Triumph & Trouble


TRIUMPH & TROUBLE

By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” –  1 Peter 1:6-7

We all go through seasons of difficulty in life—times of disappointment, grief and pain. I’ve been through a season of my own of late. Living on six acres, I like to pull my weight around the property. I don’t want it to be said of me that I am lazy or a slacker. As a result, for the previous six years, I had taken it upon myself to be the primary person responsible to do the mowing.

A while back I injured my back doing precisely that. Mowing rough terrain at odd angles became too much.  My lower back decided it had had enough, and it told me so in no uncertain terms. My MRI had comments of its own, including four injured discs.  That’s really not good, especially when you are a chiropractor.

In practice, it was normal for me to manage my busy patient load and staff. I was quite used to giving direction and asking for assistance from my staff. Working long hours, I hired help to clean the house every two weeks. I wanted to have my non-work hours free to focus on my family. 

Suddenly it all changed. With my back injury, I no longer just wanted help.  I needed it. The control freak within me stood up and put her hands on her hips.  I do not LIKE the feeling of needing help. It is much more pleasant to want help than to need it. 

The months since getting my wings clipped have been eye opening, humbling and painful. Like peeling the layers off of an onion, the Lord peeled off yet another layer. 

Being a servant-hearted person by nature, I enjoy meeting the needs of others. That all sounds well and good.  But then God revealed to me that, while a portion of that character trait comes from love, a larger portion of my desire to serve comes from wanting control, to receive words of appreciation, fear and my stubborn pride.  Ouch!  Oh, the sting of truth!

The truth is that I want to make sure things are done when and how I like them. Completing a task better than anyone else felt good and stroked my pride. To be completely honest, I wanted to be so good as to be irreplaceable. Unfortunately,

“IF WE ARE IRREPLACEABLE, WE ARE UNPROMOTABLE.” – Zig Ziglar

The only way for God to promote us is for us to relinquish control into His hands. He won’t put something new into our hands until we release what we are holding onto. In this case, God nearly needed to pry my fingers off. I had to give up what stroked my pride and made me feel in control in order to free my hands to take on something greater that would bring Him glory.

Human nature is that we want to be in control, receive the honor and glory for a job well done.  Then the tendency is to hold on to adulation for far too long. We are not designed to carry it, but only to pass it along to whom it is due. To God be the glory. 

“The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled),” – Isaiah 2:12. 

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” – Proverbs 16:18. 

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” – James 4:10.

Beloved, don’t set yourself up for a fall. Don’t delay or prevent your promotion. Let God be God. Give the honor quickly to Him. When trouble comes your way, ask for help.  Then don’t be surprised if your help from the Lord comes by way of unexpected means and looks nothing like you expected. Once you let go, there may be delay before promotion comes. The Lord wants to make sure you don’t try to go back and retrieve that you had laid down.

Lay both your troubles and triumphs at His feet. It is where they both belong.

When triumph comes, pass the honor quickly to Him. When trouble comes, hand it over to God; leave it there. It is only then that we are truly able to crown Him Lord of all.

Heavenly Father, we ask for a revelation of the condition and motivations of our hearts. Help us to humble ourselves quickly before you.  We do not want You to have to bring situations into our lives that will force us into humility. Teach us to release both the triumphs and troubles before You, that our hands will be free and open to receive Your blessings. May all we say and all we do bring the glory to You. In Jesus’ Name ❤️

https://www.facebook.com/Prayers-of-a-Ragamuffin-Warrior-171515087035441/

Modified and edited from a post originally shared July 26, 2019.

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