She shows up for him. We've given him rides to events.
But upon receiving a flier she handed him inviting him to our new youth group, he spoke harshly and loudly to her in a silent (but full) class the other day. His words humbled and hurt her:
"I'm not going to your Bible study. That's just not happening. I don't need to hear that God pursues me or whatever...".
Ouch. We can invite for the Lord, but there will be days of adversity.
However--in (courageously) inviting others to our new high school youth group, our kids have had days where they sense God's presence and His prosperity too. Each of our kids have had more "yes's" than "no's" as they invite others to God's house. I pray that this is the case for you too.
In evangelism and in life--there will be adversity and prosperity...surely God has appointed the one as well as the other... (Ecclesiastes 7:14).
~~~
Life is both: yin and yang.
Our days are comprised of the joy of prosperity and also the difficulty of adversity. And on some wild and wonderful days: we experience both.
This week held one twenty-four hour period where we experienced both.
During the school day, our public high school went on lock-down for a supposed shooting event and threat, while thousands of students (including two of ours) were quarantined within the school.
The fear. The anxiety. The prayers. The hope. The faith of those forty-five minutes was excruciating. This was adversity on every level.
Although the threat was eventually deemed inaccurate and false (praise the Lord), peace had drained from many students (and parents) veins.
...in the day of adversity... ~Ecclesiastes 7:14
But a few short hours later we launched a new high school youth group. It was God's idea, (not ours), but my husband walked-out the foundational steps, and the Lord opened the doors as he did.
More than twenty-six students (many of whom suffered through the stress and fear of a possible shooter in their classrooms a few hours earlier) bravely decided to try something new in Christ because someone had invited them to.
And God met us there.
It was a day of prosperity, even though it had (absolutely) also been a day of adversity. On some wild and wonderful days: we experience both.
Life is yin and yang. And the Lord is the Lord of both.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other... ~Ecclesiastes 7:14
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